Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1914-05-08
ny A VETERAN.

BY A VETERAN.
The fever-port of Vera Cruz had
been captured four times before Uncle
Sam seized it on April 81. Once it fell
ts Gen. Winfield Scott, once to the
at1ied forces of France, England and
Spain, and twice to the buccaneers of
the Spanish Main.
know several men today who were
present at the siege of 1S47. 1t is
probable none OF these veterans OF the
first Mexican struggle will see service
this time, although have just seen
a letter from Brig. Gen. Horatio G.
Gibson, u. S. A., retired, eighty-seyen
years old, in which the venerable
fighter offers his sword to the stars
and stripes and refers to Major Gen.
Leonard Wood as sponsor for his
physical and mental ability. General
Gibson served through the Mexican,
Civil and several Indian wars.
1t was March z, 1S47, when the feet
bearing General Scott and his little
army appeared of Mexico's principal
seaport. The troops landed without
much trouble after the city had been
bombarded, but it took sanguinary
siege of thirteen days to capture the
defenses,< Trenches we're dug and reg
ular operations conducted.
So our troops this time can COM
mence their march toward the capital
with much less of handicap than
General Scott's.
While the troubles of the United
States which eliminated in the Civil
war were brewing Mexico grew arro-
giant to this country and to Europeans.
The crowning insult was President
Miramon's seizure of $630,O00 in specie
from the British consulate. Great
Britain, France, Spain and Prussia de-
cided to move. Meantime the great
Benito Juarez, the General Washing
tom OF Mexico, was conducting re-
volt I'm the North. He overthrow Mira
mon. but the foreign troops kept on
their way. On December IA, 1861,
Vera Cruz was seized by a Spanish
force under General Prim. The result
WIS the elevation of Maximilian to the
throne and. after the European troops
haE been withdrawn, the unfortunate
Austrian's execution.
The pirates, with force equal to a
respectable army, captured Vera Cruz
in 1888. They burned, slew and
robbed for many days before they
were driven to their ships. In 1712
the notorious buccaneer kings. Lau-
rent and Van Horn, seized the port
and held it ten days They killed hun.
areds OF Mexicans, carried away WON
en- captive and did an immense
amount of damage.
To this day the nurse girl of Vera
Cruz, seeking to still the fretful child
says. BE quiet or / will give you to
Van Horn"
Reparation for One Insult.
I was much amused by the Ill
informed IL well-meaning persons who
cried out that Dictator Huerta had
given sufficient reparation for the in
suit to the flag at Tampico by his
meager and half-hearted apology.
From the files Of the navy depart
naent have dug up report from
Commander ]. Blakely Creighton, U
g. NJ. commanding the Oneida, who
witnessed Japan's atonement for an
offense against our bluejackets. Il
reads:
-Hiogo, Japan, March IA, 1863
Hon. Gideon welles, Secretary of the
United States Navy, Washington
ID. C.-Sir: have the honor to com
xnunicate the particulars of the execu
tion of the Japanese official Tati zan
zutaro, retainer Of the Matsdaira Bi
zen. No Kami, who ordered his troop:
to fire on the foreigners at this place
ON the fourth ultimo.
-This execution was witnessed BY
me at the request of our minister, Gen
r. B. Van valkenburgh, and was a
follows:
i left the legation at about 9:0'
D. m In company with the officers at
tached to the foreign legations ant
proceeded to Hiogo, where we wer,
met By guard, who escorted US t.
the temple where the execution wa
20 take place.
There was a large number o
people on each side of the street lead
ing to the temple, and quite mum
ber OF soldiers drawn up inside ant
about the temple. We were showl
into room adjoining the Japanes,
officials, where we were asked If W,
wished to question the person abou
20 be executed, to which we answered
i'm the negative. They also took tn
names of every official present.
AFTER waiting about half an hou
!. we were conducted by the Japanes
officials into what appeared to be tn
principal room of the temple, whicl
: Was lighted with candles, and il
front of the altar was raised plai
form of about foot in height, whic
extended across the room and whic
was placed on the right of the altal
Within few feet of where the execl
fion was to take place, with the Japar
ese officials on the left
In front Of the altar was gree
cloth and in front Of that red on,
We were informed that the executio
would take place on the red clotl
Seating ourselves upon the mats o
.-~~~~~~~~~->~~s>
AMERICAN INTERVENTION
IS WHAT MEXICO NEED
Aucrfcan intervention Ia what Me