The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-06-14

.
general cargo from Halifax, steamed
into the harbor. Her commander was
greatly surprised at the presence Of
the Americans, but he retained
enough composure to dip his flag three
times and then started to put about.
A shot across his bows from the Mar
blehead stopped him and the vessel
| was boarded, her papers showing that
she was bound for Jamaica. The cap
tain explained that he had put in to
see if he could get a return cargo of
! sugar. He was informed that he could
not and was then allowed to proceed.
THIRTEEN HOURS CONTINUOUS
FIGHTING
On board the Associated Press Dis
patch boat Dauntless, off Guantana-
mo, Sunday June 12 via Mole st. Mic
OlaS, Hayti, June 12.-Lieutenant Col
Onei X. w. HuntingtOnS battalion Of
marines, which landed from the trans
port Panther on Friday and encamped
on the hill guarding the abandoned ca
bic station at the entrance to the outer
harbOr of Guantanamo, has been en-
gagged in beating off bush attack by
Spanish guerllas and regulars since 3
] o'clock Saturday afternoon. The fight
ing was almost continuous for thirteen
hours until 6 O'Clock this morning
when reinforcements were landed from
the Marblehead.
FOUR MARINES KILLED.
Four Of our men were killed and one
wounded. The advance pickets under
Lieutenants Neville and Shaw are un-
accounted for.
Among the killed is Assistant Sur
geOn John Blair Gibbs, son of Major
Gibbs, of the regular army, who fell in
the Custer massacre. His home was
at Richmond. Va. but he had been
practicing in New York and he entered
the service since the war begun. He
was very popular officer The 9TH
ers killed are Sergeant Charles H.
Smith of Smallwood; Private William
Dunphy of Gloucester, Mass, and Pri-
vate James McCollegan, of Stonham,
Mass. Corporal Glass was accident
ally wounded in the head.
The Spanish loss is unknown, but it
was probably considerable. The
splashes of blood found at day light at
the positions the Spaniards occupied
indicate fatalities, but their comrades
carried off the killed and wounded.
The engagement began with desul-
tory firing at the pickets, 1000 yards
inland from camp. Captain Spicers
company was doing guard duty and
was driven in, finally rallying on the
camp and repulsing the enemy at
o'clock.
The bodies of Privates McColgan and
Dunphy were found, both shot in the
head The large cavities caused by
the bullets, which, inside a range of
800 yards, have a rotary motion, indi-
cate that the victims were killed at
| close range.
BODIES OF THE DEAD MUTIIATED
hats and cartridge belts and horribly
mutilated with machetes. When they
were brought in the whole battalion
| formed three sides of a hollow square
| about the camp on the hill top. Be
| low in the bay were the warships at
anchor. Inland from the hill camp is
deep ravine and beyond this are
nigh hills. The adjacent country is
Ineavy with a thicket growth.
The sky was ,bfanketed with clouds,
and when the sun set a gale was blow
ing seaward. Night fell, thick and i'm
! penetrable. The Spanish squads con-
cealed in the chaIpparel cover had the
advantage, the Americans on the ridge
furnishing fine targets against the sky
and the white tents. The Spaniards
fought from cover till midnight. discov-
erable only 10y flashes, at which the
marines fired volleys. The repeaters
sounded like crackers in a barrel.
The Marblehea0 launch, Colt ma
chine gun in her bow, pushed up the
bay enfilading the Spaniards, and it is
thought that some were killed. The
marines trailed mu, blood to the wa
ter's edge and there lost it. Sharks are
numerous in the vicinity.
The ships threw their seachlights
ashore. :he powerful electric eyes
sweeping the deep tnopic foliage and
disclosing occasionally skulking parties |
OF Spaniards. 1t an resembles a trans |
formation scene at the harbor.
Each discovery of the enemy was |
greeted by cracks of carbine fire along !
the edge of tke camp ridge or by the |
long roll of the launch's gun. search |
ing the thickets with a leaden stream.
THE MAIN ATTACK
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 a hand to hand |
struggle, the officers used their revol-
vers. Three Spaniards got through |
the open formation to the edge OF the
camp. Colonel Jose Campina, the |
Cuban guide discharged his revolver,
and they, turning and finding them
selves without support, ran helteI-
SHELTER down the reverse side of the
hill. 1t was during this assault that
Assistant Surgeon Gibbs was killed.
He was shot in the head in front OF his
own tent, the far hest point Of attack.
He fell into the arms of Private Suili-
van md both dropped. A second bullet
in Hair 4