The herald., 1898-05-15
CABLE ORDERED Cut
SPANISH BATTERIES TRIED TO
PREVENT
ONE AMERICAN SAILOR DEAD
Associated Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
WASHINGTON, May 14-The navy de-
partment has just received dispatch from
Commodore Remey'at Key West, confirm
ing the report of severe engagement al
Cienfuegos last Wednesday,. He transmits
the report Of Capt. Mccall of the Marble
head, showing that one man was killed
Herman Reagan. a marine on the Marble
head, and several injured. Severe losses
were inflicted upon the Spaniards. The OBJ
ject Of the attack was to cut the cable.
which was accomplished.
Orders Were obeyed
KEY WEST, Fla, May N.-The United
States cruiser Marblehead, the gunboat
Nashville and the auxiliary cruiser Win
dom, steamed up the harbor of Cienfue-
COS early Wednesday morning with orders
to cut the cable connecting Havana with
Santiago de Cuba. This task was &C.
complished. but only after a terrific fight
between our warships and several thous-
and Spanish troops, which lined the shore
and lay concealed behind improvised
breastworks. A seaman named Reagan
of the Marblehead was killed outright in
one Of the working small boats, and six
a large number on board the ship received
minor wounds. Captain Mcguire OF the
Window believes that several Of the six
wounded men who were brought to Key
West this morning on the Window can
not recover.
Following is the list Of killed and badly
wounded:
Killed
REGAIN, seaman of the Marblehead.
Wounded
JOHN DAVIS of New York.
JOHN ]. DORIAN of Fall River, Mass.
ERNEST SABKERNEST Of Suntseena-
nickle, N. ].
HERMAN HOCHNIEsTER.
HARRY HENDERICKSON, all Of the
Marblehead.
ROBERT ROLTz. Caster county, N. c.,
of the Nashville.
A Plucky Fight
Soon after the arrival of the ship off
Cienfuegos four boats were launched and
proceeded in shore for the purpose Of Crap
pling for the cable in order to cut ii.
The warship lay to about 1000 yards OF
more Off the harbor.
1t was observed that the Spanish troops
had assembled of the shore, but it was moi
known that heavy guns had been placed In
a masked battery and that the old light.
house, far out on neck of land. had
been transformed into formidable fort.
The small boats proceeded cautiously
and for more than an hour worked unmo-
Tested on the cable. Suddenly, just as
the work was about completed, the shore
battery fired shell at the boats. 1t was
followed by others and the Spanish in
fantry opened fire with their rifles.
Then with fash the Marblehead sent a
shell inland and followed it with Perfect
shower of shells. The Nashville was quick
to follow suit. and the little Window cut
loose with her four-pounders.
In the meanwhile Spanish bullets fell In
every direction around the small boats.
Though the attack had come suddenly and
fiercely, the blue-jackets were not dis
mayed, and protected by the terrific return
fire of the warships continued the work
and the cable was cut.
Then the boats returned to the ships.
Reagan, who was in one Of the Marble
heads boats, Of which there were two
was found to have been killed. Six men
were badly wounded.
The Spaniards had by this time suffered
severe loss. Their shots from the light
house struck the warships several times
and although they did not do much dam
age, the fire aroused the determination of
the American officers to exterminate the
fort. Thereafter. for the moment, the
fire of the warships was concentrated upon
the lighthouse and the improvised fort
W h1nWn IN nfapQc G