The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1914-05-02
GRAPHIC STORY
J OF VERA CRUZ
Capture Of Mexican City After
Two Days Fight Presents
Vivid Picture.
VAL0R OF OUR BLUEJAcKETS
Warshlps sheiIed Buildings In Which
Mexican "snlpers" Had Taken Ref.
(, use-Natives Surprised at cour-
tesy Of American Troops.

Twelve Americans were killed and
thirty wounded before the city OF
Vera Cruz came into the undisputed
possession Of the American invading
forces after two-day fight Although
the Mexicans suffered more severely.
the number Of their casualties has not
been ascertained. The best estimates
obtained by Capt William R. Rush
of the battieship Florida indicated
that in the engagements Of Tuesday
and Wednesday their dead numbered
about one hundred and fifty. No per-
son knows how many Mexicans fell
wounded, as many Of them were taken
away and hidden by friends.
In the streets about the plaza
Wednesday afternoon lay fifteen or
twenty bodies, a majority Of them at
tired In citizens clothing Some OF
the men evidently had been dead since
the engagement Tuesday and the
tropical heat made their immediate
disposal imperative. One of the first
captured was to bury the Mexican
dead In a trench at the sea end OF
one of the streets leading from the
plaza
Scores Are Taken Prisoners.
When the city was taken the order
was given to advance carefully and
search every building for men bearing
arms. Scores of prisoners were taken.
the majority Of them protesting vol
ubly-many hysterically-that they
were not guilty of any unfriendliness
toward the Americans. Accustomed
a. the Mexicans are to seeing their
own contending forces shoot imme-
diately all prisoners taken, the cap
\ tured men could not but believe that
they would receive no less drastic
treatment at the hands Of the Ameri-
cans. The guns found in houses were
thrown by the marines and blue
Jackets from the upper balconies to
the pavement below.
The most spirited action was the
taking Of the naval academy. Aside
from that fight, no definite, organized
opposition was encountered by the
Americans. A hot fire was poured
from the naval college, but a few
wen directed shots from the cruisers
Chester. San Francisco and Prairie
tore gaping holes in the stone walls
and silenced the rife fire Of the Mexi
cans inside. The bluejackets then
were enabled to proceed with the task
they had In hand.
Escape From Fight Cut on.
Despite the Smelling It had received
Tuesday, a squad Of soldiers continued
20 give considerable trouble to the
Americans from the battered Benito
Juarex tower. After they had been
eilenced and removed from the tower
II was discovered that the soldiers
had continued fighting for lack OF
ability to do anything else. The shells
from the warships Tuesday had torn
away the stairway in the tower and
the men had been compelled to remain
IN It.
Appeal From Aged Mexican.
Coincident with the orders for the
general advance of the Americans ar
aged, white-haired Mexican, carrying
the white flag Of truce, came down 9
! street from the center Of the city
He carried a letter to the chief of 20
lice, the only authority he hoped Il
reach. and desired Consul Granada t.
rsad It. II was an urgent appeal Il
the chief Of police to call on TIT
suipers and prevent the bombardmen
he believed would follow II they con
tinued their execution.
Even before the messenger hat
climbed the stairs into the consul
oflce Capt Rush was informed Of tn
contents OF the note he bore and i'm
mediately sounded cease firing" an,
halt" But It was too late. Tn
4ction had been begun all along tn
line and II was not considered wis
70 attempt further measures to stol
f. The commanders ordered thei
men forward at double quick. whicl
they carried out with a vigor tina
afterward gave them the city.
Evidences Of War.
Blood-bespattered sidewalks, broker
windows and bulletscarred walls CAV
the plaza q grewsome aspect. Within
the Ddligencia hotel there were fort,
Americans, most Of them women, VIII
had been there since the commence
ment Of hostilities. When the squar
vas taken they were Immediately nc
tined that they might go on the Spar
ish cruiser Carlos v. outside tn
breakwater in order to give the Prairi
room to fire her guns. The SPANS
commander refused, saying that
dared not maneuver his boat in 8
small q space at night He also d.
eaared that he needed to take on
supply Of fresh water. Admire
Fletcher insisted yesterday that hi
order be carried out, and the Carlo
v. moved outside Just before the a
track on the center Of the city begaI
At 1905 Wednesday morning tn
AmeFicans were in undisputed DO
session Of all the city except th
southwest quarter. in which the ba
racks are situated. and a few outlyin
alS1ictsL At noon they had take