Faithfully your friend,

THEO.  SCHWAN.

The part of our command left under Colonel DeRussy set out on the morning of the 13th to join the rest of the column, whose movements you have already followed in the preceding documents.  The last detachment found it no less difficult to make headway than had the first; and on the morning of the 14th the entire brigade was so broken up and strung out that its head and tail were a good nine miles apart.  So much trouble had been experienced in getting the artillery up the incredibly steep mountain-sides that no one had been able to give assistance or even thought to the hopelessly embarrassed wagon-train, and consequently we were practically without food for over twenty-four hours.  When at last something to eat did come plodding along, we were obliged to put up with half-rations in order that our little collection of recently acquired prisoners might be fed.  At a conservative estimate, those prisoners must have been the hungriest lot of men that ever laid down their arms.  There were less than sixty of them, and they drew rations for about 1,200.  However, they were fed; and we had the consolation of realizing that victory, like some other things of less familiar acquaintance, is its own reward.  By noon on the 14th, everything was once more in order; and I have not yet ceased to wonder how those in authority managed to erase so quickly the chaos of the night before.

[Illustration:  The Plaza Principal in Mayaguez, looking toward the Church.]

The engagement at Las Marias, while not particularly momentous in itself, was note-worthy as being the last between our forces and those of Spain during the recent war.  I do not believe that the knowledge of this fact—­even had we possessed it at the time—­would have materially consoled us for the disappointment we felt in being obliged to stop shooting just when we had learned to do it so beautifully; but, still, it is something to have been in at the finish.

CHAPTER IX

The Territory Won

General Schwan returns to Mayaguez—­Business and pleasure—­A custom we abolished—­Extent of the district captured by our brigade —­Aguadllla—­Facilities for transportation—­Labor and the laborer—­The cost of living—­Rents and real estate—­Skilled workmen—­A word about investments.

On August 16, in obedience to orders from Army Headquarters, General Schwan left the bulk of his troops in the positions they had respectively occupied at the time of the receipt of the truce, and, accompanied by the artillery, returned to Mayaguez.  The people of this city had not yet recovered from the ferment into which they had been thrown by our advent, and went about in a state of tremulous titillation, expecting I know not what.  At any rate, it did not seem to arrive; and after a day or two had passed without