The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-05-15

Key West. Fla, May 1.-THE United
States cruiser Marblehead, the gun boat
Nashville and the auxiliary cruiser Win
dom steamed up to the harbor of Glen
fuegos early Wednesday morning with
orders to cut the cable connecting Ha
yana with Santiago dc Cuba. This task
was accomplished but only after terri
fc fight between our war ships and sew
cral thousand Spanish troops which lined
the shore and lay concealed behind impro-
vised breast works. One man, sea-
man named Reagan, of the Marblchead,
was killed in one of the working small
boats, and six men were severely wound
ell In addition Il large number on
board the ship received minor wounds
Captain $. L. Mcguire. Of the Win
tlBm believes that several of the six
badly wounded men who were brought
to Key West this morning on the Win
dom cannot recover.
The following is the list Of killed and
badly wounded:
Killed:
Reagan. seaman Of the Marblehead.
Badly wounded:
John Davis, of New York
John J. Doran. Of Fall River, Mass.
Ernest Suntzcanickle.
Herman w Hochneister.
Harry Hendrickson, all of the Marble
head.
Robt Boltz, Carteret county, n. c.,
Of the Nashville.
Soon after the arrival Of the war ships
off Cienfucgos four boats were launched
aud proceeded in shore for the purpose
of graphing for the cable in order to cut
it.
The war ships lay 10 about $4,000
yards or more off the barbor.
Ii was observed that the Spanish troops
had assembled ashore but it was not
light house, far out on neck of land,
known that heavy guns had been placed
in masked battery and that the old
had been transformed into Il formidable
fort
When the commanders Of the Marble
head and the Nashville called for volun-
tecrs to man the boats and cut the cable,
the men responded with jump.
Lieut. G.. McR WinSlow, of the Nash
vile, took command of the Nashyille's
boats.
The shore surrounding the entrance of
the harbor was first shelled, and then the
boats proceeded in.
The work Of finding the cable was slow
ly and cautiously proceeded with. The
cable was deep in the channel and was
found with difficulty One of the relays
of the cable had been cut when the Span
iards opened fire.
The marines in the boats replied at
once and II machine gun from the for
ward launch sent in stream of bullets,
while heavy shells from the warshp
drove the Spanards from the rife pits
at the shore. many of them seeking re-
fuge in the light house fort. which was
afterward torn to pieces by u shell from
the Window AS there were great num-
bers of Spaniards in and behind the fort
at the time, there is no doubt, that many
Of them were killed.
With desperate courage the American
sailors remained calmly at their posts
and succeeded in dragging up the second
relay of the cable and severing it.
Seven men badly wounded was the
count, and one of them. Reagan, died
while on the way back to the ship. Lieu
tenant Winslow was shot in the hand
and number of others were more or
less injured.
On the Nashville Captain Maynard
was standing forward. with an ensign, |
when a Spanish bullet passed through |
the ensign's shoulder and struck Cap
tain Maynard on the chest, near tho |
heart, wounding him only slightly.
The Marblehead was struck scores of |
times by bullets from machine guns, and |
the Nashville suffered to about the same |
extent The Window also had many |
marks of the fray Her shell. blowing |
mp the light house and scattering the |
Spaniards in all directions. ended the |
battle.
Boltz and Hendrickson. who, with four
others of the wounded are at the Naval |
Hospital here, are expected to die.
The remains Of Reagan were buried |
at sea.
The cable which was cut at Cienfuegos |
extended from thatc iyt to Santiago de-
Cuba. IT does not sever cable c0mmuni- |
cation with Cuba, as there is another
line in operation between Santiago de
Cuba and Kingston, Jamaica. The |