The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-06-26
In a Weeks Time They Battered Their
Way Into Well Earned Fame,
SURROUNDED BY SPANIARDS.
With Bullets Singing Among Them
from All Sides They Fought with
Goodness and with n Nerve To BE
Envicd by Veterans.

/ ire Of daredevil Spanish guerrilas, and
| handicapped by lack OF training and alb
/ sOlute meXpcrience. the six hundred ma
| riLes OF Lieutenant HunungtOn's have
| within the week battered their way 10
! what should be TO them lasting fame.
| Schooled for the easy life OF marines
| aboard ship, and united for severe phy-
! steal exertion by weeks of inactivity on
| the cramped decks OF the troop ship
| Panther. they have rushed into the hard
| ships and dangers OF a guerrilla cam
| paign, with the steady nerves and pa
] tent endurance of veterans of u dozen
| wars.
THEY WILL LIVE IN HISTORY.
| When the story Of the war with spain
\ shall 6ave been told there will be no part
! OF it more creditable TO Americans and
| American armies than that which shall
deal with the events of the week since
| the Panther disembarked her troops In
| Guantanamo HaTDor. one American OIL
| Ger and five priyates have been killed,
! but al least one hundred Spanish deaths
| settle that score.
| The Panther steamed up 10 the block
aiding fleet off Santiago al 10 o'clock Fri
day morning. June 10Th, and thirty min
! utes later had put about under orders
! from Admiral sampson TO proceed 10
! Guantanamo and land the troops.
The harbOr lies thirty-eight miles cast
| OF Santiago de Cuba, and Is one OF the
! best on the Southern coast Of the island.
| The town and fort from which the bay
! takes IT'S name lie about tive miles back
! from the coast, winding channel lead
/ ing from the main inlet To the left OF
/ the entrance Is strip Of low swampy
/ land. while at tho night rises a range or
! steep rocky hills extending from the
! shore line inland for mile and then
J slOplug off into the lowlands on which
/ haNf
! mile from the sea line, the Spanidrds had
| thrown up earthworks. and dug rouSh
! rife pits commanding the entrance, and
| the day preceding the Panther's arrival
| the Marblshead had been sent to shell
AN EASY TASK.
Captain AlcCalla found his task an easy
one. Scarcely "a MALI dozen Spanish vol
! ley5 wero fred az the Marbiehcad, and
| two dozen shells drove the enemy. officers
| and men. panic-stricken, 20 the noun
| tains beyond. When the troopship arriv-
! cd she found nothing 20 prevent the I'M
I mediate disembarking and before night
| fall The marines had taken possession
| Of the hill and were gayiy making camp.
| delighted 20 escape from the tedium Oh
! life aboard the transport
| The cowardiy retreat of the enemy un-
der the Marbiehead's guns had led the
| American officers 20 believe that there
! was a little possibility OF an attack. and
/ but slight preparations were made TO re-
! pei one.
| OLD GLORY OK CUBAN SOIL.
Just before sunset the troops were
! thrown into line and for the first time
| the American flag was run up n Spanish
! flag staff. and tre vanguard OF the army
! of invasion saluted the Stars and stripes
| On Cuban soil. The sunblistCrcd, barren
| hin ton took on an appearance more
| pleasing TO American eyes as the Whlte
! walled tents sprang up around the nag
| staff and the uniforms OF the American
soldiers grew numerous among the faded
| vegetation and jutting rocks.
on the narrow beach M the base OF the
! hin lay a struggling little village or
| matched nshermcns' huts with store
! or two and q brightly painted cable oihce.
! The Inhabitants had fed the day before
| and without instructions from the fleet.
! Colonel Huntington ordered the miserable
/ little place burned. a delighted marine
| thrust a brand from camp fire into
| thatch OF the nearest hOvel, and in
moment the sea breeze had swept the
| flames down the narrow street leaping
| among the timbers which burned Ike
! match wood A cheer burst from the
men i'm the camp above and was echoed
| from the little feet lying q half mile
| Off shore.
Through the evening the men froliced
and sang. but by 10 o'clock the camp was
quiet save the tramp and voices Oh the
THE FIRST SHOT.
About midnight the crack Of single
! rfoo from the bush 10 the east Of the
! camp gave the first warning or the pres
| ence Of the enemy. The quick challenge
of a sentry was answered by scatter
| ing v0llcv from the brush and IN mo-
ment the Hill was alive with startled half
| awake marines. cropping for guns. and
acting mechanically under the sharp
! commands Of their officers Within two
| minutes 100 American rifles had sent their
bullets i'm the direction Of the enemy and
five minutes later hail OF lead was
| hammering through the chapparal. every
nan Of the GOO az his post The guer-
rillas scattered in all directions but
| throughout the night their bullets whirl-
ed over the camp at intervals. each vol
| ley drawing the FIRE Of Hunungton's
| mon.
As the night wore on without q deter
! mined attack the men began 20 view the
! affair as a huge joke and much difficulty
| was experienced by the officers in keep
| Ing their commands under shelter
| Throughout Saturday there were fire.
| oucnt scattering shots from the bush
! whackers. and returns from the HILL but
no damage was done IN Camp McCalla,
and probably little 10 the enemy.
BUSHWHACKERS.
The latter fought in true guerilla fash
ion covering their bodies with palm
leaves and gently waving large leaves
over their heads. Thus disguised they
crept among the rank ground growth al
most az viii the sharpesf being unable
10 detect them except when they fired.
! During the day the earthworks were
strengthened and additional rife pts
were dug and Saturday night the wis
! dom 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 10 the Hill
top. dashed through the line OF sentries
and running straight across the eastward
| side OF the camp poured a volley among
the startled Americans. II wac then that
| Gibbs. the surgeon, was killed, with a
sergeant and two men.
SKILLFULLY LED.
/ The Guerrillas were evidently acting
under a skilled chieftain FOR their at
tacks and changes OF position came with
bewildering frequency They fired from
| the hills back OF the American position,
| from the low point towards the sea line,
from the direction OF the city. and twice
even crept into the bushes on the beach
/ between the marines and the warships
IN the Oay. They covered their ape
proaches and retreats with marvellous
cunning and older and more experienced
men than the marines might have been
| pardoned had they been stampeded. But
| through ii all the splendid fellows coolly
blazed away, guided by the rifle flash
! her ftF1a