Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1898-05-21
Lieutenant Rowan has brought to the
army information that from a military
point of view is invaluable.
SPANIARDS WERE IN AMBUSH,
Had Erected Strong FortificatiOns
and Masked Batteries.

Key West, May 1.-THE United State
cruiser Marblehad, gunboat Nashville
and auxiliary cruiser Window steamed
up to the harbor Of Cienfuegos Wednes
day morning with orders to cut the cable
connecting Havana with Santiago d.
Cuba. This task was accomplished, bu1
only after a terrific fight between oul
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 it
The warships lay to about 1000 yards OF
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
Tested on the cable When the work was
about completed shore battery fired
she'll at the boats. 1t was followed by
others and the Spanish infantry opened
fire then with their rifles. Then, like a
flash the Marblehead sent a shell in
land and followed it with perfect shower
Of shot Then the Window cut loose
with her 4pounder.
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,
Regan, 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 dete17nina
tion of the American officers to extermin-
ate the forts. Thereafter, for a moment,
the fire Of the ships was concentrated
on the lighthouse and the improvised fort
was blown to pieces. AS there were
great numbers of the Spanish in and be-
hind the fort at the time, there is no
doubt that many of them were killed.
The Marblehead and Nashville used their
heaviest guns as well as their small rapid
firing guns and an hundred shots were
thrown into the Spanish troops.
The Dead and Wounded.
Washington, May l4.-The following
telegram came to the navy department
his afternoon from Commodore Remey:
Key West, May l4.-Secretary of the
Navy: The Window arrived this morn
ng with the following dead or wounded:
Patrick Regan, private marine, dead.
Herman w. Kuchneister, private ma
ine, shot through the jaw, probably IA
ally.
Harry Hendrickson, seaman, shot
through the liver, probably fatal.
Ernest Suntenic, apprentice, fracture of
he right leg.
John j. Doran, boatswain's mate, gun
shot in the right buttock.
josh Davis, gunner's mate, wound in
he right leg.
William Levery, apprentice, wound in
he left leg.
Robert Voltz, seaman on the Nashville,
everely wounded
Lieutenant Cameron, of the Window:
lightly wounded in the hand
The casualties occurred in cutting the
able at Cienfuegos. REAIEY."