Funding for the digitization of this title was provided by R.J. Taylor, Jr. Foundation.
About The Ashburn advance. (Ashburn, Ga.) 18??-19?? | View Entire Issue (Aug. 5, 1898)
THE A8HBURN ADVANCE. VOL. Vi. Pori Ponte and Ho Town of Ponce Capit- iilaie flout lerii Resistance. SECOND CITY OF P0UT0 RICO TAKEN POSSES. SION OF BY GEN. MILES AN1) HIS TROOPS. So Far Not a Single American Soldier Has Lost Ilis Life in the Campaign—General Miles Reports to Department and Also Issues Proclamation to the Islanders—Commander Higginson, of Naval Forces, Sends Message. An Associated Press dispatch from Tort ronce. Porto Rico,via the Island of St. Thomas, D. W. I., states that tho Port of Ponce surrendered to Commander C. II. Davis, of the aux¬ iliary gunboat Dixie, Thursday. There was no resistance and the Americans wero welcomed with enthusiasm. Major Geueral Miles arrived there Thursday morning at daybreak with General Ernst’s brigade and immedi¬ ately started for the town of Ponce, three miles inland from the port, which capitulated Friday afternoon. The Porto Ricans are glad the American troops have landed and say they are all Americans and will join our army. . The roads are good for military pur¬ poses. Our troops are healthy and General Miles says the campaign will be short and vigorous. The war department received the following dispatch .from General Miles Friday: Port Poxoe, Porto Ilico, via St. Thomas, I). W. I., July 29.—Secretary of War, Washington: On the 26th Garretson had a spirit¬ ed engagement ou skermish line - Our casualties, four wounded; all doing well. Spanish loss, three killed; thir¬ teen wounded. Yauco occupied yes¬ terday. Henry’s division there today. Last evening Commander Davis, of the Dixie moved into this port, follow¬ ed by Captain Higginson with his fleet early this morning. General Wilson with Ernest’s brigade now rapidly dis- e ubarking. Spanish troops are retreating .from southern part of Porto Ilico. Ponce and Port have population 50,000, now under American flag. The populace received troops and saluted the flag with wild enthusiasm. Navy has sev¬ eral prizes also—seventy lighters. Railway stock partly destroyed, now restored. Telegraph communication also being restored. Cable instru¬ ments destroyed. Have sent to Ja¬ maica for others. This is a prosper¬ ous country. The army will soon be in mountain region; weather delight¬ ful; troops in best of health and spir¬ its; anticipate no insurmountable ob¬ stacle in future. Results thus far have been accomplished without the loss of a single life. (Signed) t Nelson A. Miles, Major General. Higginson’s Message. The navy department has posted the following bulletin: “St. Thomas, July 29, U. fi. 3. Mas¬ sachusetts, Ponce, Porto Ilico, July 28.—Commander Davis with Dixie, Annapolis. Wasp auil Gloucester, left A WARNING NOTE. Report That Spain Will Not Givo Up Porto Ilico Willingly. A special dispatch sent out from Madrid states that the Spanish gov- U rnment will combat to the last against c: cession of Porto Rico to the United States. It would much rather sacri¬ fice one of the Philippine islands, contending that Porto Ilico has always been loyal, and outside the scope of the war. HAS MANILA SURRENDERED? Dispatch From Madrid Says Town Has Given Dp to Dewey. A telegram from Madrid to ,tlie Eu- ropean edition of the New York Her- ft ld at Paris, says that a cable dispatch Pas been received at the Spanish cap¬ ital announcing the surrender of Ma¬ nila to Admiral Dewey. The war department at Washington would not be surprised to learn that by this time Manila has surrendered to the combined American military a nd naval force gathered on the shores of Manila bay and off Cavite. How¬ ever, there is no official confirmation 0 f the report. ASH BURN. WORTH CO.. GA.. FRIDAY. AUGUST f>, 189S. Guanica July 27th to blockade Tonce and capture lighters for Uuited States army. City of Ponce and Playa sur • rendered to Commander Davis upon demand at 12:JO a. m., July 28th. American flag hoisted at (3 a. m. 28th. Garrison evacuated. Provisional arti- cles of surrender until occupation by army. Garrison allowed; “First. to be sec¬ ond, civil government to remain in force; third, police and fire brigade to be maintained without arms; fourth, captain of Porto not to bo made a pris¬ oner. “Arrived at Ponce f om Guauica with Massachusetts ant Cincinnati, General Miles and Genei 1 Wilson and transports at G:40 a. m. 28th. Com¬ menced landing army in captured sugar lighters. No resist mce. Troops welcomed by inhabitan ; great en¬ thusiasm. Captured s y lighters, twenty sailing vessels a . 120 tons of coal. GGINSON." Miles Issues I’rocT lati .. 