Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1914-07-01

Vera Cruz, Mexico.-Months before
the landing of the American naval
forces at Vera Cruz and the capture of
the Mexican port plans had been
worked out for the occupation of the
city They contemplated resistance
by the Mexicans and were not merely
plans for peaceful patrolling of
streets and administration of civil du-
ties.
Five months ago the battleship
New Jersey was sent to Vera Cruz
and her officers were detailed imme-
diately for a military survey OF the
city. Outwardly the groups of young
officers who were ashore daily were
merely sightseeing, riding or walking
through the quaint old city and hav-
ing the best of times. Actually, the
city was as carefully charted as If 1t
we're a coast of dangerous reefs and
shoals. The spots along it's water
front were selected where the men or
the sea should land whenever hostil-
ties might start. The straight streets
which might be swept by the deadly
hail of bullets from machine guns
were marked.
Streets Very Crooked
In a seventeenth century Spanish
city such as this straight streets are
tho exception. Many streets are
curved and more have joys every few
blocks, SO that the street appears
to end abruptly until the end is
reached, when it is seen to continue
d hundred feet or so to the right or
left
The buildings whose commanding
roofs would sweep these streets were
listed The dozen or more high para
petted stone and plaster towers which
overlooked various parts of the clty
were known even TO the location OF
stairways, so that no time might De
lost in reaching their commanding tur-
rets. The fat roofs were charted IKE
steps. They were to be occupied IN
successive series, all the time advanc-
ing over the housetops until tie clty
was swept and secured.
The developments of 1the day
showed that the precautions were
wisely taken. The capture of vera
Cruz in the warless war was fight
over the housetops. Behind the roof
parapets and from the high towers
the Mexican snipers fought like de-
tenders of beleaguered medieval
castle. Each city block of the gray
stone city made a separate castle.
Had their defense been as determined
and as united as the attack OF the
men from the ships the story Of Amer
lean death and bloodshed would nave
been far more bitter. American fore
sight knew more about their own city
than they did themselves, 1t struck
straight for the high spots.
FiasrIedF Sebers tackles.
To probably more than half the
bluejackets and marines the first two
days of fighting in Vera Cruz was
sudden awakening that life in the
navy is not all pomp, parade, travel
and play. Many had never seen fell
low being cold in death, much less q
man killed, or been under fire before.
1t was a changed body of young men
that came back to the ships. Shore
expeditions before had been for dis
plav or pleasure. This had been grim
business. in which comrades of the
other happy shores had died, where
the blood lust of revenge had run
high. and in a twinkling they had
changed from carefree boys to hard
ened men.
In the Plaza d'Cathedral the hos
pital corps gathered up the mangied
remains of a Mexican defender. A
three-inch shell had torn away both
legs. Ths close fire of machine gun
had choDned the body as If with
knives. Across the plaza to the ears
of an officer to whom war had ceased
TO be play came the ribaid chatter.
Garry the body down the street,!
he directed the hospital orderlies.
1t was lifted on stretcher the
men with the red cross on their
sleeves started at a brisk pace. Gu
riouslT the nearest boys stepped for
ward to look. With shudder they
drew back. The words froze on their
lips. 1t was as if some invisible hand
Of ice had stilled their heart beats
Along the line moved the human
wreckage of their bullets. 1t was
deaths muller. One glance sufnced.