Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-07-02

The marines Cot automatic guns
went into action at Independence,
Cinco de Mayo, Cortes, Hidalgo and
Bravo, and cleared these streets i'm
mediately. The men took positions In
front OF warehouses, lining the north
side of Montesinos and fred at the en-
envy, who had occupied the housetops.
windows and towers On the opposite
side OF the street The marine regi-
ment was then ordered not to advance,
but to hold its original position.
In the meantime the Florida sea-
man battalion, under Lieutenant Vain
wright, had advanced and seized the
customs house and customs ware
house, post Office and railroad terrni-
nal They were under steady fire from
the enemy in houses in Benito Juarez
and Morelos streets, which was re-
turned. The artillery section of Flor
ida went into action in front of the
American consulate and shelIed the
enemy out OF the old lighthouse tower
on Benito Juarez street When the
first report Of casualties was received
the Solace was ordered from Tampico
to Vera Cruz by radio.
At p. m. I repaired aboard the
Prairie with Captain Huse and Lieu
tenant Courts Of my staff, and from
this point directed joint operations
ashore and afoat. The Prairie opened
nre at 1:10 p. N. with three-inch gun
on the eneny's mounted troops in the
sandhills beyond the city. Indirect fire
was used with a church tower as a
point of aim, range $500 to 5000 yards.
The second shot fell among their
troops and drove them beyond the
sandhills.
oharpshooters in the naval school
building and the new market had been
firing steadily on pier No. 4, where all
of our boats were landing. Chief
Boatswain McCloy, in charge Of three
picket launches, armed with one
FOUNDER guns, put cut from pier No.
and steamed full speed around the end
Of fiscal pier, directly toward the ma
val school building.
When within few hundred yards
the launches opened fire Simultaneous
ly with one-pounders at the windows of
the naval academy. They thus drew
the IRE CT the Mexican forces along
that section of the water front, but
located their position for the Prairie,
which Immediately opened fire with
three-inch battery over the heads OF
the launches, silencing the fire Of the
Mexicans in that section Of the city,
The picket launches in their gallant
dash were hit many times. with rife
bullets and three times with one
FOUNDER shell from the naval academy.
Chief Boatswain McCloy was wounded
in the leg and enc was fatally
wounded.
g p. MI did not desire to force
the fighting through the city and use
the guns of the ships as long as there
existed a reasonable chance to avoid
this severe measure. Every effort was
being made to get into communication
with the Mexican authorities, both di
rect and through the American con-
sui, and to represent to them the fu-
tility of further resistance on their
part and the serious consequences that
would ensue
Any further advance at this time
of the day would have brought the
into the most densely popu-
lated part of the city after nightfall.
1t was, therefore. decided to hold our
present position.
'Desultory firing continued until
with occasional shots
Throughout the night.
AT 9 p. m. the San Francisco en-
tered the harbor and anchored 300
yards north Of the Prairie. It immedi-
ately landed its battalion of two sea-
man companies, which reported to the
brigade commander ashore The
Chester entered the harbor at 1905
a. NJ, April %, and anchored off SAM
dad pier. It's battalion Of seamen and
marines was landed Immediately. At
1 a. m. censorship was established
over the cable station.
Rear Admiral Badger with five bat
tleships of his feet came to anchor in
the outer harbor and with my chief
Of staff I repaired On board the flag