THE INVASION OF PUERTO RICO.
General Miles' Landing at Ponce--The American Army Received with
Cheers and Open Arms by the Native Puerto Ricans--News of Peace
Stops a Battle and Brings Hostilities to a Close.
The United States military expedition, under command of Major-General
Nelson A. Miles, commanding the army of the United States, left
Guantanamo bay on the evening of Thursday, July 21, and was successfully
landed at the port of Guanica, island of Puerto Rico, on July 25.
The ships left Guantanamo bay suddenly Thursday evening with the
Massachusetts, commanded by Capt. F. J. Higginson, leading.
Captain Higginson was in charge of the naval expedition, which
consisted of the Columbia, Dixie, Gloucester and Yale. General
Miles was on board the last-named vessel. The troops were on board
the transports Nueces, Lampasas, Comanche, Rita, Unionist,
Stillwater, City of Macon and Specialist.
As soon as the expedition was well under way General Miles called
for a consultation, announcing that he was determined not to go by
San Juan cape, but by the Mona passage instead, land there,
surprise the Spaniards and deceive their military authorities. The
course was then changed, and the Dixie was sent to warn General
Brooke, who was on his way with his army from the United States,
with instructions to meet General Miles at Cape San Juan.
Early on the morning of July 25 the Gloucester, in charge of
Lieutenant-Commander Wainwright, steamed into Guanica harbor in
order to reconnoiter the place. With the fleet waiting outside,
the gallant little fighting yacht braved the mines which were
supposed to be in the harbor, and found that there were five
fathoms of water close in shore.
The Spaniards were taken completely by surprise. Almost the first
they knew of the approach of the army of invasion was in the
announcement contained in the firing of a gun from the Gloucester,
demanding that the Spaniards haul down their flag, which was
floating from a flagstaff in front of a blockhouse standing to the
east of the village.
The first couple of three-pounders was fired into the hills right
and left of the bay, purposely avoiding the town, lest the
projectiles should hurt women and children. The Gloucester then
hove to within about 600 yards of the shore, and lowered a launch
having on board a Colt rapid-fire gun and thirty men under the
command of Lieutenant Huse, which was sent ashore without
encountering opposition.
Quartermaster Beck thereupon told Yoeman Lacy to haul down the
Spanish flag, which was done, and they then raised on the
flagstaff the first United States flag to float over Puerto Rican
soil.
SPANIARDS OPEN FIRE.
Suddenly about thirty Spaniards opened fire with Mauser rifles on
the American party. Lieutenant Huse and his men responded with
great gallantry, the Colt gun doing effective work.
Almost immediately after the Spaniards fired on the Americans the
Gloucester opened fire on the enemy with all her three and six
pounders which could be brought to bear, shelling the town and
also dropping shells into the hills to the west of Guanica, where
a number of Spanish cavalry were to be seen hastening toward the
spot where the Americans had landed.
Lieutenant Huse then threw up a little fort, which he named Fort
Wainwright, and laid barbed wire in the street in front of it in
order to repel the expected cavalry attack. The lieutenant also
mounted the Colt gun and signaled for re-enforcements, which were
sent from the Gloucester.
Presently a few of the Spanish cavalry joined those who were
fighting in the street of Guanica, but the Colt killed four of
them. By that time the Gloucester had the range of the town and of
the blockhouse and all her guns were spitting fire, the doctor and
the paymaster helping to serve the guns.
Soon afterward white-coated galloping cavalrymen were seen
climbing the hills to the westward and the foot soldiers were
scurrying along the fences from the town.
By 9:45, with the exception of a few guerrilla shots, the town was
won and the enemy was driven out of its neighborhood. The Red
Cross nurses on the Lampasas and a detachment of regulars were the
first to land from the transports.
After Lieutenant Huse had captured the place he deployed his small
force into the suburbs. But he was soon re-enforced by the
regulars, who were followed by Company C of the 6th Illinois and
then by other troops in quick succession. All the boats of the
men-of-war and transports were used in the work of landing the
troops, each steam launch towing four or five boats loaded with
soldiers. But everything progressed in an orderly manner and
according to the plans of General Miles. The latter went ashore
about noon, after stopping to board the Gloucester and thank
Lieutenant-Commander Wainwright for his gallant action.
On Wednesday, July 27, the Wasp, Annapolis, and Dixie steamed from
the port of Guanica to Ponce, prepared, if necessary, to shell the
town. The Wasp was the first to arrive, and she found the people
of the town waiting, as the news of her coming had preceded her.
