The Portland daily press., 1898-06-27
SITE OF CAMP NIcCALLA,

At that hour body of Spanish skir-
mishers was discovered little more than
mile to the eastward, and the Panther
and Marblehead let go their guns appar-
entity with telling effect. The loss of life
among the Spanish must have Teen
heavy, although there was no opportun1-
ty accurately to determine how many
We're killed. Towards night Col. La
Borda of the Cuban army, arrived with
90 men, and their camp was pitched
near the site of the burning village,
supply camp under the guard of 90 ma
rlnes having also been placed there
With darkness began the bitterest night
of the week for the Americans.
exhausted by their unwonted exertions,
with intense excitement. they were in
no condition for hard fight. The
Spaniards had evidently determined that
the camp was to be re-captured that
night. They began at 8 o'clock with
heavy firing from their fayorite position,
on the ridge to the eastward. For an
hour they poured their shot from that
frequently under the heavy fire of the
marines. The latter fired as cody and
deliberately as though at target practice.
After an hour and a half the fire from
their field pieces and rifles dislodged
the enemy, but with the interval of
scarcely a half hour the Mauser bullets
began to whistle again over Hunting
steady work from the hilltop again sill
enced the Spaniards and another interval
OF rest succeeded. The next attack was
from the ridge close to the water and to
the seaward from the American position.
Inc enemy orept right down to the beach,
nrlng up the hill at the camp, out over
the pay at the fleet, and along the shore
at the supply camp, and the Cubans be-
yond. The Cubans replied wildly, and
Without regard to the little detachment
guardlng the supplies, and the men
caught between the firing lines were
DRIVEN INTO THE BAY
and compelled toTTswim to the boats. That
none was lost Is little short of miracu-
lous. A company of marines was sent
TO the brow of the hill with orders to
drive the enemy from the beach and 80
minutes mi work cleared the vicinity of
tne enemy. Thus shifting and gattacking
the spaniards spent the night. the Anne
rlcan camp being almost continuously
unoer IRE. During one of the volleys
DraVe Sergeant-Major Goode lost his
ire. he left the shelter of rife pit to
Issue an order and with the word of com.
mana on his lips fell, short through the
heart.
The greater part of the firing BY the
Spanlards was done from the hills east,
anu rs q result hundreds of bullets fell In
the n1rpor among the ships of the fleet.
The Dandy lay half mile of shore and
the same distance south of the camp, but
despite the apparent safety of her position
1ounu ner anchorage uncomfortably warm
mucn OF 1he night Several bullets struck
her, three, piercing the pilot house. and
scores could be heard singing over the
upper deck. The guns Of the fleet were
used at times. Tut were of little yalue as
the danger of dropping shells In the
american camp was very great. Not
but two deaths resulted, and oniv one
man was seriously wounded. Had tbs
Spaniards been as clever with tn Air rifies
as they were in their methods of attacE
and retreat, the American loss wonIa
have been 1rightful.
With Monday morning came relief from
active work, very few shots being fIred
during the day. But the men were CROWNS
restless and were inclined to criticize the
policy which kept them in SO warm a
place without what they considered good
reasons. They did not object to fighting
but they wanted to sleep. During the day
1t was decided to put the Cubans on Skin
lnlsh duty at night and the little black
warriors soon proved their worth. So
well did they keep the brush beaten that
not shot was fired Monday night, the
Spanards being unable to approach with
out detection. The nights rest which re-
suited put the men in better spirits and
Tuesday Col. Huntington decided on an
aggressive movement. Five miles to the
eastward lay the principal camp of the
guerrillas, little village of shaoks built
around a large well, the only one left
within radius of live or six miles and
therefore of the highest Importance. Al
ready well near the fcoast had been de-
stroyed by shell from the Dolphin. At
eight o'clock Tuesday morning two hun
dred marines started,