The Boys of '98 Part 43

"'CAMP, NEAR HORMIGUEROS, August 10.

"'Advance guard, including cavalry of this command, while reconnoitring northwest of Rosario River, near Hormigueros, developed strong Spanish force, which lay concealed in hills north of Mayaguez.

"'In general engagement that followed, Lieutenant Byron, Eighth Cavalry, my aid-de-camp, was wounded in foot, and Private Fermberger, Company D, Eleventh Infantry, and one other private were killed, and fourteen enlisted men were wounded.

"'It is reported that the most, if not the entire Spanish garrison of Mayaguez and surrounding country, consisting of one thousand regulars and two hundred volunteers, took part in the engagement. We drove enemy from his position, and it is believed inflicted heavy loss.

"'A wounded Spanish lieutenant was found in the field and brought into our line. Conduct of officers and men was beyond all praise. I propose to continue my march on Mayaguez at early hour to-morrow.

"'SCHWAN.'

(Signed) "MILES."

_August 12._ General Wilson moved one Lancaster battery out to the front for the purpose of sh.e.l.ling the Spanish position on the crest of the mountain at the head of the pa.s.s through which the road winds.

The enemy occupied a position of great natural strength, protected by seven lines of entrenchments, and a battery of two howitzers.

The Spaniards were eager for the fray, and early in the day had fired upon Colonel Biddle of the engineer corps, who, with a platoon of Troop C, of New York, was reconnoitring on their right flank.

As the American battery rounded a curve in the road, two thousand yards away, the enemy opened an artillery and infantry fire. Four companies of the Third Wisconsin, which were posted on the bluff to the right of the road, were not permitted to respond.

The guns advanced at a gallop in the face of a terrific fire, were unlimbered, and were soon hurling common sh.e.l.l and shrapnel at the enemy at a lively rate, striking the emplacements, batteries, and entrenchments with the rhythmic regularity of a triphammer.

[Ill.u.s.tration: GENERAL BROOKE RECEIVING THE NEWS OF THE PROTOCOL.]

The enemy soon abandoned one gun, but continued to serve the other at intervals for over an hour. They had the range, and their shrapnel burst repeatedly over the Americans.

In about two hours the enemy abandoned the other gun, and the men began to flee from the entrenchments toward a banana growth near the gorge. Then the guns sh.e.l.led them as they ran. One gun was ordered to advance a position a quarter of a mile farther on. It had just reached the new position when Spanish infantry reinforcements filed into the trenches and began a deadly fire upon the Americans, compelling the battery to retire at a gallop. Then both the enemy's howitzers reopened, the shrapnel screamed, and Mausers sang. Another gun galloped from the rear, but the American ammunition was exhausted.

Colonel Bliss of General Wilson's staff went forward to the enemy's lines with a flag of truce, and explained that peace negotiations were almost concluded, that their position was untenable, and demanded their surrender. The Spanish had had no communication with the outside world, and the commander asked until the next morning in order that he might communicate with General Macias at San Juan.

_August 13._ Twelve hours later the Spanish commander gave the following command to one of his staff:

"Tell the American general, if he desires to avoid further shedding of blood, to remain where he is."

General Miles telegraphed the War Department that he was in receipt of Secretary Alger's order to suspend hostilities in Porto Rico. The soldiers of the American army generally received the news of peace with delight, although some were disappointed that there was to be no further fighting, and many officers expressed regrets at the suspension of hostilities in the midst of the campaign.

_August 14._ General Schwan's column was attacked between Mayaguez and Lares. As the Eleventh Infantry under Colonel Burke was descending the valley of the Rio Grande they were fired upon from a hillside by a force of fifteen hundred Spaniards, who were retreating toward the north. The fire was returned, and the Spaniards were repulsed with, it was believed, considerable loss.

Colonel Soto, the commander of the Mayaguez district, was wounded and afterward captured in a wayside cottage. He was attended by two sergeants, who surrendered. The Americans suffered no loss. The artillery and cavalry were not engaged.

General Schwan had not received news of the signing of the protocol when the action occurred, but obtained it later in the day.

[Ill.u.s.tration: GENERAL RUSSELL A. ALGER, SECRETARY OF WAR.]

CHAPTER XVI.

THE FALL OF MANILA.

With the opening of the month of July, affairs at Manila, so far as concerned the American forces, were at a standstill.

_June 30._ Admiral Dewey awaited the coming of the army, the first transports of the fleet having arrived at Cavite, June 30th, before beginning offensive operations.

The situation on and around the island of Luzon was much the same as it had been nearly all the month of June, except that the gunboat _Leite_, which ran up a river on May 1st, the day of the battle, came out and surrendered, having on board fifty-two army and navy officers and ninety-four men. The _Leite_ has a battery of one 3 1-2-inch hontoria guns, and several 2.7-inch rapid-fire guns.

_July 1._ Aguinaldo proclaimed himself President of the Revolutionary Republic on the first of July. The progress of the insurgents can be readily understood by the following extract from a letter written by Mr.

E. W. Harden:

"There are persistent rumours that it is the desire of Governor-General Augusti to surrender Manila to the Americans, but the command of the Spanish troops is practically held by the senior colonel of artillery, who opposes surrender.

"The rebels have captured the water-works beyond Santa Mesa, which supplied Manila, and the Spanish fear that their water will be cut off.

"The rebels have also captured the strongly fortified positions of San Juan and Delmonte, where the Spaniards were to make their last stand if Manila capitulated. The city is still surrounded by insurgents.

_July 2._ "There was fierce fighting Sat.u.r.day before Malate. The Spaniards had modern guns to command the rebel trenches, and maintained a steady fire throughout the afternoon, but found it impossible to drive the natives out. Forty rebels were killed. The Spaniards finally were driven back."

_July 4._ Brigadier-General Green, in command of the second army detachment, on the way from San Francisco to Manila, rediscovered and took formal possession of the long lost Wake Island, in north lat.i.tude 19 15'

and east longitude 166 33'.

_July 5._ To the Spanish consul at Singapore, Captain-General Augusti telegraphed:

"The situation is unchanged. My family has succeeded in miraculously escaping from Macabora in a boat, and, having pa.s.sed through the American vessels, all arrived safely at Manila. General Monet's column is besieged and attacked at Macabora."

_July 15._ The steamers _City of Puebla_ and _Peru_ sailed from San Francisco with the fourth Manila expedition, under command of Major-General Otis.

_July 16._ The steamer _China_, of the second Manila expedition, arrived at Cavite, and was followed on the next day by the steamers _Zealandia_, _Colon_, and _Senator_.