and
telegraph station. It is situated on a long, uneven hill, at the foot of
which lies the beautiful valley of the Juanjibos and Boqueron Rivers,
which is made a veritable garden of enchantment by the orange, lemon,
and tamarind trees, together with various other plants, growing there in
abundance. The town was founded in 1511 by Captain Miguel Toro, and has
borne the title of city since 1877. The principal streets are called Luna
and Comercio. Its chief plaza is of notable size, its church is quite
regular in architecture, though of old construction, and the barracks of
the infantry and civil guard merit mention. Finally, it may be said that
its citizens have held a distinguished record for bravery and patriotism
ever since their decisive victory over the English forces in 1743.

[Illustration: Lower End of the Calle de Mendez-Vigo, Mayaguez.]

CHAPTER V

The Engagement at Hormigueros

_Topography of the battlefield_--_Macomb's cavalry fired into by Spanish
skirmishers_--_Our advance-guard comes into contact with the foe_--_General
Schwan reaches the firing line_--_The main body arrives and joins in the
fray_--_Subsequent manoeuvres of our column_--_The Spanish retreat_--_A
computation of losses_.

The ensuing account of our fight with the Alphonso XIII Regiment of
Cazadores, on the 10th of August, is taken bodily from the official report
made by General Schwan to Major-General Miles under date of August 21:--

At a distance of about seven miles from Mayaguez the Rio Rosario, coming
from the east, parallels the road for nearly a mile, and empties into the
Rio Grande just south of Hormigueros. A sugar-mill stands just off the road
to the left; and a wagon-road branches off to the right, lined with hedge
and brush, and, crossing the Rosario on an iron bridge, leads to the hamlet
of Hormigueros, which is located on a side hill 1,500 yards from the main
road. The ground to the south of Hormigueros is covered with banana groves
and cane fields. At about 600 yards from where the Hormigueros road leaves
the main road the latter crosses the Rio Grande on a wooden bridge. Just
beyond this bridge the road to Cabo Rojo branches off to the south. From
this point, for nearly a mile, the main road passes through very low, flat
ground, cut up with deep furrows, which extend to the hills on the left
and the river on the right, and contain considerable water from recent
rains.... To resume the narrative of the day's events,