The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-06-27
GALLANT SIX HUNDRED
How Huntington's Marines Bat
tered Their Way to Fame.
FOUGHT LIKE VETERANS
DAYS AND NIGHTS OF CONSTANT
FIGHTING.
But Colonel Huntington's Men De-
Tended Camp McCalla Against All
Attacks and Finally Routed the
Enemy-Movements of Spaniards
Executed With Dash and Skill.

Executed With Dash and Skill.
! Copyright. $685. by the Associated Press.)
On Board the Associated Press Dispatch
Boat Dandy, off Guantanamo, Wednes-
day, June Is (via Port Antonio, Jamaica,
June 16).-Scorched by a blazing tropical
sun, harassed by the persistent fire OF
daredevil Spanish guirillas and handi-
capped by lack of training and absolute
inexperience. the 600 marines of Lie.cen-
ant Colonel Huntington have, within the
week, battered their way to everlasting
fame. The free. easy life of marines
aboard ship. and untitled for severe ply
steal eXertion by weeks or inactivity on
Panther, they have rushed into the nard-
ships and dangers of guerilla cam
palgn with the steady nerves ana patient
endurance of veterans of dozen wars.
When the story of the war with Spain
shall have been told, there will be no
part of it more creditable to the Ameri-
cans and American armies, than that
which shall deal with the events of the
week since the Panther disembarked her
troops in Guantanamo harbor One
American officer and five privates have
been killed, but at least 100 Spanish deaths
settle that score.
The Panther steamed up to the block
aiding fleet off Santiago at 10 O'Clock Fri
DAY morning, June 3, and 80 minutes later
Sampson TO proceed to Guantanamo and
land the troops. The town and forts from
which the bay takes it's name lie about
fve miles back from the cost a winding
channel leading from the main inlet.
To the lef+ of the entrance is a strip of
low, swampy land, while at the right rises
a range of steep, rocky hills, extending
from the shore line inland for mile and
then sloping off into the lowlands, on
which the city stands. On these bluffs,
half mile from the sea line, the Spaniards
fna1 IL
rifle pits commanding the entrance, and
the day preceding the Panther's arrival.
the Marblehead had been sent to shell
this spot. Commander McCalla found
his task an easy one. Scarcely half a
dozen shots were fired at the Marblchead
and two dozen shells drove the enemy,
officers and men, panic-stricken, to the
mountains beyond. When the troops ar
rived they found nothing to prevent an
immediate disembarking, and before
nlghtfall the marines had taken possess
sion OF the hill and were gayly making
camp. delighted to escape from the tedium
or life aboard the transport.
The cowardly retreat of the enemy I'M
der the Marblehead's guns had led the
American officers to believe that there
was little possibility of an attack and
but slight preparations were made to re-
pei one. Just before sunset the troops
were thrown into line for the first time,
an American flag was run up Spanish
flagstaff and the vanguard of the army
OF invasion saluted the Stars and Stripes
w
sprang up around the flagstaff and the
uniforms of the American soldiers were
numerous among the faded vegetation and
jutting rocks. At the small village on the
beach the inhabitants had fed the day
before, and without instructions from the
fleet, Colonel Huntington ordered the mis-
cradle little placeburned. Throughout the
line the men frolicked and sang, but by
10 o'clock the camp was quiet. save for
the tramp and voices of the sentries.
A MIDNIGHT SURPRISE.
About midnight the crack Of a single
rifle from the brush to the east of the
ence Oh the enemy. The quick challenge
Of q sentry was answered by a scattering
volley from the brush, and in moment
the hill was alive with startled, half
acting mechanically under the sharp
commands OF their officers. Within two
hundred American rifles had
sent their bullets in the direction of the
enemy and five minutes later a hail of
lead was hammering through the chap
parral. Every man Of the 600 was at his
post.
The guerillas scattered in all direc-
lions. but throughout the night their
bullets whistled over the camp at inter-
walls.
Throughout Saturday there was fire.
quent scattering shots from the bush, but
no damage was done in Camp McCalla
and probably little to the enemy. Earth
works were strengthened and additional
the wisdom of the measure was proved.
From dark until daylight the marines lay
under an almost constant fire Early in
the night a little detachment of five or
six daring Spaniards crept close to the
hill top. dashed through the line of
sentrieS, and, running straight across the
side of the camp, poured a vol
ley into the startled Americans. 1t was
then that Gibbs the surgeon, was killed,
with a sergeant and two men. The
guerillas were evidently acting under a
and retreats with marvellous cunning.
With dawn Sunday the buShwackerS
retreated into the hills and, although
there was scattered firing, little work was
noon. At that hour body of Spanish
was discovered a little more
than mile to the eastward and the
Panther and Marblehead let go their
wards night. Colonel Laborda, of the
Cuban army. arrived with 60 men.
A TERRIBLE NIGHT.
With darkness began the bitterest
night of the week for the Americans
Exhausted by their unwonted exertions,
without sleep for As hours, and worn with
intense action, they were in no condition
FOR a hard fight. The Spaniards began
1t s. O'Clock with heavy firing from their
favorable position on the ridge to the
eastward. For an hour they poured their !
shot from that vicinity, slightly shifting
heir position, frequently under the heavy
ire of the marines.
Steady work from the hill top silenced |
he Spaniards. The next attack was from |
he ridge close to the water and to the |
from the American camp. The |
Spaniards crept right down to the beach. |
iring on those in the camp, out over the |
Jay at the fleet and along the shore at the |
supply camp and the Cubans beyond.
Thus shifting and attacking. the Span !
being almost continuously under fire |
During one of the volleys, brave Sergeant |
ioode lost his life. He had left the /
shelter OF a rifle pit to issue an order /
md with the order of command on his
Ups fell. shot through the heart. Not
the bitter work of the night,
tut two deaths resulted and only one man
vas seriously wounded. Had the Span |
ards been as clever with their rifles as |
hey were in their methods of attack and |
etreat, the American loss would have !
)een frightfu.
With Monday morning came relief from
.ctive work. very few shots being fired |
Turing the day.
The Cubans were put on skirmish duty /
rush beating that not shot was fired !
II night
SPANISH CAMP ATTACKED.
Tuesday morning Colonel Huntington
With POO marines and so Cubans. moved
n to the principal camp of the guerillas,
we miles eastward Although the march
yer the hills and through the heavy bush
nd under q terrific sun caused many to
rop of exhaustion, all finally arrived in
light of the desired point at noon. Within
20 yards of the Spanish camp the Ameri-
ans were arrayed in battle line. The
Danish opened fire, when the marines.
roDping on their knees, returned the
ompliment, pouring in volley after vol
~, as steadily as though at drill. Their
ring was deadly and after 20 minutes
ghtlng the SDaniards began to break
Or cover ard rereat-
When the Spanish were routed and the
larines swept down the hillside, the in
urgentS went almost mad with delight.
fifteen dead SDaniards were found about
ne camp thicket and estimates on the
otal dead range from 40 to 20. Seven
risoners were taken and sent aboard
10 MarhIahead Two CuhanS Wara lrilIad