The Spanish garrison, 350 strong, was paralyzed with fear and
wished to surrender or leave, but Colonel San Martin, who was in
command, declared that he could not surrender.
The Wasp steamed up close to the shore, with all her guns bearing
on the town, and found, instead of an enemy prepared to give
battle, a great congregation of people awaiting their arrival.
Lieutenant Ward and Executive Officer Wells sent Ensign Rowland
Curtin with four men ashore, bearing a flag of truce. They
suspected treachery on the part of the Spaniards, and the gunners
of the Wasp stood ready to fire at a second's warning. Ensign
Curtin put for the beach as though he had no suspicion of
treachery, and as he stepped from the boat the people crowded
around him, forcing presents upon him and his men, and welcoming
them with rousing cheers.
A message was sent to the Spanish commander, demanding the
immediate and unconditional surrender of the city, and Ensign
Curtin returned to the Wasp for instructions. In a short time a
reply was received from Colonel San Martin, offering to surrender
upon the conditions that the garrison should be permitted to
retire; that the civil government remain in force; that the police
and fire brigade be permitted to patrol without arms, and that the
captain of the port should not be made a prisoner. He also imposed
the condition that the American soldiers should not advance from
the town within forty-eight hours.
Commander Davis, who was anxious to complete the surrender,
accepted these conditions and the armor-plated soldiers and
policemen then fled to the hills. The Spaniards left 150 rifles
and 14,000 rounds of ammunition behind them.
Lieutenant Haines, commanding the marines of the Dixie, went
ashore and hoisted the American flag over the custom-house at Port
of Ponce amid the cheers of the people. After this Lieutenant
Murdoch and Surgeon Heiskell got into a carriage and drove to the
city proper, two miles distant, where they received a tremendous
ovation. The streets were lined with men, women and children,
white and black. Everybody was dancing up and down and yelling:
"Viva los Americanos!" "Viva Puerto Rico Libre!"
The storekeepers offered their whole stock to the officers, and
declared that they would take no pay for anything. In the Plaza of
Justice the people tore down the wooden-gilded crown and would
have trampled upon it if the officers had not interfered and saved
it as a souvenir.
When General Wilson landed, the firemen lined up to receive him,
and the local band played "The Star-Spangled Banner." Everybody
took off his hat and cheered. The custom-house was taken for the
American headquarters. The troops landed during the day were the
Second and Third Wisconsin and the Sixteenth Pennsylvania
regiments.
When the ships arrived all the people who could get small boats
rowed out to them and offered to pilot them in. General Wilson at
once started in to learn the condition of affairs. He sent men
into the town immediately and put a sentry at each foreign
consulate. He also detailed a detachment of soldiers to the work
of guarding the roads.
General Wilson and General Miles agreed that the conditions of the
surrender relating to the movement of troops were not binding.
Despite the arrival of the troops the celebration in the town went
on. All the Spanish stores were closed, but the Puerto Ricans and
the foreigners kept open house. Women and men alike were all
dressed in their finest attire.
MILES ISSUES HIS PROCLAMATION.
At 10 o'clock General Miles issued his proclamation to the
inhabitants, which was as follows:
In the prosecution of the war against the kingdom of Spain by the
people of the United States, in the cause of liberty, justice and
humanity, its military forces have come to occupy the island of
Puerto Rico. They come bearing the banners of freedom, inspired by
a noble purpose, to seek the enemies of our government and of
yours and to destroy or capture all in armed resistance. They
bring you the fostering arms of a free people, whose greatest
power is justice and humanity to all living within their fold.
Hence, they release you from your former political relations, and
it is hoped this will be followed by your cheerful acceptance of
the government of the United States.
The chief object of the American military forces will be to
overthrow the armed authorities of Spain and give the people of
your beautiful island the largest measure of liberty consistent
with this military occupation. They have not come to make war on
the people of the country, who for centuries have been oppressed,
but, on the contrary, they bring protection not only to yourselves
but to your property, promote your prosperity and bestow the
immunities and blessings of our enlightenment and liberal
institutions and government.
It is not their purpose to interfere with the existing laws and
customs which are wholesome and beneficial to the people so long
as they conform to the rules of the military administration, order
and justice. This is not a war of devastation and desolation, but
one to give all within the control of the military and naval
forces the advantages and blessings of enlightened civilization.
In the afternoon General Miles and his staff were invited to the city
hall to see the city officials. The city hall was surrounded by a vast
crowd of people, and a band was stationed in the park. When the
carriages of General Miles and his staff appeared the band played "Lo,
the Conquering Hero Comes." General Miles appeared upon the balcony of
the city hall and took off his hat. The crowd cheered him wildly, and
the band played "The Star-Spangled Banner," "Marching Through Georgia,"
and other patriotic airs.
