The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-05-17
MET BY The SPANIARDS
RATTLE FOLLOWS IN WHICH
HOTH MAY CLAIM VICTORY.
OUR BOYS COULD NOT REACH lNSURGENTS
But While they Killed Twelve Of tn. Enemy
They Lost not 4 Man-The Span
iards Withdraw and Our
Men Re embark.

New York. May 13.-The Evening
Post prints the following:
OFF Cahanas. Cuba, May u, via Key
West. May l3.-In an effort Ia land
Companies f. and G. of the First United
States Infantry on the shore of Iinar
del Rio this afternoon with ~ rifles.
six thousand rounds Of ammunition and
some other supplies for the insurgents.
the first land fight Of the war took place.
Each side may clam Il victory. for if
the Spaniards frustrated the effort 10
connect with the insurgents the Amcri-
cans got decidedly the better Of the bat
tie. killing twelve or more of The enemy.
and on their own part suffering not i
wound.
After darkness came on the old-fash-
toned Side-wheel steamer GusSic. Of the
Morgan Line, with the troops and cargo
mentioned. started for the Cuban coast.
All night she allowed the tug n which
was our correspondent. Ia pilot her.
At sunrise she fell III with the gunboat
Nicksburg Oh the blockade off Havana.
Other blockading vessels came up also.
The converted revenue cutter Manning.
Captain w. NJ. Munger, was detailed
to convoy the GusSie.
No doubt MORO Castles defenders OBJ
served the strange vessel and sent the
alarm ahead. Spanish soldiers We're
seen grouped on the shore near Mariel.
and the Manning's guns were trained
upon them. SuSpecting 4 masked bat
terry. No shots We're fired. however.
BY the ruined walls Of an old stone
hnpcn fnrtbnr On Sponich rnn,. u,,,.n
gathered. Several shots were fired by
the gunboat Manning and presently no
troops were visible. 1t had been decided
to lane near here. but the depth of water
was not favorable.
Just west of Port Cabanas harbOr the
GuSsie anchored. the Manning covering
the landing place with her guns. and the
torpedo boat Wasp came up. eager to
assist.
The first American soldier to step on
the Cuban shore from this expedition
was Lieutenant CroftOn. Captain O'Con-
nor, with the first boat load. having gone
q longer route. a reef near the beach
threw the men out. and they stumbled
through the water up to their breasts.
When they reached dry land they i'm
mediately went into the bush to form j;
picket line. Two horses had been led TO
49, III ~ Atsiit = sI IN Niiol.
followed by continuous sharp firing.
warned the men that the enemy HAD
been in waiting.
The captain of the transport Signalled
to the war ships. and the Manning fired
into the woods beyond our picket line.
Shrapnel Kissed through the air like
hot iron plunged in water.
The Wasp opened with her small
The ~cannonade began at 3:Io and
lasted 4 quarter of an hour: then our
pickets appeared. the ships circled around
and, being told by Captain O'Connor
who had come from shore with the
clothing torn from one leg, where the
Spaniards were. 100 shots more were
fired in that direction.
"AnybOdy hurt, Captain" hailed your
correspondent.
None of our men, but we shot twelve
Spaniards.' he shouted back.
The soldiers on board the GuSsic
heard the news without 4 word. bu,
hearing where the enemy was situated
gathered aft on the upper deck ano
several vOlleyS into the spot.
The pickets returned to the bush.
Several crept along the beach, but the
had drawn back.
1t was decided that the soldiers should
re-embark on the Gussie and tina the
guides hOuld take the horses and>seek
the insurgents and make Il new apnoint-
ment. They rode off to the ives. ward
and disappeared around Il point.