AT VERA CRUZ.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 121, 27 June 1914, Page 3

AT VERA CRUZ.

MEXICAN "SNIPERS" AT WORK.

JjTITH THE YANKEE BLUEJACKETS

The war at Vera Cruz was not altogether grim-visaged. In many respects it was jest rather than tragedy. In the midst of conflict there was an exemplification of the Yankee spirit—the refusal to take even serious things seriously. It took the Americans less than two flays to capture the port (writes the 4S Chicago Tribune" special). There was no rush. There was little c-onfu-, sion. Laughing, '' cussing,'' and slangslinging, the marines and bluejackets leisurely crept along the streets much Sis do hunters after prairie chickens. They "joshed" each other as' the Mexican bullets hummed about their heads. When "snipers" got reckless enough to lean out into range the Yankees shouted such phrases as these: — "Watch me get that guy." "Why, the poor simp, he thought he could poke his head out like that and get away with it." '' That un tumbled like a sparrow.'' "Lay off that side of the street — •that's my side," when a companion had shot a man at which another sailor had been aiming. j Uncle Sam's men were tickled... to get on the firing line and sorry when they had been relieved. Even the •Wounded smiled. The marines seemed to suffer the most in the early fighting, imore of them being wounded than of ,she jackies. Passing a wounded marine who was being carried on a stretcher, . j offered my consolation. He smiled Cheerfully—considering the nature of his wound—and said:— "I know I got three of 'em. I can Recount for that many—mebbe there ;were more. But they got me too early iand I had to lose out on the fun. God, I wish I could stay." The Mex Bug Bit Deep. A spent bullet had hit a sailor in the back of the neck and penetrated the skin. When the excitement quieted flown he went to one of the Red Cross inen and said: — . - "Hi, doc, these Mexican bugs bite something fierce. One of them took a lunch outa my neck, and it's hurtin' yet." The doctor examined the supposed "bug bite" and told the boy it was a bullet. ' "Well, if it isn't too dangerous," ■fche latter said, "let it stay there. I'll lake it home that way for a souvenir jfco show the folks.'' The doctor, however, insisted the danger was too great and cut the bullet out. A sailor who was somewhat fat Across the shoulders walked into the hospital and told the surgeons he was Shot. His shirt, red with blood, was taken off him, exposing a. terrible wound Ifour inches in'diameter.The making a tearing wound rather than a, clean one, had entered one shoulder and passed out the other. " The sailor had not turned his back to the enemy. The snipers had been potting our troops from behind as the jackies passed up the street. ■

After examining the wound the surgeon said chloroform would have to be administered.

<' Nix on the chloroform,'' said the bailor. '.'Go to it."

He withstood the pain of the operation without flinching, and then wanted to, walk back to the wharf. An explanation that he must lie on his stomach and be carried there in order to present a fatal loss of blood was necessary before he would abandon his plan. But while it was fun, it was terrible fun. The jackie laughed as he fought, but all around him was the terrible reality of war. Looking through my field-glasses I Saw a Mexican writhing in agony. I watched him as he rolled into the gutter and then out into the ■street. He twisted and turned, not sensibly, with the intention of getting out of ! danger, but recklessly, uncaring—■craved with pain. When we reached the epoifc a little later he was dead. ; Men died in all positions, with one hand outstretched as -if in appeal, with fists clenched, »with legs drawn up to their bodies, in heaps. But in almost all cases the dead had one hand over the fatal wound —even when wounded in many places. Nine Went Out at Sunrise.. Five Bed Cross men," one of them carrying a large Red Cross Hag, were making their way up 'the street to; rescue the wounded—they helped the Mexicans as well as our own men. They fired on by "snipers," and four of the five were wounded. Seeing this, a small band of jackics charged without waiting fqi" orders, carried the house in the faces of a heavy fire, jand inside foust d nine Mexicans and a mur- , dered American woman. The nine were handcuffed together and marched out to meet the fate they merited as the sun rose the followingmorning. A Mexican was sitting on a porch — I discovered him through my fieldglasses some time after he had started operations. He was about 500 yards from where our-boys were firing. Apparently this old "spick"—as the jackies call the Mexicans —was engaged in peacefully reading a paper. ±>olll time to time a "bullet ripped into our lines, but our men were iinable to locate the point from which it was fired. Becoming suspicious, I watched the old fellow on the porch and discovered that underneath the outstretched newspaper he was reading he had concealed a rifle. From time to time lie would sneak a shot at our sailors. Then he would be reading the paper again when they looked in his direction.

Mean'while some of the sailors had spotted the old -man, and two of our men broke away'and ran around behind the house where he* was sitting. They went up the back way into the garret and to the front window, which was open. The next shot from under his paper was his last shot.