299:. On March 3, 1905, he was commissioned with the rank of second lieutenant. An act of Congress, approved on May 27, 1908, reorganized the regiment as part of the "regular" Army. Because the native Puerto Rican officers were Puerto Rican citizens and not citizens of the United States, they were required to undergo a physical examination to determine their fitness for commissions in the regular army and to take an oath of US citizenship with their new officers' oaths. In June 1908, Lt. Marxuach and all the others passed. He was assigned to the unit in charge of the Progressive Military Map of Puerto Rico from July 12, 1908 to December 4, 1908, during which time he was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant.
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commission in the
Spanish army and his Spanish citizenship. He then began to work as a civil engineer in the Department of Public Works. He enrolled in Cornell University and continued his engineering studies from 1902 to 1903. In 1903, Marxuach wrote and published "El lenguaje castellano en Puerto Rico" ("The Spanish Language in Puerto Rico"). In 1906, he married Carolina Acosta y Acosta (b. 1887), granddaughter of
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wanted to join the regiment. Under the provisions of an act of
Congress approved April 23, 1904 and of Circular No. 34, War Department, July 29, 1904, the recruitment of native Puerto Rican civilians to be appointed the grade of second lieutenants for a term of four years was approved with the condition that they pass the required tests.
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that tried to leave San Juan without permission from the
Customs Collector. Lt. Marxuach gave the order to open fire on the ship from the fort. Sergeant Encarnacion Correa then manned a machine gun on the wall below "La Fortaleza", the Governor's residence, and fired warning shots at the ship with
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on March 2, 1889 authorized the creation of the first body of native troops in Puerto Rico. On June 30, 1901, the Porto Rico
Provisional Regiment of Infantry was organized. On July 1, 1901, the United States Senate passed a bill that required a strict mental and physical examination for those who
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Marxuach retired on June 30, 1922, with the rank of lieutenant colonel. He continued to serve with the
Organized Reserves of Puerto Rico until November 4, 1922. Upon his retirement, Marxuach worked as a civil engineer for the Department of Interior, in a project known as the Salto de Comerio.
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in
Guadalajara, Spain from September 1895 to July 1900 and graduated with a degree in civil engineering with a lieutenant's commission in the Spanish Army. When he returned to Puerto Rico in 1901, the island was a United States territory and no longer a Spanish province. Marxuach resigned his
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in
Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico. Different units were stationed at other forts throughout the island and Lt. Marxuach was stationed at Castillo El Morro (then part of an Army base named Fort Brooke), at San Juan Bay. On March 21, 1915, Lt. Marxuach was the officer of the day at El Morro.
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little effect. Marxuach then fired a gun of the Santa Rosa battery in the upper platform of El Morro, in what is considered to be the first shot of World War I fired by the regular armed forces of the United States against any ship flying the colors of the
Central Powers, forcing
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as captain of the infantry. While serving in Panama, he was promoted twice: on June 25, 1918, he was promoted to major, and on
September 10 of the same year, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel. The regiment returned to Puerto Rico in March 1919 and was renamed
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Although many civilians from all walks of life applied for the officers appointment in
January 1905, only seven made it that day, and one of those seven was Teófilo Marxuach, who had from 1903 to 1905 worked as a civil engineer for the Porto Rico regiment in the Aqueduct of
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to stop and to return to port, where its supplies were confiscated. The shots ordered by Lt. Marxuach were the first fired by the United States in World War I prior to the official US Congress declaration of war against Germany. The first shots fired after the
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The United States tried to remain neutral when World War I broke out in August 1914. However, Washington insisted on its neutral right to send ships without them being attacked by German submarines. American ships carried food and raw materials to Britain.
245:). His family had historically played a prominent role in the island's commercial and political affairs. Marxuach and his three siblings Acisclo, Teresa (mother of Puerto Rican radio pioneer
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His death not only made news in the local news media of the day, but was posted under the headlines "Lt. Col. Marxuach, World War Figure" in the November 9, 1939 edition of
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declared war on Germany and on May 14, 1917, the Porto Rico Regiment was sent to Panama, where Marxuach served at the commanding post at Camp E.S. Otis in defense of the
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Marxuach also worked in the customs building in Old San Juan. Lt. Col. Teófilo Marxuach died in San Juan, Puerto Rico on November 8, 1939, and was buried with
286:. The United States appointed a military governor, and the United States Army established itself in San Juan. The Army Appropriation Bill created by an Act of
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United States War Dept, United States Adjutant-General's Office, United States Record and pension office, United States Military secretary's dept (1918).
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203:, in what are considered to be the first shots of World War I fired by the regular armed forces of the United States against any ship of the
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El lenguaje castellano en Puerto Rico by Teófilo Marxuach Publisher: San Juan, P.R.: Press of the San Juan News, 1903. OCLC: 10769334
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made by Lt. Col. Burnham, the commander of Castillo El Morro, claimed that only warning shots were made and that none was aimed at
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Marxuach's actions became an international incident when the German government accused the United States government of the holding
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463:. He was survived by his widow Carolina Acosta Marxuach, three children, his brother Acisclo, and two sisters Teresa and Amalia.
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in "La Capilla del Cristo" (Cristo Chapel) in Old San Juan. They had three children: Teófilo, Gilberto and Raúl Marxuach Acosta.
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Marxuach's M1902 Officer's Saber (Sword) and Scabbard at the National Historic Trust site at Castillo San Cristobal in San Juan.
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and Josefina Plumey Irizarry (daughter of Juan Bautista Plumey and Petronila Irizarry, among the wealthiest landholders in
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by the Reorganization Act of June 4, 1920. During his military career, Marxuach served at various posts in Puerto Rico.
