The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-06-27
Marines at Camp McCalla Fought
Like Veterans.
UNDER A CONSTANT FIRE
Handicapped by Inexperience and Lack
OF Training They Have Shot and
Charged Their ayInto History.
Killed loo spaniards.
Copyright 1905 by Associated Press.

~ 1N@AAagF ~
day. June Is. via Port Antonio, Jamaica.
June ls-Scorched by a blazing tropical
sun. harassed by the persistent fire OF
daredevil Spanish guerillas and handi-
capped by lack Of training and absolute
inexperience. the 600 marines of Lieuten-
ant Colonel Huntington have within the
week battered their way to everlasting
fame. With the free. easy life of ma
rines aboard ship and untitled for Sc
we're physical eNertion by weeks OF in
activity on the cramped decks of the
troop ship Panther, they lave rushed
into the hardships n dangers Of "A
guerilla campaign with the steady
nerve and patient endurance Of veterans
Of a dozen wars.
When the story Of the war with
Spain shall have been old there will be
no part of II more creditable to the
Americans and American armies han
that which shall lei with the events Of
the week since the anther disembarked
her troops in Guantanamo haTbor One
American officer and five priyates have
been killed, but at least 100 Spanish
deaths settled that score.
The Panther steamed up TO the block
ading fleet off Santiago at 10 o'clock
Friday morning. June 3, and 80 min
utes later had put about under orders
from Admiral Sampson TO proceed to
Guantanamo and and the troops. The
town and forts from which the bay
takes its name lies about five miles back
from the coast, a winding channel lead
ing from the main inlet. To the left of
the entrance is a strip Of slow, swampy
land. while at the right rises a range
OF steep, rocky hills. extending from
the shore line inland for a mile and
then sloping on into the low lands OF
which the city stands. On these bluffs.
a half mile from the sea line. the Span
iards had thrown up earthworks and
dug rough rifle pits commanding the
entrance. n the day preceding the
Panthers arrival the Marblehead had
been sent TO shell this spot.
Commander McCalla found his task
an easy one. Scarcely half a dozen shots
were fired at the Marblehead. and two
dozen shells drove the enemy, officers
and men. panic stricken, to the noun
tains beyond. When the troops arrived
they found nothing to prevent an i'm
Mediate Decentralization. and before
nightfsll the marines had taken possess
sion of the hill, and were gayly making
camp, delighted to escape from the tie
dunn OF life aboard the transport. The
cowardly retreat of the enemy under
the Marblehead's gums had led the
American officers to believe hat there
was little possibility of an attack. and
but slight preparations were made for
resistance. Just before sunset the
troops were thrown in line. and for the
first time an American flag was run
up a Spanish flagstaff. and the van
guard of the army Of invasion saluted
the flag on Cuban soil, while walled
tents sprang up about the Flagstaff. and
uniforms of American sailors were nu-
merous among the faded vegetation and
jutting rocks.
In a small village on the beach the
Inhabitants had fled the day before. and
without Instructions from the feet Col
onel Huntington ordered the place
burned. Throughout the line the men
frolicked and sang. but by 10 o'clock the
camp was quiet save for the tramp and
voices of the sentries. About midnight
the crack of a single rifle from the bush
to the east of the amp gave the first
warning of the presence of the enemy.
The quick challenge Of A sentry was
answered by a scattering volley from
the brush and in a moment the hill was
alive with startled, half-awake marines.
cropping for guns and acting mechan-
ically under the sharp commands of the
officers. Within two minutes a hundred
American rifles had sent their bullets
In the direction Of the enemy, and five
minutes later a hail OF lead was ham
mering through the chapparal. Every
man Of the six hundred was at his post.
The guerillas scattered in all direc-
lions. but throughout the night their
bullets whistled over the camp at in
tervals.
Throughout Sunday there were fire.
quent scattering shots from the bush.
but 10 damage was done in Camp Nc
Gala and probably little TO the enemy.
Earthworks were strengthened and ad-
ditional rife pits were dug and satur-
day night the wisdom OF the measure
was proved. From dark until daylight
the marines lay unde an almost con-
slant fire. Early In ne night a little
detachment Of five or six daring Span
iards crept close to the hilltop. dashed
through the line OF sentries and. run
ming straight across the eastward side
of the camp. poured a volley into the
startled Americans. 1t was then that
Gibbs. the surgeon was killed, with a
sergeant and two men. The guerillas
were evidently acting under a chieftain
They covered their approach and re-
treat with marvellous cunning.
With dawn Sunday the bushwhackers
retreated into the hills, and although
there was scattering firing. little work
was done until about 4 o'clock in the
afternoon. At that hour a body OF
Spanish skirmishers was discovered a
little more than a mile 10 the eastward
oAA@ 49, = "AANAAN III - -
their guns, apparently with telling ef'
feet. Towards night Colonel Lsbordt
OF the Cuban army arrived with 60 men
With darkness began the bitterest night
OF the week for the Americans.
Exhausted by their unwonted eNer,
lions. without sleep for as hours and
worn with intense action. they were
in no condition for a hard fight. Th'
Spaniards began al S O'Clock with heaNl
firing from their favorable position or
the ridge to the eastward. For an hou1
they poured their shot from that Vicin.
ity. slightly shifting their position, FIRE
quently under the heavy fire Of the ma
rines. Steady work from the hilltop 81
fenced the ~Spaniards.
The mex attack was from the ridg'
close % the water and to the seaWar
from the American camp. The "
iards crept right down 10 the beach
firing on those In the amp out over tn
hay at the feet and along the shore a