Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-30


.D.-liere Is the Republic OF Santo
Domingo there has been fought. and
still Is being fought TO some extent.
one Of the funniest little wars I'm the
history of American arms. IL Is also
Il tragic little war and incidentally an
important little war, but let us have
the action first and consider the con-
sequences aftcrward--which seems to
he the accepted order in most Latin
American wars.
The trouble started last April when
the President Of this nation tried TO
fire tho Secretary OF War. whercupon
the Secretary of War chased the Pres
idcnt out of the capital. and the Pres
idcnt. with an army Of 3S7. laid siege
TO the same. Admiral Capcrton. of
the American Navy. who was down
in this part of the world 10 keep or
der. then took IA hand in the game by
giving the usurpcr, General Arias
twcnty-fpur hours to get out OF tho
city. General Arias got
In order to make this job Of keep
ing order complete. il was now ncccs-
sary TO follow and dispense the army
Of the revolutionary general. which
had retired TO the interior. According
iy LOO marines under the command
Of BriBadicr-Gencral Joseph III. PEN
dleton. was landed at Monte Christi,
"a port on the other side OF the island
The main force OF marines under
colonel Dunlop. was to advance upon
Santiago rom this poiut, wniI. ,
Ranking movement WAS executed hv
Bajor Bacrss.
The marines had ,hcir u,,,, -
ana equipment. and nothing more
They organized "a supply and bosuitnl
Train by imprcssing all OF the nuto-
mooiioS I'm the town, but i'm - very
lew miles these had TO be abandoned
ana IL Few carts. laboriously dragged
through the mud by four mules each.
transporter everything that wna no;
iei' pchind The Santo Domingo mule.
soon began to get tired and stick I'm
inc mud. so that they required much
assistance from the soldiers while :,
N'ch competition In stealing mules
from each other developed between the
various divisions
no most spectacular and remark
hh'c part OF this army was the cavalry.
WAS INC precursor Of the sew
''"i very competent troops OF "borso
marines" which now police Tho conn
Try This first troop was no, ycrv
competent 1t contained eighteen mon
VINO We're mounted on ponies ,nu,c.
and hurros. These mounts he,nr
somewhat poorly fed. developed a Ten.
uehcF TO stop and craze under fire or
during a charge.
H"rhmc Muddy Trail
n'Eh"aF 10 Santiago. which tho
troops followed. soon dcgeneratcd into
ITO" muddy trail through thick.
short jungle. The enemy mad. hi.
presence known by cou,tu,,.uy y,,,,,,'
from thiS cover so that every once 4,
"hiie man would go down i'm ,ne
'hun. Now and then small detarb-
nents would make "a stand uron som.
favorable bit OF ground un,il rho ma
rines routed them.
hn
''uayhcanes. where the rebel ,orc.,.
TOOK up strongly intrenched ,,st,,
"H.-f- IN" Americans carried nriv az
'"r stubborn hight The leader Of
'"e trb"!s, MaNimctJ Cabral va; an
." hHhting alone In the trench., MIR
49, - hiS followers were LEAD or
driven away.
TIL; icf-at dispersed and di.ha,r,.
enc" th' rebel army. Tho res, IF ,be
f.hCh santiago vas made .yith III.
u" uifhculty, and the force jo.r,d IA,
"t Ma-"r l'aerss. which had .nc,u,t..r-
ed no'h!nf but Il few snipers
This rebel army OF Santo Dor,ir.,
was the personal following OF Genera;
i'cSid"rIo .triaS, who Is "a sort Of DO
!n!nican Villa and an idol OF the p.,n.
- force numbered between ,hr., and
tour hundred. They were barcfoot.d
ana armed with an amazing variety
OF weapons. including most OF the dis.
'ardtd makes Of European military
rifles, various sporting rifles shotcuns
and muskets. Their revolvers we're
much better than their rifles, and mos,
or Them were good revolver shots
while very few seemed to know how
/" use Il rifle. Many OF them had knock
ed tn" sights OF their rifles. evidently
regarding aiming as IA waste OF time
These ragamuhn troops were brave
and fought effectively at short range,
despite "a lack OF military organization
Interior Like Medieval F:urop~
The fall OF Santiago WAS merely the
beginning of the marines work The
interior Of Santo Domingo. half "a will
dcrneSs and without roads is in some
what the condition OF Europe in the
middle ages. There are a number OF
native leaders. most Of whom own
lands, that have gathered about them
Il large following. Thcorcticaily citi-
Zens OF republic. they are ia fact
feudal baronS. acknowledging no law
and no government. All Of them have
arms for their followers. and the ma
rineS are under orders to diSarm the
popuiace. peaceabiy IL possible. y more
delicate and difficult task could scarce
~ he imagined.
one OF the most formidable Of these