The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-06-21
THE INTERCEPTED LETTER.
Showing Desperate State of Affairs II
Camanera.

Showing Desperate State of Affairs at
Caimanera.
Copyright 1898 by Associated prcss.)
Camp McCalIa. outer harbor OF Guam
tanamo. Friday, June II, (noon), per the
Associated Press Dispatch Boat Wanda,
via Kingston, jamaica, Saturday, June
1S-S:45 Il. m.-Thc following inter
ccptcd letter from the Spanish military
commander at Guantanamo was taken
from the body of an unfortunate mes
Scnger who attempted to pass the Cuban
lines. 1t gives the official Spanish YER
SION of the attack OF the American fleet
in the capture of the outer harbor of
Guantanamo Il week ago and diScloscS
the fact that starvation is facing the
Spanish troops in Eastern Cuba. This is
verified by extracts already tclegraphed
taken from Il recent issue of Il npWS-
paper OF Santa go &c Cuba and from the
fact that number of Spanish regular
soldiers have surrendered to Captain
NcCaIa. offering Il reason for
doing the necessity of obtaining food.
The letter reads:
'Caimanera, June Is.
| 40 the General Commanding the Mill
tary Division of Santiago de Cuba:
"At dawn on Saturday seven ships ap-
pearcd before the port of Cdimancra and
threw shots and ull kinds OF projectilrs
into the forts Of Playa del Este and the
, Cayo Tore until they set fire to the fort
on the Playa del Este. burning the houS-
cs of the pilots. which were occupied by
Il detachment of American marines
THE cannonading with more or less
intensity continued until ; o'clock in the
afternoon. As the Playa del Este had
only two muzZle-oadin@ guns and sand
entertainments. the detachment could 10
nothing before six ships firing on them
from all sides, and they retired into
Mama qua. and to ClIzco Hill. where they
! remain today
From that day the soldiers occupied
] !'Unta Caracoles. observing tho move
m"ntS Of the ShipS which occupy all The
| "'ltCr port with war transports. Il num-
I hcr of armed ships. other vessels Of var
= and armed merchant ships The total
is not less than four
i bay" also taken tho Enanto Passes
+ ana the Vl@i!Ant @unhoat Nagnie is here
ready to fall on them whore dan,ro
can he done. ] rcmain in Caimapcra
and viii only leave when | think if
| necessary. | have not been ahIc 10 an
I f@%oni2c the American ships with rifle
/ ire Forts Sandoval and Cayo Toro
! FRED their pieces of artillery. but thciI.
! effectiveness WAS interfcrod with hy the
/ SlortneSS of the range or when thc
| SHIPS retired to the center of the chan
| ncl and took I'D Il position in the mid
! I'll" of the bay. they would not have
! stopped answering the fire. which the
| enemies ships were keeping ND with
| 1ErHnity. Sandoval has not over seven
rounds of armor piercing proicctilcs and
| caimancra battery did not fire rescrvinc
| It's fire until the ships entered the chan
ncl. which is whore its guns reach.
SCARCITY OF SUPPLIES.
| Il am told that the iGSur-ent forces;
ut l'aracoa have come down to Signabos.
being apparently greatly pleased
| that the American squadron has
/ taken possession Of the outer bay as Il
! base of operations. the American ships
having anchored rs if in one of their
| own ports.
! Since Saturday the Americans have
| cut the cables which are at the entrance
| and TIL" centre Of the harbor, and |
| haVc net been able to repair them. but
| fncN have not again moleSted me. OK
! 'ept with two cannon shots on Monday.
| II appears from the work which is being
Gone, that the Americans are preparing
u plant the harbor with mines or to
/ place their ships so as to dscmbark
troops II Playa Del Este. their favorite
| place. If this turns out to be the case.
| and that | have been the first to call
your attention to it. | would suggest
| that some of our vessels should come
mere. i he members Of the fire brigade
are in good spirits.
Il am continuing to serve out half
| rationS of every thing and in that way
| shall he able to reach to the end of
| tie month only, and especially III bread.
| | have 10 flour of any kind as | have
| previously said. and / have no wav of
| getting any. there has been no graz
here for some time past. We are
! equally short of uuinine in the hospitals.
! however. | have taken possession Of the
| private drug stores, and Will have
/ enough until the end of the month The
F.. town is suffering from priyation. On
! Saturday we had only two men wound
/, ed At Craigo MORO the cable house
/ was riddlcd with shell. but it still
j stands. and if the Americans abandon
+; the port which | doubt. everything pos
! Sihle will Ec done to re-eStabiiSh com
munication. 10 which end | have every
| thing ready. To-day there is in the har-
! bor a large armored vessel. the Ore
| gon, and seven more vessels, with a