The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-08-18

KEY WEST, Fla, August 17,-Fur-
ther details have been received here as
20 the bombardment Of the port Of Cal
barlen, on the north coast OF the Prov
ince OF Santa Clara, Cuba, last Sum
day. by the Mangrove. The Mangrove
left here last week to protect the land
ing Of an expedition under Colonel Boz
zas, which had gone ahead on the
sehooners Adams and Adelli. When the
Maugrove reached Santa Maria Key,
near cairbarien, she found the Cuban
party had safely dlsembarked, but
feared to advance because of the pres
ence of the Spanish gun boat Herman
cortes. and smaller gun boat which
were evidently making calbarien their
base
on Saturday afternoon the MRngrove
anchored at Key Francis, Just outside
cairbarien, and as she lay there the
Herman cortes came out and ran round
the key to get peep at her, scurrving
back into the harbor as soon as she
saw she was discovered. The Man
grove followed as far as the shoal water
would permit, but could only get about
half way in the harbor.
The next morning Captain Stuart, the
commander Of the Mangrove decided to
have shot at the gunboats. He was
alone and the odds against him were
heavy, but he did a bold thing. Sound
ing her way, inch by inch, the Man
grove crept along the channel, drawing
eight feet OF water IN an average depth
OF eight and hnlf, until about nine
O'Clock she sighted both the Spanish
gunboats, The Herman Cortes was an
chored near the shore, about thousand
yards to the right of the town, with
broadslde to the sea. The small gum
boat lay at the wharf
The spanIards evidently were anticl-
pating battle. The shore was crowd
ed with Spaniards, citizens and soldiers,
while the roof OF every building that
commanded a view Of the harbor was
literally covered with people anxious to
see the sight. The Herman CoFtes car
rled two AZ inch guns and four one
Founders and q Hitchkiss rapid-tire
gun. The crews OF both. numbering be-
tween seventy-five and one hundred
men, could be seen on the decks.
Ashore were several one-pound field
pieces, while the Spanish troops were
armed with Mauser rifles.
The Mangrove, whose entire battery
copsistedl-of5 only 'twossrslE- pqundars
worked into a range of 5000 yards. The
channel was so narrow that only one
gun could be fired at u time. At iO;45
m. She got up her port gun at the
o.. N.NN s,n.. -
stantly the whole shore line burst Into
flame. both gunbontS and the field
pieces pouring In heavy fire upon the
American vessel Every shot OF this
volleE struck the water ahead of the
Mangrove, which continued pumping
away her port siX-pounders. She cons
cent-ated her FIRE on the Herman Cortes
and the next five or six shots fell on
the Spaniard's deck between the bow
gun and amldshlps, scattering body Of
men. Some OF the latter must have
been killed, although the SpanlRrds la
ter denied that they suffered any loss.
For while no Spanish gun was fired,
but coon the SpanIards got the Nam
groves range and verltable avalanche
Of shot and shell was hurled at her II
was nothing less than a miracle that
her loss of life was not heavy. Shells
from the big guns OF the Herman Cortes
dropped within twenty feet OF the tug,
several bursting and the fragments
chipping bits OF her hull. Others went
whlzzlnS through her shrouds and
Mauser bullets peppered the surround
ing waters like summer shower.
Within the very midst OF all this, and
while the MangroVe was swinging cau-
tIously around to bring her starboard
gun into play, the watch shouted flag
OF truce" and sure enough not only one
but three white fings could be seen, one
flying from the small gunboat and two
from the government house on shore.
The M1ngroYe acknowledged the slg-
nal and presently q small boat came
out with Spanish officer, who clam
bored aboard the Mangrove and in eX-
citing, nervous tones announced:
Peace IS proclaimed and have In
structlons for your commanding officer
from the military commander OF this
district"
He added that during the engagement
the Spanish authorities in Cairbarlen
had wired the military commander OF
the district that the American ships
were bombarding the port and that i'm
mediate responses had been received In
forming them that peace had been re-
stored and the firing should cease.
The Spanish crew OF the small boat
which brought this officer TO the Man.
grove said the Spaniards had not lost
man, but the officer himself made no
allusion to the fight which had lasted
an hour and ten minutes.
As the Mangrove was creeping her
way out OF the marrow channel, she
went aground and lay there five hours
Had the same mishnp befallen her dur
Ing the engagement, the chances are
that she would have been captured.
Want a Garrison Cnmp.