New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-11
CAPTAIN ELLIOTT'S REPORT.
Camp McCalla

Camp McCala,
| Guantanamo Bay. Cuba. June IT, 1898
Sir: I have the honor to submit the following
| report:
| In accordance with your verbal directions. left
camp at 2 a. m. yesterday with two companies
| OF the battalion. c and D. commanded respectively
By First Lieutenant J.. G. Lucas and Captain VIII
| lam r. Spcer. with aggregate OF one hundred
and sixty men and fifty Cubans. under command
OF Lieutenant Colonel Eugene Thomas. Colonel
Laborde. Cuban Army. was also present. but with
out command.
My orders were to destroy tho we'll at Cusco,
about six miles from this camp. which was the
| only water supply OF the enemy within twelve
miles OF this place. and the existence OF which
made possible the continuance OF the annoying at
| lacks upon force in camp here.
| Two and a half miles from Cusco half the
Cubans and the first platoon Of Company c. under
Lieutenant Lucass command. passed over noun
| tain left. hoping 10 cut off the enemy's
! pckets. In this failed and our force was dis
| covered by the Spanish outposts. which rereated
! Immediately. and gave the alarm 10 the main
| body whose headquarters were in house At
Cusco.
A high mountain separated the two forces ut
this point and each attempted to gain its crest as
point OF advantage. In this we were successful!
but were fred heavily by the enemy from the
/ valley at distance OF eight hundred yards This
fire was replied to by the Cubans OF the main
| body Lieutenant. Lucas, with thirty-two men OF
! his platoon and the remaining Cubans. came into
the fght at 10, the other n!ne men OF his platoon
becoming exhausted. and were obliged TO return
10 Camp McCella Lieutenant Bannor conducted
| the second platoon OF Company just below the
Of the hill. out Of IRE from the enemy. leav-
ing the narrow path. which was the only road, and
making their way through the cacti. Just in rear
OF this platoon. and following IN single hle. was
Company D. The of tho hill was in tho
shape Of a horseshoe. two-thirds encirclng Cusco
Valley and the well
The Cubans and Companies and occupied
one-half Of this horseshoe ridge. while Second
Lieutenant L. J. Magil with one platoon tlfy
men) OF Company A. came up from the valley on
the opposite side where he had been stationed as
an outpost from Camp McCalla, having been at
tractsd by the heavy fro and believing his force
necessary 10 assistance. and occupied tho left
centre OF this horseshoe ridge As soon as he saw
position he sent one OF his men around the
ridge report TO me. For fifteen minutes We were
ma rchng under heavy fire. TO which no reply was
made. to gain this position By the use OF glasses
and careful search by the men. individuals were
discovered here and there. and. fire being opened
upon them. they would break from cover 10 cover.
and we were thus enabled to gain targets at which
10 fire. which had been heretofore Impossible. ow-
ing 10 the dense chapparal in which the enemy
sought successful cover.
COOL FIRING
Nred
tice consulting with each other and their Officers
"A to range Among these Privates Carter.
Faulkner and Boniface. all OF whom did notice
able execution This movement OF the enemy gave
Lieutenant Magll opportunity TO &c. In
crossfre. which was we'll taken advantage or
Having reduced the onemys hre TO struggling
shots the T. g. g. Dolphin. Commander II. W.
Lyon l.. s. ~. which had been sent along the
coas, TO cooperate with US II possible was sig
nailed to shell the house used as the enemys
headquarters. and also the valley but she was
too far 10 the front. having mistaken the valley
intended so that her fire was In Lieutenant Ma
giirs direction driving him TO the reverse side OF
the ridge
However this shell FIRE started the enemy from
hi. hiding place, which gave the other companies
the opportunity to FIRE at them on the move
Signal was made TO the Dolphin TO cease nring,
ard Lieutenant Magill was directed to form Skin
mish line and down the valley IN front o.
him. IN order out the enemy. driving him
toward the sea This defeated by renewed
shell fire from the Dolphin
The nght. which began at II a. m. was now draw
ing close being over at 3 p. m The enemy
began a struggling retreat at p. m. getting out
of the valley best they could.
The f,re Of the force under my command was AZ
all times deliberate and aimed. sights being ad
tusted and voleys fred when sufnciently large
bodies Of the enemy could be seen 10 Justify
H. The two platoons OF Company G. under First
Lieutenant Lucas and Second Lieutenant p NJ
Bannon we're handled with the best o. judgment.
Company overcrowded on the firing line, and
men needIes.ly exposed themselves by standing in
groups.
First Lieutenant W. c. Neville commanding the
nrst platoon did his best with the In front OF
him. Captain Sp.cer. commanding Company d.
was overcome by TIE sun the top Of the hill.
and had 70 be sent board the Dolphin. Lieu
tenant Neville injured his hip and ankle in catch
ing his foot and falling down the mountain side
after the hKht These accidents left
Second Lieutenant NJ J. Shaw In command 81
Company D. which he handled with entire salts
faction Forty lef. the crest Of the hill at
s15 D. NJ under Lieutenant Lucas. and destroyed
the we'll and burned the house lately occupied by
the enemy.
Canteens were taken from the men still holding
the and nlled with water requested by signal
from the Dolphin.
shots each the Cubans belts being rcflled during
the action from the belts OF tho marines. each
having TO furnish six clips or thirty cartridges.
LOSSES TO AMERICANS AND C1IBANs
The loss Of our force was one private Of Com
pany d wounded slightly. and ten twelve over
come by heat. These latter were kindly taken on
board the Dolphin and cared for. This ship
dered every possible assistance 20 the expedition.
Two Cubans were wounded during the fight on
the hill. being accidentally shot by Colonel
Laborde by pistol. While destroying the well
the Cubans were placed up the valley from which
the enemy retreated. and began Il noisy and hot
fight with suerilas who had not been dlsiodged
In this ugh, the Cubans lost two killed and two
wounded. but killed Ave Of the enemy.
The march home began at $50 p. m camp be-
ing reached at p. m.
From tho best information since obtained. which
Is believed to be reliable. sixty OF the enemy, among
whom were two officers, were killed. The wound
ed were numerous but the wounds were probably
light. owing to the range OF six hundred or ono
thousand yards at these distances all explosive
effect Of the bullets being lost. Eighteen prisoners
including lieutenant. were captured besides
about thirty Maueer rihes and quantity Of am