1 . General Miles issue , , AI • f Mowing proclamation: “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 Porto Rico. They come bearing tho banner of freedom, in¬ spired by a noble purpose to seek the enemies of our government, of yours, and to destroy or capture all in armed resistance. They bring you tho fos¬ tering arm of a free people, whose greatest power is justice and humanity to all living within their fold. Hence they release you from your former po¬ litical relations and, it is hoped,insane your cheerful acceptance of the gov¬ ernment 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 is¬ land the largest measure of liberty consistent with this military occupa¬ tion. 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 con¬ stitution and government. “It is not their purpose to interfere with the existing laws and customs, which arc wholesome and beneficial to the people, so long ns they conform to the rules of the military administra¬ tion, order and justice. This is not a war of devastation and desolation, but one to give all within the control of tho military and naval forces the ad¬ vantages and blessings of enlightened civilization.” MANY HUNGER IN HAVANA. Effective Blockade Clone* All I’orts and Keeps Out Provisions. A dispatch from Key West to the New York Journal says: “Hunger is claiming many victims, rich and poor, in Havana, Since the extended blockade has closed tho ports of Sagua la Grande, Nipe and Batabano no provisions have entered the Cuban capital and General Blan¬ co’s scanty supply in the warehouse is almost exhausted. -»---- TRANSPORT REACHES NEW YORK. Tho Icons Brings Fifty Convalescent Soldiers From fsiljoney. The United States transport Leona, Captain Wilder, arrived at quarantine at New York Friday from Siboney, July 23, via Hampton Roads, July 28, bringing fifty convalescent soldiers, two newspaper correspondents and a colored boy who went with the Ninth cavalry from Tampa to Santiago. At Hampton Iloads, on July 27, the steamer, owing to her having ordered twenty- nine fever cases on board, was by the local health officer to proceed to New York. There were no deaths during the voyage from Siboney. GREATEST DIPLOMAT GERMANY EVER PRODUCED. MADE POSSIBLE GERMAN EMPIRE. As n Warrior Nation* Wore As Toys In His Hand*— Brilliant nnil Sue- rcssful Career. A special from Berlin statos that Prince Bismarck died shortly before 11 o’clock Saturday night at Fried- richsruhe. The death of the ex-chancellor came as a surprise to all Europe. Despite tire family denial, there was an under¬ current of apprehension when tho sHIking of the prince was first an¬ nounced, inspired more by what the family left unsaid than by any infor¬ mation given. Prince Bismarck never for a moment believed himself in danger until the last day. It appears that the ex-chancellor’s death was not precipitated by sudden complications, but was rather flie cul¬ mination of chronic diseases, neural¬ gia of the face and inflamation of the veins, which kept him in constant pain, that was borne with the iron for¬ titude which might have been ex¬ pected. The beginning of the end dates from July 20th, when the prince was confined to his bed. He had been sev¬ eral days prostrated before an inkling of his decline reached the world. The prince was unconscious for sev¬ eral hours before the end came and his breath almost failed repeatedly. He died without a struggle. Brief Sketch of the Iron Chancellor. Prince Otto Eduard Leopold Bis¬ marck von Schonhausen was born of an old noble family of tho “Mark” (Brandenburg) at Schonhausen, April 1, 1815. He was created a count Sep¬ tember 16, 1865, and prince (Furst) Von Bismarck in March, 1871. He was educated at the universities of Gottingen and Griefswald, spent some time in the army and subsequently settled down as a country gentleman. Brought up in political faith of the junkers, or Prussian Tory squirearchy, he became, in 1846, a member of the provincial district of Saxony and of the Prussian diet, in which he first attracted attention by his fiery speeches in defense of the old monarchial party. Bismarck was sent as ambassador to St. Petersburg in 1850 and held that position until 1862. In May of 1862 he became Prussian ambassador at Paris. Five months later he was made first minister of the Prussian crown. Within the next ten years he hum¬ bled the Austrian empire, destroyed the French empire and created tho new German empire. He remodeled tho map of Europe, dismembering Denmark and France. He enlarged the frontiers of Prussia by the annex¬ ation of various provinces, including the dominions of throe dethroned Ger- man princes and succeeded in placing Germany, which had previously been the weakest and less respected of all the great powers, at