Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-06-13

A"N o'dteS were stripped OF shoes,
hats and cartridge oclts, and horribly
mutilatcd with machctes When they
were brought in the whole battalion
formed three sides of a hollow square
ABOUT the camp on the hill top. Below
III the bay We're the Warships at on
Choir In land from the hill camp is
deep ravine and beyond this are high
with thick growth.
The Sky was blankoted with clouds.
and when the sun set a gale was blo,v-
ing seaward. Night fell thick and i'm
penetrable. The Spanish squads con
cealcd in the chapparcl covers and the
advantage. the Americans on the ridge
furnished fine traGcts against the sky
and the white tents. The Spanard:s
fought from cover till midnight. dis
coNerable only by flashes, at which the
marines fired vollcys. The rcpeaters
sounded like crackers in a barrel.
The Marblehead launch. a Colt ma
chine gun in her bow, pushed up the
bay, entilading the Spaniards, AMI il is
thought that some were killel. The
marines trailed much blood To the wa
ter's edge and there lost it. Sharks are
numerous in the vicinity.
The ships threw their searchlights
ashore, the powerful electric eyes
sWccpinS the deep tropic foliage and
disclosing occasionally skuking parties
Of Spaniards. 1t all resembled a
Transformation sccneat theatre Each
discovery of the enemy was greeted by
the cracl<le of tarhinc fire along the
edge Of ;hc camp ridge. or hy the long
roll Of Tie launch's gun, searching ,he
thickets with q leaden stream
shortly after midnight came the main
attack. The Spaniards made gallant
charge up The southwest slorc. but were
mot BY repeated rolleys from The main
body ana broke before they were one
jhild If the way up the hill; hut they
came 50 clese, that at points there was
almost hand to hand struggle. The
officers used their reNolvors. Three
Spamar!s got through Inc open for
ln& lion to the cd2e ot the camp. Col |
Joac taHplu&, the Cuban .5uidc. dis
charged lis revolver ana they, turnins |
ana finding themselves without sup |
port. ran down the reverse side Of the
Hill
It was during this assault that As /
siStAnt Surgeon Gibbs was killed. He |
was shet in the head in front of his
own tent the farthcrcst point Of at
tack He fen into the arms Of Private
and both dropped. y second |
bullet threw dust III their faces, sur
gcon Gibbs lived 10 minutes, hut did
not regain consciousness.
The surgeons of the hospital corps then
removed their quarters to the trenches
about the old Spanish stockadc north of
ne camp. The attacks were continued II
intervals throughout the rest Of the night,
with firing from small squads III various
directions.
Toward morning the fire slackencd.
Dawn is the favorftc time for attack, and
as the east paled the marines lying Oh
their guns were aroused. Some were act-
nelly asleep. .,s they hsd had no rest for
Is hours ana tired nature could no longer
stand the strain. But no attack came.
Three new 12-round field guns. which
could not be used in the night for fear of
hitting our own mon. sheiied several
squads of Spiniards after daylight They
dove into The bushes like prairie dogs
into burrows. rs the shells broke over
them.
AZ the correspondent Of The Associated
Press; talked with Mai Cockrell. who was
in charge of the outposts. word came Of
he finding of the body of Sergeant Smith.
IT, was reported as having been killed at
o'clock ON tho previous day, but it ap-
,elr- that ne had been seen alive at 10
o'clock in the evening. When and how
ne was killed no one knows ut this Writ
ng Neither had the men been mustered
TOR had he outposts Of Leuts. Neville
md Shaw been relieved,
Lieut.. Col, Huntington and Maj. Cock
ell give high praise to the nerve and
;teadiness Of officers and men. especially
he young ones, as the engagement was a
Z baptism Of fire for large majority.
rhe mon were in darkness and in a
strange ltnd but they stood to their posts
With courage and fortitude.
The marines, though exhausted. were
,ager for more lighting, promising to in
lict heavy Punishment. They compliment
he daring Of the Spaniards with charac
eristic camp profanity. {
Today. the anpcst precautions have
3een taken, atd as the p4untless was
eaving. rcinforccmonts were landing from
he Marblehead. A stormy time was eX-
)ected.
Estimates vary as to the attacking
'orcc, some saying 200 and the figures run
IS high as 1900. Col. CAMPING, the Cuban ,
guide. says the Spaniards were mostly :
rregulars. but the reports OF the dis
charge of Mduser rifles would indicate
hat they were regulars, as most OF the {
suerilas carry Remingtons. The Cuban
suerillae, as Il rule. have more dash and
courage than the regulars.
Tho new campaign uniforms proved sat