Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1898-06-18
BATTLE AT NIGHT
American Marines Attacked by
Spanish Bushwhackers.
The Boys In Blue Repulse the Besiegers
and the Spaniards Lose 10 Killed and
Many Wou. .4ed-Americans Lose
Two Men Cuban Allies of
Little Account.

Camp of the United States Marines,
Outer Harbor of Guantanamo, via
Kingston, Jamaica, June 15.-After
two nights of hard fighting the Amer
lean flag still floats on Cuban soil over
the encampment of the marine bat
talon and our boys say they will keep
it there until the belated troops ar
rive, if it takes till winter.
Thus far the marines have had the
best of the fighting, but the situation
is grave and they are exhausted with
repelling almost incessant attacks
They have little chance to rest or
sleep and the time of the arrival of
the relieving troops is uncertain.
Were it not for the protecting guns of
the fleet the gallant little band would
be annihilated by the Spanish troops,
in overpowering numbers, from San
tiago de Cuba. AS it is they probably
can hold their position, but they can
not move forward until reinforced.
What first-with the white tents on
bold eminence against the tropic
ackground-looked holiday camp,
is now grim reality. The tents have
been struck and rolled into breast
works, supplemented by trenches
around the crest of the hill. The spot
10 tNDOSeu. ne leHSU movement III
the camp is the signal for instant tar
get practice upon the part of the
Spanish sharpshooters, whose rifles
carry much further than ours, though
their owners rarely hit anything they
aim at.
1t is impossible to accurately esti-
mate the Spanish attacking force, but
it is numerous enough. About two
thirds of this force surrounds the
camp nightly with deadly ring, and
the spatting of the Mausers makes
things quite lively, for the Spaniards
are daring enough to crawl up and.
take shot at the marines from the
bushes about 30 yards from the camp.
At night the besiegers fight like In
dians. Every yard of chapparal is an
ambuscade, and picket duty is Tipping
coins with death.
After the first attack on Saturday
night, Col. Huntington decided that
another attempt would be made on
Sunday night and he caused entrench-
ments to be thrown up on all sides of
the camp and in the trenches the main
part of the battalion at night waited
for the attack. 1t arrived short time
after dark and from that time until
daybreak the firing was incessant and
at times very heavy. On the American
side two men were killed and four in
'ured. The dead are:
Sergeant-Major Henry Goode, of the
marines, shot through the right
breast; Private Tauman, wounded and
fell off the cliff and was instantly
killed.
The injured: Private Wallace, fell
off the cliff and sustained fracture
of the leg; Private Martin, shot
through the left leg; Private Roxbury,
shot through the arm; Private Burke,
shot through the arm.
During the night the SEaniards at
tackled the camp of the marines on the
shore and the Marblehead, believing
the Americans had been driven out,
threw several shells into the place.
The attack, however, was repulsed by
the marines in camp without trouble.
The shells of the Marblehead struck
among the marines.
The fight was the first of the war
in which the Cubans co-operated with
the American forces, and their CO.
operation was not a glittering success.
AT one time during the afternoon,
when the marines were firing on a
small detachment of Spaniards that
appeared a short distance from the
camp, the Cubans began firing with
out orders and sent volley right
among the Americans. There were
several narrow escapes, but no one
was injured.
Lieut. Neville, of Company d, was
sent on scout duty and, as on the day
previous, he attacked small stone
fort. A hot fight followed and the
Spaniards were driven off with loss. 1t
was during this fight that Wallace and
Tauman fell over the cliff.
Fifteen dead Spaniards, including
one lieutenant, were found in the fort.
A grim touch of realism was added
to the warlike scenes when the flags
on land and on the warships were
placed at half-mast and gallant Ser
geant-Major Goode was buried on the
hillside scarcely 20 PAGES from the
spot where he fell. The burial service
was impressive, as the men felt that
| their situation was desperate and
openly said that they expected to be
gradually slaughtered until the ar
rival of the troops. The men freely
criticize policy which compels them
to hold position that could be re-
taken, they say, by half an hours
shelling, but not the faintest DISPOSE
ion is manifested to do otherwise
'an to fight it out.
There is an insufficient supply of
ood on the ships. The wardroom mess
| On one ship here sat down yesterday
to corned beef and hard tack. The Off
cers of many vessels complain of the
ihortage of necessaries, like -four, po-
tatoes and ice.
ecd shots 't F"vn ~
mn