Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1898-06-17
The FIRST LAND BATTLE.
The Spaniards From Under Cover
Attacked the Marines at
guantanamo.

r &ORuuOu6U CdD1O SGtbAOu dt3 0nC CAVAo oAASe
Of the outer harbor at Guantanamo,
has been engaged in heading off q rush
attack by spanish guerrillas and regu.
lars since o'clock Saturday afternoon.
The fighting was almost continuous fol
thirteen hours, until 8 o'clock Sunday
morning, when reinforcements were
landed from the Marblehead. Four OF
our men were killed and one wounded.
The advance pickets under Lieuts. Ne.
vile and Shaw are unaccounted for.
Among the killed is Assistant Surgeon
John Blair Gibbs son of Maj. Gibbs. Of
the regular army, who fell in the Custer
Il massacre. His home was at Richmond,
Va, but he has been practicing in New
York, and he entered the service since
the war began. He was very popular
officer. The others killed were: Sergeant
Chas H. Smith Of Smallwood, Md.
Private William Dunphy Of Gloucester,
Mass; Private James M'Colgan OF
stoneham, Mass Corporal Glass waf
accidently wounded in the head.
The Spanish loss is unknown, but was
probably considerable. The splashes OF
blood found at daylight at the positions
the Spaniards occupied indicated fatal
ties, but their comrades carried off the
killed and wounded.
The engagement began with desultory
firing at the pickets, 1000 yards inland
from the camp. Capt. spicer's company
was doing guard duty and was driven
II, finally rallying the camp and re-
/ / .pulsing the enemy at s o'clock. The
bodies Of McC Colgan and Dunphy were
found, both shot in the head.
The large cavities caused by the bull
let's, which inside range Of 500 yards
have 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 they
were brought in the whole bottalion
formed in hollow square about the
camp on the hill top. Below in the bay
were the warships at anchor. Inland
from the hill camp is deep ravine and
beyond this are high hills. The adjac-
ent country is heavy with thick growth.
The sky was blanketed with clouds and
when the sun set gale was blowing
seaward. Night fell thick and impene-
trable. The Spanish squads concealed
In the chapperal cover, had the advan-
tage, the Americans on the ridge fur
nishing fine targets against the sky and
the white tents. The Spaniards fought
from cover till midnight, being dis
coverable only at flashes. at which the
marines fired volleys. The repeaters
sounded like crackers in . barrel.
The Marblehead's launch, with ma
chine gun in her bow, pushed up the
bsy, enflading the spaniards, and it is
thought that some were killed. The
marines trailed much blood to the
waters edge and there lost it. Sharks
are numerous in the vicinity.
The ships threw their searchlights
ashore. the powerful electric eyes
sweeping the deep tropic foliage and
disclosing occasionally skulking par
ties of Spaniards. It all represented q
transformation scene at the harbor.
Each discovery Of the enemy was greet
cd by the cracks Of carbines along the
edge Of the camp ridge, or by the long
roll of the launches machine gun,
searching the thickets with leaden
stream.
Shortly after midnight came the main
attack. The Spaniards made gallant
charge up the southwest slope, but
were met by repeated volleys from the
main body and broke before they were
oue-third of the way up the hill, but
they came so close that at points there
was almost hand to hand struggle.
The officers used their revolvers Three
Aszkaniards got through the open forma-
into the edge of the camp. Col Jose
yAmpina, the Cuban guide, discharged
his revolver and they, turning and find
ing themselves without support, ran
helter skelter down the reverse side of
the hill. It was during this assault
that Assistant Surgeon Gibbs was
killed. He was shot in the head in
front of his own tent. the farthest point
of attack. He fell into the arms of
Private Sullivan and both dropped. A
second bullet threw dust in their faces.
Surgeon Gibbs lived ten minutes, but
did not recover consciousness.
The surgeons Of the hospital corps
then removed their quarters to the