The record-union., 1898-06-12
INVASION OF CUBA.
Marines Raise the Stars and
Stripes at Guantanamo.

Saturday, June III a. M
Copyright, 1898, by the Associated
Press. 1.-THE invasion of Cuba by the
American forces began to-day. SIX
hundred marines have pitched their
tents about the ruins of the outer forti-
f:cations of Guantanamo and the Stars
and Stripes of the United States float
on Spanish Flagstaff in Cuba.
To Captain Clark and the battleship
Oregon belong the honor of accomplish
ing the first successful landing Of the
war.
The forty marines from the battleShip
went ashore and occupied the left en-
trance of the bay until the troop snip
Panther arrived with 600 marines.
These under the command Of Lieuten-
ant Colonel E. w. Huntington, arrived
at 3 o'clock, and within half an hour
they had burned the buildings of the
Spanish camp, and had set fire to The
miserable little village which crouched
on the beach under the hill top Of Gu
antanamo.
The whole operation of silencing the
guns and landing the forces were as
easy as placing a Sunday school picnic.
The Marblehead had, backed by the
Vixen and Dolphin. opened on the
earthworks. The shore to the right Of
the entrance was lined with guns and
rifle pits, but the Spaniards atampeded
after firing a few shots.
The city of Guantanamo lies four
! miles up the bay, and little Spanish
| gunboat came down to help the shore
! batteries. But she stayed just long
enough to turn around. Numerous
shots were fired bS the Span:ards, but
not one landed and no Americans We're
injured. The American fort lies within
the city limits, and is still to be re-
| duced, but it is not in a difficult posi-
| ton and the American officers say it
can be taken within fifteen minutes
! when desired.
The Marblehead, Dolphin. Vixen and
two collers have been off the entrance
of the harbor for several days ard yes
| terday morning they sailed into the
channel. A mile further up they opened
fire. sending fifty shots at the fortifca-
tons on the left. The hills on the right
| Of the entrance We're deserted. There
are no defenses on the righ. side Of the
| harbCI.
| No attempt was made to land until
the Oregon steamed in early this morn
| ing. Captain Clark Immediately sent
y
ihe Marblehead followed. They found
| evidence of a very hasty departure by
the Spaniards. Watches, hammccks
and ammunition were scattered about
the earthworks and Spanish flag wac;
found in one of the rifle pits. The little
detachment of marines held the place
until the Panther arrived, when they
We're recalled, and the work of disern-
| barking began. The first boat load had
scarcely landed when the village burst
| into flames
Company K, under Lieutenant Hunt,
was the first ashore and without the
loss Of man they climbed the rocky
hillside to the earthworks. For an
hour a brown column of marines filed
up the narrow path, eventually taking
up a position at the top of the hill. AS
| soon as the American flag was swung
| out to the breeze from the flagstaff of
the captured Spanish camp the Oregon
steamed away to rejon the fleet off
Santiago. The marines will hold the
position until the arrival Of the ex-
pected troops, in the meantime scouting
in the vicinity, with the Marblehead,
Vixen and Dolphin lying by to protect
them
Rear Admiral Sampson now has a
harbor and base Of supplies on the
south side Of the island and troops can
be landed at will.
The troop ship Panther reached the
fleet off Santiago to-day On her way
over the Yosemite fired a dozen shells
into the port of Baiguivi, but there was
no response.
Guantanamo is about forty miles east
of Santiago de Cuba, and is a splendid
location for a base of supplies for the
blockading feet.
1t Is understood that the islani of
Cuba is entirely cut off from cable COM
munication with the outside world. Re
port here has it that the cable ship
Adria cut the cable at Santiago on
Monday and that the same day the ST.
Louis cut the cable running from Guam
tanamo to the Mole St. Nicholas.
Hayti. She was interrupted by shells
from the shore, but the Marblehead
sent several shells at the soldiers and
scattered them