tho head of all the statos of Europe. Bismarck’s next achievement was to prevent the attempted annexation of Luxembourg by Napoleon III in 1868. In 1868 Bismarck withdrew for some months from active public life, but he was in power again before the end of the year. Then came the Franco- German war of 1870, and After a cam¬ paign consisting of an unbroken se¬ ries of victories, largely due to the strategic genius of Count von Moltke, King William was able, through his chancellor, to dictate terms of peace to liis assailant. Of the events in Prince Bismarck's life subsequent to the Franco-German war, it may be mentined that he pre¬ sided at the congress of Berlin in 1878 and 1880, and the Congo or colonial conference of 1884. Prince Bismark took a prominent part in connection with the triple al¬ liance between Germany, Austria and Italy. The publication of the late Fredrick William’s diary, in September, 1888, threw a light upon some of the imperial transactions in which Prince Bismark has been engaged. Much sensation was created both in Germany and else- w'here, by the revelation of the diary respecting German the authorship of the idea of unity. The late emperor claimed to have proposed this policy and to have experienced great difficulty in persuading Prince Bismark of its practicability. The reported resignation of Prince Bismarck as Prussian prime minister and chancellor was announced in February, 1890, but did not actually occur until March 17th of that year, when divergences of opinion between him and the emperor led to his retire¬ ment. His departure from Berlin was made the occasion of great popu¬ lar demonstration. The desire of the German people fot a reconciliation between the Prince and Emperor William was happily granted in 1895. GEN. MILES IS AWAITING ARRIVAL OF MORE TROOPS. SPANIARDS COMMITTING ATROCITES Authorities at Yauea I'roclalin Their City As a I’nrt of the llniteil State* of America. Advices of Monday from Ponce, Island of Porto Rico, via tho Island of St. Thomas, D. W. I., states that Gen- eral Henry’s division, consisting of 11,400 men, and including twenty-six pieces of artillery, has been order¬ ed to inarch immediately from Ynaco to Ponce to be ready to join the move¬ ment north to San Juan. Tho Sixteenth Pennsylvania regi¬ ment was sent Sunday morning toward Jnania Diaz, eight miles north of Ponce, enronte to Sau Juan, where it is reported the Spaniards will make a stand. Word reached Ponce during the day that the Spaniards wero mur¬ dering untivc l’orto Ricans, assaulting women and indulging in general out¬ rages. The Sixteenth Pennsylvania re<ri merit if ill bo reinforced if neees- sarv. general Miles says he has no inten¬ tion of making a landing of troops at Cape Han Joan, especially as the place is on a roadstead where transports are liable to suffer from tlw> prevalent storms. The railroid from Ponce to Yuaeo is now in the possession of our troops. General Sto.,e found five mines on the track. The e were destroyed and the track is uni jured. Our troo ,s found seventeen Span¬ iards in t) ) Ynaco hospital, all of whom had een wounded in the re¬ cent fight. Two of them have since died. Proclama ons have been issued by the author ies of Yauco as a United States city, Expressing delight at an¬ nexation i d the administration o’ General Maes and welcoming our troops. '* Tl- ' ing Is the text of the mayor’s proclamation issued at Yauco: Citizens: Today the citizens of l’orto Ilico assist in one of her most beautiful feasts. Tho sun of America shines on our mountains and valleys this day of July, 1898. It is a day of glorious remembrance for each son of this be¬ loved isle, because for the first time there waves over us the flag of stars, planted in the name of the government of the United States of America by the major general of the American army, Senor Miles. Porto Ricans, we are, by the mirac¬ ulous intervention of the God of the just, given back to the bosom of our mother America, in whose waters na¬ ture placed us as people of America. To her we are given back in the name of her government by General Miles, and we muHt send our most expres¬ sive salutation of generous affection through our conduct toward tho va¬ liant troops, represented l>y distin¬ guished officers and commanded by the illustrious General Miles. Citizens, long live the government of the United States of America! Hail to their valiant troops! Hail Porto Rico, always American. Yauco, Porto Rico, United States of America. The mayor of Ponoe has called upon all the residents of that place to ex¬ ercise calmness and circumspection under the new and desirable condi¬ tions. He also urges forbearance to¬ ward conquered enemies. Much en¬ thusiasm