General Miles talked to the officials and told them to remain in
office. He said he wanted things to go on just as before, but
there must be no oppression. He repeated the words of his
proclamation, and said that Spaniards who had arms must give them
up; if not, they would be regarded as bandits, and not as
soldiers, and treated accordingly.
On August 5 the city of Guayama, the principal port on the
southeastern coast, was captured after a sharp skirmish with 400
Spaniards. The 4th Ohio, Colonel Coit, and the 3rd Illinois,
Colonel Bennitt, with two dynamite guns, all under command of
General Haynes, composed the expedition which marched against the
town from headquarters at Arroyo. When the Americans had reached a
point about three miles from the latter place they were viciously
attacked on both their right and left flanks. Colonel Coit's Ohio
troops, who were leading the advance, were splendidly handled and
did telling work against the enemy.
The Spaniards for a time managed to conceal themselves behind
barricades, but the Americans soon got at them and poured a
terrific fire in their direction. It was impossible for the
Spaniards long to withstand this fire, and they soon retreated.
As the American troops entered the town they found it practically
deserted. All of the houses had been closed, and the Ohio regiment
raised its colors over the town hall.
A crowd of citizens soon gathered about the invading troops and
welcomed them with enthusiasm. While this demonstration was under
way the Spaniards returned, making a heavy attack on the town from
the north.
The Fourth Ohio was sent out to engage the enemy and a hot fight
between the two bodies of troops took place during the next two
hours.
Two dynamite guns finally were put in position by the Americans
and five shots were fired. These completely silenced the enemy and
they withdrew, leaving the town in possession of our forces.
Coamo was captured on August 9, after a dashing fight, in which
the 16th Pennsylvania volunteers won honors, holding the lead in
General Wilson's advance on the town. The skirmishing with the
enemy's outposts began at 8:30 o'clock in the morning. The
American troops were armed with Krag-Jorgensen rifles and were
supported by artillery. They went into the fight with spirit under
the eye of General Ernst, and routed the enemy, killing twelve of
them, including the Spanish commander, Colonel Illeroa, capturing
the town, and taking 200 prisoners. No Americans lost their lives,
but six were wounded, one seriously.
General Wilson's troops destroyed the Spanish batteries on the
heights facing Aibonito, on Friday, August 12, after a brilliant
advance of the artillery. The first firing by the battery was at a
range of 2,300 yards, which silenced the Spanish guns. Then a
portion of the battery, under Lieutenant John P. Haines, of the
4th artillery, was moved forward within 1,000 yards of the enemy's
rifle pits and there drove them out and captured a blockhouse.
The firing of the Spanish riflemen and artillerists was very wild,
reaching the American infantry in the hills instead of the
attacking battery. Corporal Swanson of the 3rd Wisconsin
volunteers was killed by a shell which fell in the midst of the
Wisconsin men, and the same missile wounded three others.
NEWS OF PEACE STOPS A BATTLE.
The news that peace was at hand reached Guayama on August 13
just in time to interrupt a battle. General Brooke's force, in three
strong columns, had begun an advance toward Cayey to form a
junction there with General Wilson's division, which had been
making its way along the main road from Ponce to San Juan.
Three miles out General Brooke's troops came upon a force of
Spanish occupying strong intrenchments on the top of a mountain.
Light battery B, Pennsylvania artillery, unlimbered its guns,
loaded them with shells and had just received the order to
commence firing when a message from General Miles announcing peace
was received on the field over a military telegraph wire. The
battery immediately was signaled to cease action, to the surprise
of all the men, who were keyed up for battle. The news that the
war was over spread rapidly among the soldiers, causing general
disappointment, for the officers could do nothing but leave the
battle unfought and withdraw their troops. All returned to their
former camp at Guayama.
The signing of the treaty of peace by the United States and Spain
came too soon to suit the commanders of the invading army in
Puerto Rico. Their plans had been perfectly formed and were almost
executed. The simultaneous advance of the four divisions toward
San Juan was interrupted in the very midst of the successful
movement. If it could have been carried out as contemplated it
would have been an invaluable lesson to the Puerto Ricans,
quelling such pro-Spanish sentiment as existed and rendering
American occupation and government of the island a comparatively
simple matter.
General Miles felt this and regretted that he was not permitted to
complete the masterly military movement so carefully begun and so
successfully carried forward. The occupation of Puerto Rico was
made with a loss to the Americans of two killed and thirty-seven
wounded.