The Red Cloud chief., 1898-05-20

United States cruiser M~arblchead, the
gunboat Nashville and the auxiliary
cruiser Window. steamed up 10 the
harbor OF Cicnfuegos early Wednesday
morning with orders TO cut the cable
connecting Havana with Santiago de
Cuba This task was accomplished,
but only after n terrific fight between
our warships and several thousand
Spanish troops, which lined the shore
and lay concealed behind impro7ised
brcastworks.
One man. "A seaman named Rcgan of
the M~arbleEcad, was killed outright
in one Of the working small boats, ard
ak men were severely wounded. In
addition n large number on board the
ship received minor wounds.
Captain Mcguire of the Window be.
licves that several Of the six badly
wounded men who were brought to
Key West this morning ON the Win.
dom cannot recover
Following is the list Of killed and
BADLY wounded:
killed-Rcgan, seaman Of the Mar.
blehcad.
Badly woundcd-John Davis OF New
York.
John J. Donran of Fall River, Mass
Ernest Suntzcanickcl.
Hermah Hochneister.
Harry Hcndrickson, all OF the Mar
blehead
Robert Boltz, Carter county, y. c.,
OF the Nashville.
Soon after the arrival OF war ships
off Cicnfucgos -four boats were
launched and proceeded inshore for
the purpose OF graphing for the cable,
in order to cutit The warships lay
TO about 1000 yards or more off the
harbor.
It was observed that the Spanish
troops had assembled ashore, but il
was not known that heavy guns lad
been placed in "a masked battery and
that the old lighthouse far out on Il
neck OF land, had been transformed
into n formidubl c fort.
The small boats proceeded cau-
tiously. and for more than an hour
worked unmolcStcd on the cable. Sud
denly, just as the work wa about
completed, the shore battery fired u
shell at the boats. II was followed
by others, and the Spanish infantry
opened fire on them with their rifles.
Then, like n flash, the Marblchcad
sent n she'll inland, aud followed ii
with II perfect shower OF shot.
The Nashville was quick to follow
suit. and the little Window cut loose
with her ~i.poundcrs.
In the meanwhile Spanish bullets
fell In every direction around the
small boats. Though the attack had
come suddenly and ticrcclv, the blue
Jackets were not diSmaycd, and, pro.
tectcd 10y the terrific return fire of the
warships, work was continued and the
cable cut
With desperate courage they re-
manned calmly n, their posts and sue
cceded in dragging up the second re-,
lay OF the cable aud sevcring it.
Seven men badly wounded was III,
count and one OF them, Regain, dicc
while on the way back to the ship
Lieutenant Winslow was shot in tn,
hand aud II number OF others wcr.
more or less injured.
On the Nashville, captain Maynard
was standing forward with an cnsigr
when a Spanish bullet passed through
the ensign's shoulder and struck May
nard on the chest, w%ounding him only
slightly. The Marblchead was strucl
scores OF times by bullets from ma
chine guns and the Nashville suferc,
20 about the same extent. The Win
dom also had many marks Of the fray
Her shell blowing up the lighthous,
aud scattering the ~Spaniards in al
directions ended the battle.
Boltz and Hendricks, who with fou
others OF the wounded are at tn,
naval hospital here, are expected I,
die.
The body Of Regain was buried a
Sea
The Spaniards had by this time SUI
fered severe loss Their shots from
The lighthouse struck the warship
several times, and. although they di,
not do much damage, the are arouse,
the determination of the American
officers to exterminate the for,
Thereafter, for the moment the Dir