The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1898-05-21
SPANIARDS WERE IN AMBUSH,
Had Erected Strong Fortificnttons
and Masked Batteries.

Key West, May 1.-THE United States
cruiser Marblehead, gunboat Nashville
and auxiliary cruiser Window steamed
up to the harbor of Cienfuegos Wednes-
dav morning with orders TO cut the cable
connecting Havana with Santiago de
Cuba. This task was accomplished, but
only after terrific fight between our
warships and several thousand Spanish
troops, which lined the shore and were
concealed behind improvised breastworks.
Soon after the arrival of the warships
off Cienfuegos, four boats were launched
and proceeded inshore for the purpose of
graphing for the cable in order to cut 1t.
The warships lay to about 1000 yards or
more off the harbor. 1t was observed
that the Spanish troops had assembled
along shore but it was not known that
heavy guns had been placed in masked
batteries and that the old lighthouse bat
teries on the neck of land had been trans
formed into a formidable fort.
The small boats proceeded cautiously
and for more than an hour worked unmo-
Tested on the cable. When the work was
about completed a shore battery fired
n shell at the boats. 1t was followed by
others and the Spanish infantry opened
fire then with their rifles Then, like
flash the Marblehead sent shell in
land and followed it with a perfect shower
of shot. Then the Window cut loose
with her 4-pounder.
In the meanwhile Spanish bullets flew
in every direction around the small boats.
The blue jackets were not dismayed, and
protected by the terrific return fire by
the warships, the work was continued and
the cable cut.
When the boats returned to the ships,
Regain, who was in one of the Marble
heads boats, of which there were two,
was found to have been killed. Six men
were badly wounded.
The Spaniards had by this time suf-
fered severe loss. Their shots from the
lighthouse struck the warships several
times and although they did not do much
damage, the fire aroused the determine
ton of the American officers to extermin-
6 ate the forts. Thereafter, for a moment
: the fire of the ships was concentrated
d on the lighthouse and the improvised fort
was blown to pieces. AS there were
9 great numbers of the Spanish in and be
r hind the fort at the time, there is ne
e doubt that many of them were killed
The Marblehead and Nashville used thei
r heaviest guns as well as their small rapid
II firing guns and an hundred shots wer
IS thrown into the Spanish troops.
The Dead and Wounded.
70 Washington, May l4.-The following
m telegram came to the navy department
h. this afternoon from Commodore Remey
"Key West, May l4.-Secretary of tn
st Navy: The Window arrived this morn
in ing with the following dead or wounded
" Patrick Regain, private marine, deaC
Id Herman w. Kuchneister, private ma
rine, shot through the jaw, probably ia
a, tally.
el Harry Hendrickson, seaman, she
ig through the liver, probably fatal.
IN Ernest Suntenic, apprentice fracture
the right leg
eu John j. Doran, boatswain's mate, gun
90 shot in the right bullock.
NJ JOSH Davis, gunner's mate, wound
y the right leg.
q, William Levery, apprentice, wound
Nd the left leg.
ad Robert Voltz seaman on the Nashvill
tle severely wounded.
Lieutenant Cameron, of the Windor
m slightly wounded in the hand.
ire The casualties occurred in cutting ii
III cable at Cienfuegos. REMEY."
ro-
he MONTHS PAY IN ADVANCE