Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1898-06-23

(Copynght Associated PressJ
On board Associated ress dispatch boat
Wanda, Baiquiri HsrbOr, Cuba, June %,
5p.m via Kington, Jamaica, June %,
$50 a. mat 8 o'clock this afternoon,
5000 trained American soldiers are
camped in and around Baiquiri, and l0,-
900 more rest on their arms on board the
transports ready to join those who have
debarked as soon az the available
launches and boats can carry them
ashore Time, sea and weather were pro.
pitiOus for the invasion. The navy co.
operated splendidly, and as the big war
ships closed in on the shore TO pave the
way for the approach Of transports and
then went back again three cheers for
the navy went up from 10000 throats on
the transports, and three cheers rose for
the army from ship to ship az troop ships
moved in to take their share In the hsz.
ardous game Of war, and II was magni6-
dent. Cuban insurgents, too, bore their
share In the enterprise honorably and
we'll.
Five thousand American soldiers in
mountain fastnesses and dark thickets
of the rayines, lay all last night on their
guns watching every road and mountain
path leading from Santiago to Guam.
tanamo. One Thousand were within
sight of Baiquiri, making the approach
Of spaniards, under cover Of darkness, an
impOssibility.
At 4 o'clock this morning as the As
socated Press dispatch boat approached
Baiquiri II was seel that many troop
ships that had beef lying out several
miles in the ofling h d drawn in towards
shore while three or four warships
lay menacingly near the harbor approach.
All around the transports, steam launches
and small boats were bobbing about like
corks, the first indication OF the true
object of the undertaking ahead. An hour
later the sun was rising In the eastern
sky, touching the mountain tops with
patches OF light green, revealing great
semi'circle OF troop ships, some close TO
the coast line, others a mile distant,
with their decks crowded with eager, ex-
pectant men, impatient TO begin the
first invasion by our army Of foreign
country in half a century.
As the dispatch boat Of the Associated
Press ran closer in where the New Or
leans was lying with her great Arm.
strong guns trained on Baiquiri, tongues
Of lurid flames and black smoke were
seen rising in the town as the inevitable
consequence OF war and sure sign that
the Spaniards had gone, leaving ruin be-
hind. The captain of the New Orleans
shouted the news 10 the dispatch boat,
adding: "YOu had better keep of
little; you are In range. They have
ride on the hill on the eastern side of
Baiquiri." This is steep, rocky hill
known as Punta Baiquiri, rising almost
perpendicularly at the place indicated.
II Is "A yeritable Gibraltar In possibilities
Of defense. From staff at its summit,
the Spanish dag was dehantly floating at
sunset last night, but il was gone this
morning and with il the small Spanish
guard which had maintained the signal
station. Between nightfall and dawn
the Spaniards had taken alarm and He'd
from the place, firing the town as they
left, The flames we're watched with in
terest from the ships. Two sharp explOs-
ions were heard. At first they were
thought to be reports Of guns from Span
ish masked batteries, but they proved 10
be the explosion OF ammunition In the
burning buildings.
little before o'clock the lombard.
ment Of the batteries OF Jaragua was be.
gun by the ships OF Rear Admiral samp-
sons ha@'. inis was evidently feint to
cover the real point OF attack. JaTagua
being about half way between Baiquiri
and Santiago. The bOmbaIdment lasted
about twenty minutes, The scene then
shifted back again TO the great semi
circle Of the transport fleet before Bal
quiri.
At $40 o'clock the New Orleans opened
fire with a gun that sent shell rumb.
ling and crashing against the hillside.
The Detroit, Wasp, Machias and suwanee
followed suit and soon the hillsides and
a NI..Ur a