The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-05-07
DESCRIBED THE
FIGHT At VERA.
CRUZ, MEXICO
MISS LAURA c. MAYNE RECEIVES
A LETTER FROM FOREST NJ.
CROFT, YEoMAN ABOARD THE
5ATTLEsHlP UTAH.

A graphic description Of the fight
ing at Vera, Cruz between the Ameri-
can and Mexican forces, is contained
In q letter received by Miss Laura G.
street. from Forest N. Croft. yeonan
aboard the batleship Utah. It is as
follows:
I'VE arrived back here from Tam
pico the 18th, and things then were
thought to be In rather quiet posi-
ton and did remain so for a few days
when trouble started up again and at
II p. m the goth, we received orders
to proceed to sea and intercept a Ger
man line steamer which was bring
ing to this port a, cargo of 80 million
rounds of ammunition and a lot of
field pieces and to try and persuade
her to remain out, but in the mean
time orders were received from Wash
. ington to seize the custom house here
which would prevent the German ship
from discharging here her cargo Of
ammunition, so the Florida prepared
to land her marines and sailors and
recalled us to come in at full speed
and prepare to land which was done.
AT last we all thought we were go
ing into real action so after anchoring
here we saw the FTorida's bunch all
ready to land, so we were waiting for
our orders to do likewise, but we then
received orders to get flu power ready
to leave here and proceed to Port OF
Mexico and land there and just as we
were ready to get under way the Flor
ida had landed and the Mexfcans open
ed fire on them, so the admiral order
ed us to stop and land immediately,
which just suited our fellows to perfec-
tion for hearing the shots fired meant
that our time had come for action and
all hands were ready in short time and
in the boats ready to land. When they
did land firing started in full force
from each side, especially when our
forces returned the fire.
Now they proceeded to carry out
the orders which were to seize the Gus
tom houese which thev did and then
it was real action to hold it and also
get them, for they started to fire from
windows and doors and also put up
breast works for their protection, but
our forces fired to kill and took good
aim and certainly did pick them off
and then night came on and our
forces retreated to the buildings
which they had seized and remained
there until morning and the ships did
the protecting from the beach with
I'm the maGnm of the s2nd. our
forces tried An up tho city OF
those people were taking pop
shots at our fSses and they were
backed up by all the fleet that came
I'm and landed and then real war
started for there was quite a lot OF
soldiers at the fort here and also at
their military barracks. so, when our
forces marched up on them they open
ed fire, but our machine guns got into
playing some real American music and
held them in and then the Chester
opened up with her five inch battery
and bombarded those places which
now look like a sieve.
at did not take long for the greasers
TO realize that they could not buck the
Yankees so they soon ran up a flag of
truce and surrendered to us, but still
a few Of them kept up the pop shots
at our men so they Just started in and
made a clean up OF the city and
searched every house and person plac-
ing under arrest all those caught with
fire arms and ammunition.
II have a lot of pictures which VIII
show you when 1 arrive home and will
then be able to explain and show you
Just what did happen down here. Our
total loss Of life here was very small.
only II and the wounded between so
and 20. The exact loss OF Mexicans
was not given out as yet but it is es-
timated very heavy owing to the BON
bardment, also to the accuracy of our
men in firing. The city is now under
martial law and seems to be getting
along very nice and the people are, or
seem TO be realizing that the Ameri-
cans are here for their benefit and
they are beginning to abide with the
rules and laws which are handed out
from time to time by the admiral who
Is here. TRANSFORMATION and every bus