Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1914-04-30

their valor In the face of a foreign foe'
and have, at the same time, given the
natives OF this town new idea OF
the courtesy OF American troops.
While the battle that resulted In the
taking OF Vera Cruz was not severe
one as battles Of the past have been
counted II was OF a character to test
the courage of men who we're called
upon to face the steel-jacketed bullets
of foemen hidden behind walls and on
housetops, and before 1t was over IL
American sailors had paid for the VIC
tory with their lives and another 30
were seriously wounded.
While the Mexicans suffered more
severely, the number OF their casuai-
ties has not been ascertained, but the
best estimates obtained by Capt. VII
liam r. Rush of the battleship Florida
indicate that in the engagements Oh
Tuesday and Wednesday their dead
amounted to about $50. No person
knows how many Mexicans fell
wounded. as a large part of them were
taken away and hidden by friends.
Dead Lay In Streets.
In the streets about the plaza Thurs
| day lay fifteen or twenty bodies,
majority OF them attired In citizens
clothing Some of the men evidently
had been dead since the engagement
OF Tuesday, and the tropical heat
made their immediate disposal I'M
perative. One OF the first orders given
after the town had been captured was
to bury the Mexican dead in a trench
| at the sea end of the streets leading
from the plaza.
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,
most OF them protesting volubly, many
Historically, that they were not guilty
Of any unfriendliness whatsoever
toward the Americans.
Expected to Be Executed.
Accustomed as the Mexicans are to
their own contending forces shooting
! Immediately all prisoners taken, the
captured men could not but believe
that they would receive no less dras-
tic treatment at the hands Of the
Americans.
The guns found in houses were
thrown by the marines and bluejack'
cts from the upper balconies Of the
houses to the pavement below.
The most spirited action OF Wednes
day was the taking Of the naval acad
envy. Aside from that fight there was
no definite organized opposition en-
countered by the Americans.
Americans Under Hot Fire.
A hot fire was poured into the ad
vancing Americans from the naval col
lege, which for time held them back
but a few well-directed shots from the
cruisers Chester, San Francisco and
Prairie tore gaping holes In the stone
walls and silenced the rife fire Of the
Mexicans inside. The bluejackets
then we're enabled to proceed with the
task they had in hand.
A squad OF soldiers, despite the
Smelling II had received Tuesday, con
tinued to give considerable trouble tC
the Americans from the Benito Juare1
tower. After they had been silencec
and removed from the tower It wa,
discovered that the soldiers had con
tinued fighting for lack Of ability tt
do anything else The shells from the
warships Tuesday had torn away the
stairway In the tower and the mer
had been compelled to remain in 1t.
MexIeans Evseuate Hotel.
1t was not until late Tuesday tha
the last of General Mas men on toI
of the hotel received written order,
from outside the city to evacuate thei
position. The order was obeyed by 1
portion of the 100 men who we're oc
cupying the roof and vantage point
in the interior, but small portion o
the band determined to disobey thu
orders OF their superiors and fight t
the last. These men, however, surren
dered Wednesday morning. A lieu
tenant who was in command of tn,
Mexicans was led out prisoner, ant
although he had fought desperately
he trembled and turned pale in thu
belief that he would be summaril.
executed.
None OF the American women wer,
mistreated by the Mexicans durinI
their occupation OF the building. 4
few Of the women assisted the Mex
cans in caring for their wounded.
Old Tower Held.
In the fighting in the center Of tn
inner harbor, San Juan de Ulua, al
ancient stone fortress, few the Mex
can flag throughout the attack Tn
commandant and 60 armed men ant
800 workmen in the navy yard peereJ
from the embrasures at the Prairie
lying 500 yards away, and the othe
ships Smelling the naval academy Il
the dungeons remained 500 prisoners
the echoes of the guns on the ship
.