is everywhere manifested at the sight of the stars and stripes. General Miles has issued a lengthy ordftr of instructions toTleneral Nelson, who will be military governor of Ponce province and city until General llrooke’B arrival. It is of the same tenor as the instructions which Gen¬ eral Miles gave to General Shafter at Santiago. ASTOll AT THE CAPITAL. The Colonel Reports With Dispatches From General Hlmfter. Col. John Jacob Astor, who was de¬ tailed by Gen. Shafter to bear to the secretary of war the official report of the surrender of Santiago, reached AVashington Monday. He called at the war department and, with Adju¬ tant Geueral Corbin, went to the white house and reported to the president. DIRECT WIRE TO PONCE. General Greely Has Established Coininu- nlcation With Miles. General Greely, chief signal officer, was able to announce with a great deal of gratification Monday that he was now in direct communication with General Miles’ headquarters at Ponce. Heretofore all messages from the general have come via a dispatch boat to St. Thomas and thence by cable, in¬ volving a delay of from twelve to twenty hours. When the Spanish forces retreated from Ponce they de¬ stroyed the cable instruments. Gen¬ eral Greely succeeded in getting the officials at St. Thomas to send over new instruments.' HERO OF THE MERR1MAC AR¬ RIVES AT LYTHIA SPRINFS. A JOYFUL WELCOME ACCORDED. Mooting Hotwoon Motlior nn<1 Ki>n Wn* rnthotlo and Affectionate Ovation* Along the Way. Lieutenant Richmond Pearson Hob- «°n reached Lithia Springs, (la., Monday morning from Now York on a visit to his mother who is temporarily sojourning ut that resort. The lieutenant arrived in Atlanta at 5:10 o’clock, a. m., and notwithstand¬ ing the early hour there were many to greet him and shako hie hand. The stop in the Gate City was for only twenty minutes and the hero of the Merrimac was soon speeding toward Austell. In tho meantime a loving mother awaited a long absent son ou the plat¬ form by the railroad at Lithia Springs. When tho train finally pulled up to the station whore the mother waited, a crowd of guests from the Sweetwater Park hotel had gathered to join in the welcome. Lieutenant Hobson alighted from the rear end of the car when his moth¬ er was looking for him to come from the front. He saw her ahead and went to meet her. She turned, and seeing him, came toward him. The meeting was a pathetic one. The son kissed his motlver, who threw her arms around his neck and for several mo¬ ments rested her head on his shoulder, shedding tears of joy. The crowd stood aside in reverence to such nft'ec- tion. To say that Mrs. Hobson was over¬ joyed to see her son would express it too mildly. As she walked up tho lane from the depot to the hotel, lean¬ ing upon the arm of her boy, her face was aglow with happiness. She was, too, justly proud of her son, of whom so much is being made. These two led the way from the railroad station, and the hotel guests followed, two by two. At the hotel the lieutenant was stopped but a moment to receive the welcome a few guests were eager to extend—those who had not gone to tho train. The hotel jmrlors were decorated with the most beautiful flowers, flags were draped over the portieres and the word “Welcome” made of green leaves was spread over the door. A string hand furnished music. The proprietor of the hotel spared no effort in his arrangements for break¬ fast and his table decorations. The flowers used wero magnificent and were, after the meal, removed to tho lieutenant’s room. After taking breakfast Lieutenant Hobson retired to liis room for a rest aftor his long ride from Asheville, N. C., and tho crowd, never tired of see¬ ing him, waited expectantly for his re¬ appearance. above the It is easy to see that ap¬ plause that waits upon him every¬ where he turns Hobson’s mind is riv¬ eted on something more substantial, something that absorbs his every mo¬ ment and often leads him oil' in ab¬ straction. He is thinking of liis scheme tor raising the Cristolxd Co¬ lon, tho proudest ship of Cervera’s fleet that went down off Bantiago. Conversation with him on this subject is easily obtained, although the lieu¬ tenant talks to the landlubber in technical language that only a naval expert could fully appreciate. MERRITT APPEARS UNEASY. Again Cable** War Department of The I*hllipp!ne Situation. A Washington special says: General Merritt has again cabled the war de¬ partment relutive to the situation in Manila, which he finds very unsatis¬ factory, owing to the nrttitude of tho insurgents. It was reported to Gen¬ eral Merritt that the attitude of the insurgents is similar to that assumed by Garcia’s Cubans on the question of their right to enter