Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1898-07-06
FIRST TINE UNDER FIRE.

From the Y Y. sun.

~ CAMP McCALLA, Cuba, June 15.-As a
~ swimming bee il certainly eXceled any
"a thing ever known at Manhattan Beach.
1t was just O'Clock in the afternoon of
5& June II that the despatch boat premier
81 hove to in Guantanamo bay, and at the
z% sight of the officers and men of the ma
"a rines quietly enjoying themselves in the
81 water it is small wonder that three of the
ri passengers hustled themselves into
FL small boat in order to set foot on Cuban
III soil and at the same time to become liter
"a ally in he swim. A brewster, more peace
IA full scene could not be imagined. There
All lay the camp, its white tents glistening in
'# the sunlight a hundred yards above the
NJ sea level, and the winding path which led
IA up he hin to it was Uttered with boxes
VI of ammunition and all sorts and condi-
Al ons of camp provisions and parapher
M rala, 1t was the first lull in the days
II /, and barring the sentries, who were
III lmping up and down their beats, every
81 j in camp was taking advantage of it,
"a hle as for those great aparral-covered
III lights which surrounded the tiny camp,
ID seemed as though nothing short of the
VI c"lck of doom itself could ever awaken
Il ZEN to life. Suddenly single rifle shot
N as heard. 1t came from somewhere up
d ia the second ridge of hills. The $50 men
Il in the water started and glanced toward
the camp apprehensively. For a couple of
minutes everything was perfectly still.
The swimmers began to sport about
\ again; it was an accident. Evidently
some green hand on outskirt duty had
L.; -, DIT tl-
lie was given to this idea a moment later,
when, with piff. paff. pif. paff! each
individual hill surrounding the camp
seemed to bech forth flame. A wild rush
for the beach ensued, but what followed
much be told more from inference than
actual knowledge. There isn't man in
Camp McCalla day who can tell you
exactly how he managed to get to the top
of that hill. Under ordinary circum
stances it is good six minutes climb,
and it blows the average individual at
that. But that DAY, in less than three
minutes every man who had been in the
water was grasping his rife and lying fiat
on his stomach on the brow of the hill.
1t distinctly stampede decollete.
Perhaps forty OF the men managed to get
tHtlT trousers pi tut rest ItTtiS ran.
And it is worth while noting at this point
that if the 9paniards score no other tri
umphs at Guantanamo, they certainly cap
tured very nne line of masculine lingerie
that afternoon. The "Premier's" party is
is still moaning the loss of one truly
superine pink silk undershirt. The in
tant the rush was over Major Cochrane
stood up in the middle OF the camp, and
after handing the non cOmbatants guns
he said; "Look here boys; don't you be
ashamed to duck when the bullets are fly
ing. There's nothing undignied about
it. | always do it myself. Down on your
stomach, every man of you."
The few men who We're standing when
the major spoke laid themselves out fiat.
They were just in time \ second later
the steel storm started. 1t seemed to
come from heavy clump of trees on the
second ridge. Good marksmen could have
asked for no more stunning bulls-eye.
From that ridge-ffty feet above the camp
it seemed as though it must simply be a
case of pulling the triggers of the Mauser
rifles in order to make a human bulls-eye.
But though the fire was terrific and lasted
nearly twenty minutes, not living soul
on the hill was struck. 1t is true two
scouts picket duty killed in the
action, but they were both killed in the
woods, a short distance from the Span
iards rendezvous. The camp was still in
its infancy so far that no trenches had
been made. OF course there were various
degrees in the GOODNESS of the men, but
there was no exhibition of stage fright
,pi,,, lo,, nd nod
to take matters in matter of-fact sort OF
way. few chatted, but most of the men
were silent, and every now and then a
careful observer could notice head os-
trich- like trying to burrow its way little
further into the hillside. johnson, the
stalwart mate of the premier, who
smoked his good old clay pipe noncha
lantly during the whole engagement
managed to construct slight fertilization
out of four planks, and behind this lay
johnson and the Sun reporter.
In twenty minutes the firing ceased; the
scouting parties began to come in hot and
swearing Justify at their failure to locate
the Spaniards. The non-combatants from
the "Premierr were told that it was now
safe for them to row out in the harbor, Sc
they started for the despatch boat, eacl
greatly elated that he had actually takeI
part in a battle, and yet each down in hi
heart diaa ppointed a. ,ha very unemotion
al methods which had characterized thu
whole affair. No one, so far as the,
knew, had been killed or even wounded
This was certainly something to be sin
eerely thankful for, but it certainly WASH
dramatic. a conscientious student o
SECRET Service" and "The Heart of Mary
land fell t1warted OF the excitemen