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warning shot as required by international law. The United States government responded that the official report of the
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676:"US Naval Institute Proceedings"; "A Breach of Neutrality", by Lt. Isaiah Olch, US Navy, Vol. 62: July–December 1936
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without permission. Marxuach ordered shots from a machine gun, and from a gun in the Santa Rosa battery of the
249:) and Amalia were raised and educated in the capital city of San Juan. He studied military engineering at the
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Puertorriquenos Who Served With Guts, Glory, and Honor. Fighting to Defend a Nation Not Completely Their Own
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934:, Thursday, November 9, 1939, "Lt. Col. Marxuach World War Figure", Wireless to The New York Times
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Richard Payerchin, "President Obama to honor Army's Puerto Rican regiment the Borinqueneers,"
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Dan Friedman, "Puerto Rico's Borinqueneers recognized with Congressional Gold Medal,"
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Obama honors Puerto Rican Infantry Regiment with Congressional Gold Medal,
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174:*Ordered the first shot fired in World War I on behalf of the United States
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By January 30, 1908, the Porto Rico Regiment of Infantry was stationed at
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834:"The War Begins: The United States Navy and the German Cruiser Cormoran"
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840:. Histories and Archives Division, Naval History and Heritage Command
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Hewett, Waterman Thomas; Holmes, Frank R; Williams, Lewis A (1905).
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478:(1910–1957) known as "The Father of the San Juan Civil Defense".
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awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to the Borinqueneers
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Capilla de Cristo, where Teófilo and Carolina were married
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Obama awards Borinqueneers Congressional Medal of Honor,
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located in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, next to his son Colonel
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303:The first shot of the United States in World War I
1077:Cornell University College of Engineering alumni
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573: and the second or maternal family name is
459:in Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazziz Cemetery in
39:Ordered the first US shot fired in World War I
1107:Military personnel from San Juan, Puerto Rico
724:. The University publishing society. p.
393:illegally against its will, and not firing a
893:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
1102:United States Army personnel of World War I
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1052:Burials at Puerto Rico National Cemetery
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628:List of Puerto Rican military personnel
348:on April 7, 1917 were by US Marines in
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643:Borinqueneers Congressional Gold Medal
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704:Complete List of Alcaldes of San Juan
188:on behalf of the United States on a
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686:History of Puerto Rico's government
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346:US Congress declared war on Germany
36:Lieutenant Colonel Teófilo Marxuach
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795:"Calls Odenwald affair an attack"
648:French immigration to Puerto Rico
520:You can see a video of President
156:"Porto Rico Regiment of Infantry"
832:Conrad, Dennis (28 March 2017).
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229:when the island was still under
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944:Puerto Rico National Cemetery
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721:Cornell University: A History
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472:Puerto Rico National Cemetery
311:Casing of the shell fired at
201:Castillo San Felipe del Morro
85:Puerto Rico National Cemetery
633:Puerto Ricans in World War I
563:, the first or paternal
535:On June 10, 2014, President
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753:Puerto Rico's 65th Infantry
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16:US Army officer (1877–1939)
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908:Puerto Rico National Guard
810:– via Times Machine.
691:December 15, 2007, at the
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256:José Julián Acosta y Calvo
225:) was born in the town of
802:. 7 April 1915. p. 3
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496:World War I Victory Medal
223:"Teófilo Marxuach Plumey"
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476:Gilberto José Marxuach
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425:On April 6, 1917, the
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771:Héctor Andrés Negroni
652:Other members of the
623:List of Puerto Ricans
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274:Puerto Rico became a
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247:Teófilo Villavicencio
221:Marxuach (birth name
129:Years of service
74:San Juan, Puerto Rico
1021:, by Greg Boudonck.
457:full military honors
333:Hamburg America Line
284:Spanish–American War
280:1898 Treaty of Paris
89:Bayamón, Puerto Rico
1002:The Morning Journal
972:New York Daily News
482:Military decoration
235:José María Marxuach
227:Arroyo, Puerto Rico
180:Lieutenant Colonel
58:Arroyo, Puerto Rico
920:Between World Wars
880:Army Directory ...
864:2007-02-05 at the
800:The New York Times
601:Puerto Rico portal
468:The New York Times
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415:United States Navy
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282:, which ended the
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147:Lieutenant Colonel
123:United States Army
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112:Spanish Army
69:(1939-11-08)
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1047:1939 deaths
1042:1877 births
838:The Sextant
773:; pg. 370;
442:Later years
427:US Congress
350:Apra Harbor
336:cargo liner
217:Early years
193:cargo liner
186:World War I
171:World War I
114:(1900–1901)
1036:Categories
806:August 10,
661:References
405:. In 1917
278:after the
207:, forcing
96:Allegiance
51:1877-07-28
889:cite book
385:, in 1919
376:USS
358:SMS
132:1905–1922
987:NBC News
862:Archived
689:Archived
654:Marxuach
587:See also
570:Marxuach
559:In this
407:Odenwald
403:Odenwald
391:Odenwald
383:Odenwald
360:Cormoran
341:Odenwald
329:Odenwald
313:Odenwald
288:Congress
239:San Juan
210:Odenwald
106:Service/
844:6 March
565:surname
231:Spanish
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656:family
576:Plumey
331:was a
190:German
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108:branch
769:, by
547:Notes
395:blank
297:Cayey
243:Lares
1023:ISBN
895:link
846:2021
808:2008
775:ISBN
527:HERE
354:Guam
153:Unit
137:Rank
64:Died
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87:in
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