The news & observer., 1898-06-24
ENEMY EVACUATE
BAIQUlRl, FIRST
FIRING THE TOWN

From Punta 8aiquif The Spanish Flag Had
Been Floating Defantly the Night Before,
but in the Morning il Had Vanished from
that Gibraltar-like Summit, Showing that its
Defenders had Fled Leaving Flaming Ruin
Behind Them.
Copyright 1898 by Associated Prcss.)
On board the Associated Press dispatch
boat Wanda, Baiquiri Harbor. Cuba.
Wednesday, June -. ) p. m., via King
ston, jamaica, Thursday. June $3.50
a. m.-At o'clock this afternoon 6.000
trained American soldiers are encamped
on the hills around Baiquiri and 10000
more on their arms on board transports
off shore, ready to join those who have
debarked as soon as the available
launches and small boats can carry them
ashore
Time and sea, and weather were propt-
ious for the army of invasion. The navy
and the army co-operated splendidly, and
as the big warships closed in on the
shore to pave the way for the APP
proach Of the transports and then went
back again. three cheers for the navy
went mp from 10000 throats on the
troopships, and three cheers for the
army rose from ship after ship as the
troopships moved in to take their share
in the hazardous game. 1t was war, and
it was magnificent.
The Cuban insurgents, too, bore their
share in the enterprise honorably and
well. Five thousand of them in noun.
tain businesses and dark thiclzets of
rayines lay all last night on their guns
watching every road and mountain patti
leading from Santiago de Cuba to Guam
fanamO. A thousand Of them were with
in sight of Baiquiri, making the approach
. Of the Spaniards under cover of the
darkness an impossibility.
At 4 O'Clock this morning, as fhe
Associated Press dispatch boat approach
ed Baiquiri, the entire island Of Cuba
seemed wrapped in soft mist like that
the dog days in Northern ATTITUDES.
Distant objects loomed up dimly but il
is said many of the tr0opships that had
been lying several miles in the offing had
drawn i'm toward shore, while three OF
four warships lay menacingly near the
the harbor approach All around tho
transports steam launches and small
boats were bobbing about like corks
the first indication Of the true object oi
the undertaking ahead.
An hour later the sun was rising il
the eastern sky, touching the mountain
tops with patches Of light green and re
yealing the great semi-circle Of troop
ships, some close to the coast line, Others
mile distant. with their decks crowded
with eager, eXpectant men, impatient Il
begin the great movement of destiny, +
make n new chapter in the history o
America, the first invasion by our arm!
OF foreign country in half century.
As the dispatch boat of the Associated
Press ran closer in, near where the New
Orleans was lying with her great Arm
strong guns turned on Baiquiri
lnrid flame and black smoke were seer
rising from the town, the inevitable
consequence of war and a sure sigl
that the Spaniards had gone. leayin.
ruin behind them.
The captain of the New Orleans shout
cd the news to the dispatch boat. adding
lyon had better keep off a little Yot
are in range. They have a rifle on TN
Hill on the eastern side of Baiquiri"
There is a steep, rocky bill known n
Punta Baiquiri rising almost perpendicp
lar at the place indicated. 1t is a veri
table Gibralter in possibilities of defence
From the staff at its summit, the Spnn
ish flag was defiantly floating ut sunse
last night but it was gone this morning
and with it the small Spanish guar
which had maintained the signal station
Between nightfall and dawn the Span
iards had taken the alarm and had fle
from the place. firing the town as the