Evening journal., 1898-06-13
HOW THEY LANDED.
The beginning of the Long Expected In
vasion of Cuba.

CAIMANERA ABLOCKHOUSE,G GUAM
TANAMO HARBOR. Cuba. June 13.-
The first landing In force by Americans
on Cuban soil was effected here Friday
Afternoon. This dispatch was written on
the ruins of the Spanish blockhouse, be-
meath the stars and stripes. on Friday
at 10 minutes past o'clock Color Ser
geant Richard Silvey Of Company G,
First battalion Of marines, Brooklyn
raised the American flag above the stlll
smoldering logs Of the fort
As its folds caught the breeze GOO men
from the troopship Panther laid their
picks. shovels and tent poles aside to
lift their caps and join in a mighty
shout.
These 600 men are swarming from the
beach TO the blookhouse on top OF hin
$50 feet high. just above the small fish
Ing village OF a half dozen houses which
marked the entrance TO Guantanamo
harbor.
Teese houses aEe now a mass of ruins.
AZ the marines landed the torch was
applied TO them. at the direction OF their
officers, who are taking this and all 9TH
or precautions TO prevent yellow fever
from breaking out among the men.
m the harbor, TO protect the marines.
lie the cruisers Marblehead. Yankee and
Yosemite, the battleahlp Oregon, the
torpedo boat Porter. the Dolphin. Vixen
and Panther and collier.
The landing was effected without the
necessity Of Smelling the place, as the
way had been paved by the Yankee and
Marblehad on Tuesday, when Spanish
gunboat was put to flight and the block
house bombarded.
Early Friday morning the Oregon and
Dolphin Joined the Marblohad and Vixen
here. About noon the Panther. with 900
sailors and marines on board. arrived
under the escort OF the Yankee and the
Yosemite. All Of the vessels cast anchor
In the open harbor The small boats Of
the Panther were at once lowered, and
the task OF landing the marines with
tents and supplies began Immediately.
Without ceremony the frightened Span
iards had fed at the first sight OF
American warshlps. 70 the village.
At the entrance to the harbor was the
headquarters Of the pilots. Like all Gu
ban harbors. this one Is tortuous and
long. Guantanamo Is Is miles inland.
and only the pilots houses, the cable
station and the bioclShouse are at the
entrance. The houses the marines found
deserted.
The shells from the Yankee and the
Marblehead had demolished the cable
station. One solid shot had cut the
wires on the side of the building and
another had smashed the dry batteries
and their instruments
George Colin, a newspaper artist, dis
covered a large batch Of official tele-
grams, signed by Ramon. Fernandez.
Lis, Aguirre and other Spanish officers.
dealing with strength OF fortlncations
and plans for movement OF Spanish
troops. These will be turned over to
Admiral Sampson.
The landing OF the marines was char
ecterized by great enthusiasm.
II IS Understood that Admiral Samp-
son has sent dispatches indicating his
desire for. speedy cooperation by the
troops and intimating that the delay
would b0 likely 10 prove disastrous.
There are even intlmations that the ad-
miral may not wait for the troops be-
fore taking Santiago. He Is known to
be very impatient az the delay, as is
shown by the following, sent from the
feet last week:
III had 10000 troops I could occupy
Santiago within "a hours"
In controlling tho outer harbor OF GU
antanamo Rear Admiral Sampson se-
cures possession OF tho Cuban terminus
OF the French cable 60 Haiti. Tho ap-
paratus In the office az the harbor
mouth was wrecked by a shell. but kAe
cable steamer Adrla has instruments
and operators aboard, and dirnct com
municatiou with Washington viii soon
DO established.
The distance overland TO Santiago
around the bay is about GO miles, and
the roads have been rendered impassa-
bic by the Cubans under Pakhro Perez.
The first division of the Cuban army
claims to have 1000 men. but these ag-
ures are probably overestimated. The
cubans believe that there are about
1900 soldiers in the vicinity offCaima-
nera. which lies at the entrance to the
I inner harbor. Guantanamo city Is in
land about 10 miles. The two harbors
are connected