Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1898-06-13

I StOTIuS UT dCClutut, duu lduuiu8 Will
probably take place in the afternoon OF
that day or Friday following. as Ad.
miral Sampson is extremely anxious to
reinforce the small body of marines
now ashore at Guantanamo bay. The
position of these men Is not entirely
satisfactory to the officials here.
While no advices have yet reached the
Navy Department of the attack made
on the marine force by Spanish
guerillas, Saturday night, there is no
| disposition to question the accuracy OF
the press reports.
MARINES AND GUERILLAs MEET.
On board Associated Press dispatch
boat Dauntless, off Guantanamo, Sun
day June IL, via Mole st. Nicholas
Lieutenant Colonel r.. w. Huntington's
battalion of marines, which landed
from the transport Panther, Friday,
and encamped on hill guarding the
abandoned cable station at the entrance
of the harbor of Guantanamo, has been
engaged in heading off rush attack by
Spanish guerillas and regulars since 3
O'Clock Saturday afternoon. Fighting
was almost continuous for thirteen
hours, until 6 o'clock this morning,
when reinforcements were landed from
the Marblehead. Four of our men
were killed and one wounded. Advance
pickets, under Lieutenants Neville and
Shaw, are unaccounted for. Among
the killed is Assistant Surgeon John
Blair Gibbs, son of Major Gibbs Of the
regular army, who fell in the Custer
massacre. Ills home was at Ricnmend.
Va, but he has been practicing in New
York and entered tho service since the
war began. He was popular officer.
The others killed are Sergeant Charles
H. Smith of Smallwood; Private Will
liam Dunphy, Lancaster, Mass; Private
James McColgan. Stoneham, Mass.
Corporal Glass was accidentally wound
ed in the head. The Spanish loss is
unknown, but it was probably con-
siderable. Splashes of blood found at
daylight at the positions the Spaniards
occupied, indicate fatalities, but their
comrades carried off the killed and
wounded.
The engagement began with desol-
yards inland from the camp. Captain
Spicer's company was doing guard
duty and was driven in, finally rallying
on at the camp and repulsing the
enemy by o'clock
The bodies of Privates McColgan
aud Dunphy were found, both shot in
the head. Large cavities were made
by the bullets, which, inside of range
of 500 yards, have a rotary motion, in
dicating that the victims were killed at
close range. Their bodies were strip
ped of shoes, hats and cartridge belts
and horribly mutilated with machstss.
PHILIPPINE ARMY.
New YORK, June 13.-It may be
stated, positively, that the Wsr Deps
artment has no present intention Of
sending any more troops to San Fran
cisco tor the Philippine expedition than
have already been ordered there, says .
Washington correspondent Of the Times.
General Merritt announced, before he
left New York, that he wanted at least
10000 men to take to Manila. 1t was
generally accepted that the Department
had promised him the men asked for.
1t is now stated that instead Of the 90
900 men he has been counting on, only
$4,000 have been assembled ct San
Francisco. and the future governor.
general of the Philippines is getting un-
easy about the other 1000. 1t IS de-
clared that no more regiments will be
sent but the recruiting of the regiments
to their maximum strength as is being
done under the second volunteer call,
will eventually raise the strength of the
force to nearly 10000.
Now that the Santiago expeditionary
force under General SKATER is on its
way to CO. operate with Admiral Samp-
son, in the reduction of that city and
the capture of the Spanish ships in its
harbor, the energies Of the war depart
ment are expected to be directed to-
ward preparations for the invasion of
Puerto Rico Probably 10000 or 15,-
600 men will be sent to the Island.
General FItz Hugh Lee is expected
to command part Of the Puerto Rican
expedition, but this is not taken al
eliminating him from the main Cuban
campaign. There will be an oppor-
tunity for him to take the part ne il
anxious to take in the real work ei
freeing Cuba, when the campaign in
the lesser islands Is over. The story
that he is to be made GovernOr-G -Gener-
al of Puerto Rico is discrodite(
because of its appropriateness
The plans contemplate joint attack
upon the San Juan Notifications by the
: army and navy, and the fortlfcatiens arr
SO powerful that only heavily armorei
, ships can be sent against them at th,
beginning Therefore. it ia believed