Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-05-15
|BRAVEST ARE TENDEREST.
Conduct of American BluelaCketS al
Vera Cruz.
TOOK ESPECIAL Care OF ORPHANS

i Especial and Particular Care OF the
Little Ones.
Vera Cruz, May 10.-Here is a story
Of efficiency and Of human nature
American bluejacket human nature.
1t was on the day after the seizure
of the custom house that the most
bitter feeling in Vera Cruz occurred
The landing forces from all the ships
did their duty nobly, with the highest
credit to the country and to the ships
from which they came, and am spin
ming this short yarn of what happen
ed to the men of the battalion from
the Arkansas during the fighting and
the days that followed, not on account
Of any superiority on their part over
their mates Of other ships, but be-
cause circumstances brought forth not
only proofs OF sterling courage and
trained skill. but Of the possession of
qualities Of simple direct kindliness
and generosity which have always
found characteristic of the American
naval seamen.
| The Arkansas came to anchor a mile
or more outside the harbor of Vera
Cruz at 1 o'clock in the morning. The
thunder Of the hawse pipes as the
mudhook took the ground had not died
on the air when the huge electric
cranes picked up boat after boat,
swinging them out over the sides and
lowering them into the water, and the
men, comfortable with midnight
breakfast served rut hot from the GAL
leys, crowded in,o sailing launches and
cutter, and, towed by the steam
launches, made for the shore, ready
not for frolic this time. but for a
| fight, fierce and hard.
In one hour from the time the ship
dropped anchor, the battalion landed
under fire. What followed in the ad-
vance Of our forces into the city has
been we'll and graphically told by 9TH
ers and the work Of the Arkansas
men in the desperate fight from house
to house makes the same story as that
Of the men from other ships, until the
way had been forced up to where the
shells of the Chester were crashing de.
vastation into the halls Of the Naval
academy With the Red Cross flag
flying from its roof, the hospital Of San
Sebastian showed prominently.
| Immunity Violated.
Secure in their confidence Of immu-
nifty from attack in that direction, the
advance guard Of the Arkansas moved
into the open street.
Instantly from the roof, doors and
windows of the hospital fiickering tom
CUES Of fire burst out, and the air
about our men snapped with the tear
| ing through it Of steel-clad Mauser
bullets. Shocked and surprised at this
act Of treachery, the men did not fall
ter nor seek shelter until so ordered.
| Wounded men staggered and sank
bleeding to the ground. Three fell
dead. A gunners' mate, an old timer,
the enlistment stripes thick on his
sleeve, who was directing the fire Of a
| Colt automatic up a side street, sprang
out into the fire, and, picking up
| .
spot and then Immediately resumed his
place at the gun.
The taking Of the hospital and the
punishment Of those caught in 1t red
handed was forwarded as matter Of
course. That is another story.
But here, close by to where the lads
had fallen, another large building
raised it's walls at the street corner.
It's windows tightly shuttered, the
high arched doorway closed and bar
red, no sound came from within. Here.
too, the white flag with the red cross
flowed from the staff above the door.
| The battle goes on, the wounded sur
fered in the sweltering hot; their need
is imperative. What more appropriate
place than this great house for a hos
pital station? What more advantage
GUS shelter for the battalion when the
fight is won? Nothing could be easier
than to batter down that tightly bar
| red door which had been done in scores
Of houses all the morning. Here shell
ter and a stronghold, nothing easier
| than to force entrance,
Admitted to Asylum.
Nothing easier. no. but you can't do
it; you can't break through the pro-
tecting shadow Of that white flag with
the red cross; you simply can't. For
you are Americans, trained, disciplin-
ed American seamen Of the regular
service; a service that has never yet
brought dishonor on the flag. No, you
cannot force entrance, but you can ask
for it. And so, with the death shots
still falling thick and fast, the battal-
ion commander mounts the short steps
and knocks at the door. There is
pause; again the officer raises his
hand to knock, when the doors part
and swing silently back on their
hinges,
Under the archway single figure
stands. Behind him wide, spacious
hall, with pillared arches supporting a
gallery, lies bathed In cool light, and
in the shadow of the gallery fitting,
shrinking forms move uneasy. with
courteous wave Of the hand the man
in the doorway invites entrance, as
with an anxious tremor In his voice
he asks mercy and protection for his
charges at the hands Of the dreaded
gringos.
The house Is the orphan asylum of
the Haspicio Zamora-mercy and pro-
lection, good Lord. The poor man has
no conception Of what a God-send the
coming Of these fighting seamen OF
the north is to be to his little ones in
the next days to follow, Of how they
are to be fed and cared for and cod
died by rough hands, warm-hearted
protectors such as the young creatures
had never known before.
In the thick Of the fighting that
morning as street after street fell be-
fore the American onslaught, Lieuten-
ant Commander Heating had sent his
signalmen to the housetops to wigwaS
to the ship the points on the harbor
front at which he wished supplies for
his men to be landed. BY o'clock in
H.. - faa1