The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-06-20
CAIMENERA MAY Be BURNED
SCOUTS REPORT STREETS ST,REIYN
WITH STRAW dND OIL.

spaniards Would Rather Destroy City
Than Surrender At Intact to Americans
The Spanish Soldiers Desperate and
the situation of the Besieged is Dole
ful-Troops Arc on the Verge OF Sur
render.
Copyright, 1s9s The Associated Press)
On board the Associated Press dis
patch boat Dandy, Off Guantanamo,
Saturday, June IS, p. M, via Kings
ton. Jamaica, Sunday, June 19.-Cuban
scouts report to-day that the inhabit-
ants of Cailnenera have strewn the
streets with straw and oil with the
intention of destroying the city and
fleeing to the hills. Caimenera lies
four miles up the bay from Camp Nc
Gala, under the guns Of the American
ships and the situation is desperate.
Starving and famine stricken, convinc-
ed of the ultimate triumph of the
American arms and without faith in
the protection of the Spanish soldiery,
the people are believed to have deter
mined to leave their houses in ashes
behind them and seek safety in the
mountains. The scouts declare that
the soldiery is desperate. The situation
of the besieged is a doleful one. Occa-
sional brief bombardments by the
American fleet leave the helpless citi-
zens terror stricken> no preparations
for defense having been made.
1t Is also stated that the Spanish gun
boat at Caimenera has been loaded
with inf1ammables and will be burned
with the city, her commander declar-
ing that she will never become an
American prize. The scouts also say
that the Spanish soldiers are in almost
as complete a state of panic as are the
civilians and that they could easily be
induced to surrender. Some of the
prisoners taken by the marines also say
they believe the Spanish troops are on
the verge Of surrender owing to the
lack of food. Captain McCalla of the
cruiser Marblehead and Lieutenant
Colonel Huntington, in command of
the marines, are not so sure, however,
of the report of the Spanish rout. They
received information that a general at
tack by force of $500 Spanish soldiers
and guerillas on Camp McCalla is con-
templated within night or two. Ev-
cry preparation was made last night
for an expected assault.
When the Associated Press dispatch
boat arrived in Guantanamo harbor,
the hills about the camp weres brilliant
under the shifting rays of the search
lights of the Marblehead, Dolphin and
Scorpion, and the marines lying in the
rifle pits at the guns ready and anxious
for battle, but the night passed without
the firing of shot. The same watch
full care was exercised to-day, as Cap
tain McCalla is convinced that an at
tack is likely to occur at any moment.
The Iowa Joined the fleet here this
morning.
The coast in the vicinity of Guanta-
namo is dotted with bright hued Gu
ban flags. Numerous insurgent camps,
which have been established along the
beach between Santiago and this place
are used by the admiral as means of
communication with the Cubans. The
aid which these men have given has
proved highly valuable to the Ameri-
cans. Their stories Of the destitution
and revolt among the Spanish soldiers
in this vicinity have been corroborated
by interviews with prisoners captured
around the camp. General Perrejo, who
is in command Of the Spanish forces
here, is undoubtedly in a bad way In
regard to obtaining food for his men.
The prisoners who have been captured
appear to have been poroly fed and are
apparently Indifferent to their fate.
Another body Of five Spaniards was
captured yesterday by Ensign A. A.
Pratt of the Marblehead. While cruis-
ing In a steam launch outside the bay
he picked up a fifty-foot sloop contain
ing a Spanish captain Of the maine of
Lores and four sailors. They said they
were on their way to Guantanamo to
get a supply Of oil for the lighthouse at
Cape Maysi, but 1t was proved that
they had been sent to obtain informa-
tion regarding the American ships.
There was brief bombardment Of a
blockhouse up the bay by the battle
ship Oregon yesterday and it is be-
lieved that during the firing at least a
score Of Spaniards were killed. Scout
ing parties report that the blockhouse
is completely destroyed, but that they
were unable to discover any bodies,
the remains Of the soldiers who have
been killed had probably been carried
off by the others. A rumor to the eff
feet that Lieutenant Hobson and his
fellow heroes of the collier Merrimac
had been seen on the walls of Morro
Castle under a Spanish guard, caused
much excitement among the feet off
Santiago to-day, but the story Is dis
credited on Commodore Schley's flag
ship. The officers there say that Span
ish sentries were mistaken for the
American prisoners.