Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1898-06-15
FIRST LAND BATTLE IN CUBA
THIRTEEN HOURS OF FIGHTING
Four Americans Were Shot Dead
Advance Pickets Under Lieuten-
ants Neville and shaw Are I'm
accounted FOr--Spanish Loss Is
Unknown.

Unknown.
On Board the Associated Press Dis
patch Boat Dauntless, off Guantanamo,
Sunday, June II, via Mole st. Nicholas,
June l2.-Lieutenant Colonel X. w.
Huntington's battalion of marines which
landed from the transport Panther on
Friday and encamped on the hill guard
ing the abandoned cable station at the
entrance to the harbor of Guantanamo,
has been engaged in heading off rush
attack by Spanish guerrillas and regulars
since 3 o'clock Saturday afternoon. The
fighting was almost continuous for l3
hours, until o'clock this morning, when
reinforcements We're landed from the Mar
blehead Four of our men were killed
and one wounded. The advance pickets
under Lieutenants Neville and Shaw are
unaceounted for.
Among the killed is Assistant Surgeon
John Blair Gibbs, son of Mayor Gibbs of
the regular army, who fell in the Custer
massacre. His home was at Richmond,
Va, but he has been practicing in New
York and entered the service since the
war began. He was very popular Of
ficer The others killed are Sergeant
Charles H. Smith of Smallwood, Private
William Dunphy of Gloucester, Mass,
and Private James McColgan of Stone
ham, Mass.
Corporal Glass was ac, identally wound
ed in the hand.
Spanish Loss Unknown.
The Spanish loss is unknown, but it
was probably considerable. The splashes
of blood found at daylight at the posi-
tions the Spanish forces occupied indi'
cate fatalities. but their comrades ear
red off the killed and wounded. The
engagement began with desultory firing
at the pickets, hundred yards inland
from the camp.
Captain Spicer's company was doing
guard duty, and was driven in, finally
rallyipg on the camp and repulsing the
enemy by 3 o'clock.
The bodies of Privates McColgan and
Dunphy were found, both shot in the
head. The large cavities made by the
bullets, which, inside a range of 500
yards, have a rotary motion, indicate
that the victims were killed at close
range. The bodies were stripped of shoes,
hats and cartridge belts, and horribly
mutilated with machetes
When the bodies were brought in the
whole battalion formed three sides Of Il
hollow square about the camp on the hill
top. Below in the bay were the warships
at anchor. In the land front of the camp
is deep ravine, and beyond this are
steep hills. The adjacent country is
thick with bushes.
Americans Fine Targets.
The sky was blanketcd with clouds and
when the sun set gale was blowing sea-
ward. Night fell thick and impenetra-
BILE. The Spanish guerrillas concealed in
the chaparal cover had the advantage,
the men furnishing fine target against
the sky. The SpaDiards fought from COW
er until midnight discoyerable only by
the flashes Of their guns. The repeat
ers sounded like crackers in barrel. The
Marblchead's launch with Colt machine
gun in her bow, pushed up the bay en-
iilading the Spaniards and it is thought
that some were killed. The marines trail
ed much blood to the waters edge and
there lost it. Sharks are numerous in
the vicinity.
The ships threw their searchlights
ashore, the powerful eyes sweeping the
deep tropic foliage and disclosing occa-
sionally skulking parties of Spanish.
1t all represented transformation
scene at the harbor. Each discovery Of
the enemy was greeted by the cracks Of
carbine fire along the edge OF the camp
ridge or by the long roll of the launch
and the machine gun, searching thickets
with leaden stream.
Hand to Hand Struggle.
Shortly after midnight came the main
attack. The Spaniards made a gallant
charge up the southwest slope, but were
met by repeated volleys from the main
body and broke before they were one
third of the way up the hill, but they
came so close that at points there was
almost hand-to-b hand struggle. The Of
ficers fired their revolvers. The Span
iards got through the open formation 20
the edge of the camp. Colonel Jose Cam
pima, the Cuban guide, discharged his re-
volver and they, turning and finding
themselves without support, ran helter
skelter down the reverse side of the hill.
IL was during this assault that Assistant
Surgeon Gibbs was shot in the head in
front of his own tent, the farthest point
of attack. He fell into the arms of Pri-
vate Sullivan and both dropped. A sec
ond bullet threw dust in their faces.
Surgeon Gibbs lived 10 minutes but did
not regain consciousness.
Continued All Night.
The surgeons Of the hospital corps then
removed their quarters to the trenches
about the old Spanish stockade north of
the camp. The attacks were continued
at intervals throughout the rest Of the
night with firing by small squads in var
ious directions.
Towards morning the fire slackened.
Dawn is the favorite time for attack, and
as the cast paled, the marines, lying on
their guns, were aroused. Some were ac-
tually asleep, as they had had no rest for
As hours and tired nature could not long
er stand the strain. But no attack
came. Three new 2pound field guns,
which could not be used during the night
for fear Of hitting our own men, shelled
several squads Of Spaniards after day