The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1914-04-24
THE UNITED STATES FLAG
FLIES OVER VERA CRUZ
Huerta's Refusal to Salute American Flag
Immediate Cause Of Action.
four Maies Killed. Twenty Wounded and Fifteen American
Soldiers Captured.

Forces from the American warships
in front of Vera Cruz occupied that
Mexican port Tuesday afternoon, buo
the occupation was not accomplished
without loss of American lives.
Inns occupation of the Mexican port
comes as a result of Huerta's tcfus-
- TO comply with President Wilson S
demand that he fire a salute Of apol-
ogy to the American flag by o 'c.och
Monday night. The patience Of the
president had been exhausted and he
mad delivered his ultimatum.
The Mexican losses in the skirmish
which ensued are said to have reen
..ef AUu.
Four Americans, bluejackets and
narlnes, were killed by the fire OF the
Mexican soldiers, and twenty 1ell
wounded. The Mexican loss is not
-..o,,u, Dut IL is Deileved to have Eeen
heavy.
Inc waterfront, the customs house
ana all important piers, including
those under the terminal works from
wn.cn extend the railroad to the cap
ital, have been occupied. All the ter
r'tory around the American consulate
. s,Iongiy patrolled and detachnents
hold other sections of the city.
The Mexican commander, zen. Gus
tavo Mas, offered stubborn resist
ance to Cne American advance ana Tor
many hours there Was fighting in tile
streets. Toward nightfall it was re-
ported that the main body of the fed
eral garrison was IN retreat to the
westward.
Rear Admiral Fletcher, command
ng Jne United States warships, pre-
faced his occupation of the port by 9
uelnanu, through the American con
SUI, W. W. Canada, for its surrender
! g. /. Mas prom pity declined to &C
Ce. e il, t. Ge.r4r. ana lortly a.
tel.wards ten whaieboats were sent OIL
from the side of the transport Prairie
ioaded with marines.
These boats effected landing IL
the neighborhood of the customs
,odse Ue4ore noon and few minutes
later Capt. William R. Rush of the
battleship Florida, who was in COM
mand of the operations ashore
brought his flag in.
! Capt. Rush's men already had ta-
ken up their positions. They mum,
bered $50 bluejackets from the Flor.
ida, 800 marines from the Prairie anc
65 marines from the Florida. Later
these were augmented by detach'
ment from the Utah.
The coming of the American forces
was not heralded by any great excite
ment but small crowds gathered II
watch the landing. Soon the blueJack
cts and marines marched through the
streets leading from the Waterfront
and along the railroad yards. Otn2r'
proceeded to the American consulate
while still others were deployed alons
the approaches to central plaza, II
which General Mas had concentrated
his men.
First Shot Fired.
These maneuvers were effected
without opposition, but suddenly zen
Maas cnalenged the advance with tn
first shots-a volley fired from a poin
three blocks from the marines and TIVE
blocks south of the main plaza. Ih'
marines replied Immediately, but th'
action ceased in moment. Their
was a lull for ten minutes and thel
another brief exchange from the ives
end of Montesinos street, Where
federal outpost was stationed.
At 1890 the firing became genera
and at | o'clock the guns of the trans
port Prairie went into action.
Prior to this detachment of blue
| iackets flom the Utah, holding tn
ground between the consulate and TN
| waterfront, opened with two OF thei
| three-inch guns. The first shot fror
| these pieces were directed against tn
| ancient Bento Juarez tower, Whc
| once served as a lighthouse. Tins wa
| occupied by Mexican sharpshooter;
Lieut.. Commander Buchanan of tn
Florida ordered that it be destroyed
Five shots brought the old towe
/ down.
The women of the American colon
/ in Vera Cruz had been placed aboar
the chartered steamers Esperanza an
| Mexico, but the foreign colony, espe
ciallv the American section, wa
greatly augmented this morning "ns ls
a,ee tram loads arrived from m
capital. Some of these remained o
shore. but many were taken dooar
the steamers. So far as can be learE
ed no fugitives were injured.
r The demand for the surrender
Vera Cruz was made at o'clock
4 the morning. Consul Canada calle
%. ustaVo Mass, commandant
/ Vera Cruz by telephone and preSchce
i uemanus, saying tn e United Statt
forces were about to occupy and mol
/ the town. He called upon him to SUI
render in the name of humanity "a
,,,sr the Americans in restoring o.
de-
Z Asked for Farley.
Gen. Mass replied that compu ln'
vas impossible and asked the cons
I or d personal parley. The consul Il
/ formed Gen. Mas that he had 10 l!
5 ructions to grant parle' and en-
ed ,hc conversation. He then "a IL
/ the iefe politico and customs cole
Il TOR by telephone and informed the
OF tho prospective landing, and ash'
for their cooperation in the malate
i arce of peace. Neither could pror
ise assistance.
iii Rear Admiral Fletcher, aboard t
flagship Florida, by this time was
communication with Rear Admir-
Badger, who was speeding iowa.
this port with five warships. Adm
raj Fletcher decided to act and m
rines began leaving the side Of t
transport Prairie shortly before
o'clock. They entered ten whs