and possess them¬ selves of the city, although in this case these insurgents are a very much more formidable element, being not only more numerous, but better armed and filled with the arrogance follow¬ ing numerous victories over the Span¬ ish forces. General Merritt, however, indicates that lie will do his tumost to protect citizens from the savagery of the in¬ surgents, though his task is a delicate and difficult one, because of the fact that he must, while fighting the Span¬ iards, he ready at any moment to repel the insurgents. The general gave notice that he was about to combine with Admiral Dewey in a joint demand for the surrender of the city to the United States forces, thus forestalling the insurgents, and this movement may cause a rupture. It is possible, in view of the fact that General Merritt’s cablegram was sent from Cavite last Thursday, that this movement has been made already by the combined American forces. NO. 52 . 4. By Presidentand Cabinet. Donmiuls (’fission of l’orto Ilico and Adjacent Islands; Ab¬ solute Independence of Island of Culm. A Washington dispatch says: Thooah- inet discussed tho president’s answer to Spain's peace proposal Friday and reached tho following conclusion: Tho absolute surrender of Porto Rico to the United States. Recognition of tho independence of Cuba. Cession of ono of tho Ladrono islands to the United S;atos as a coal¬ ing station and tho cession to the United of at least a coaling stntion in the Philippines. Tho question undecided is, what disposition shall bo made of the Phil¬ ippine Islands as a whole. It can bo stated that there is practically no dif¬ ference of opinion in tho cabinet on the question of the retention of tho Philippine Islands, as a whole, nil tho members being opposed to our ac¬ quisition of these islands. There has been no decision, however, as yet on the extent to which the government will go in its decision respecting tho future of these islands, but it is prob¬ able that the answer to the president will express tho willingness of this government to leave the matter of tho future government of the Philippines entirely in tho hands of a joint com¬ mission to be appointed by this gov¬ ernment mid tho government of [Spain. The probability is that tho United States will insist upon a guarantee of eortilin reforms in government in the Philippine Islands. Our answer will rrinko no mention of tho money indemnity. Neither will there bo any armistice at all. The answer will bo in tho nature of an ultimatum, and if Spain does not ac¬ cept it she will faro worso in the future. The note from Spain, it is said, was a very adroit and equivocal document, from reading which one would think the only question involved was Cuba. Apparently Spain might not really have intended getting a direct answer from us, hut, to open diplomatic cor¬ respondence. This movement will not have any such correspondence,but will make a straightforward statement of its present peace terms for Spain’" acceptance or rejection, naming condi¬ tions that under the circumstances are reasonable and even generous. CuhliHtt (JfliifwrMHie Held JKarly. Secretary of State Day was in con¬ ference with President McKinley as early as 10:20 a. m., preliminary to laying the full draft of the answer to the Spanish pcaco note before tho cab¬ inet. Secretary Day drove over from the state department, scarcely two blocks away from the white house, and hur¬ ried to consult with tho president. Ho carried with him a portfolio of the president’s, embracing tho secretary’s rouglit draft of our answer to Spain and the data in connection with the subject. For forty minutes Secretary Day oc¬ cupied himself in dose and uninter¬ rupted conference with the president. Then began the solemn deliberation of tho full cabinet session. The session adjourned at 1:30 p. m. to meet again at .‘1:30 p. rn. Interest was naturally focused in the cabinet meeting. It was the gen¬ eral expectation that in its results this meeting of tho cabinet would prove to bo tho most important that has been held not only during the present but in many preceding admin¬ istrations. Upon tho nature of the answer to the Spanish overture for peace would depend tho whole future policy of the United States, for it would determine whether the nation shall now embark upon a policy of worldwide expan¬ sion or shall more cautiously con¬ tent itself with expelling the Spanish flag from the western hemisphere, while at the same time providing what may be in the end ample guarantee for tho extension of our trade in the east. All this means, in substance, that, in the best judgment of close observ¬ ers at Washington, tlie one critical point is in the future of the Philippines,
