The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-08-19
Her Fight With Spanish
at Carbarien.
AN UNEQUAL CONTEST.
She Works Her Way Into n Shallow
Harbor-Wfth Two Six-Pound Gun.
Attacks Two Spanish Gunboats-The
Guns-SheiIs Landed on the Span.
iarAs' Decks-The White Flag Raised
and the Armistice Announced.

Key West, August 17.-Further de-
tails ave been received here as 10
the bombardment Of the port OF Caiba-
rien, on the north coast Of the province
Of Santa Clara, Cuba, last Sunday, by
the Mangrove.
The Mangrove left here last week to
protect the landing of an expedition
under Colonel BoZas, which had gone
ahead on the schooners Adams and
Dellie. When the Mangrove reached
Santa Maria key. near Caibarien, she
found the Cuban party had safely dis
embarked, but feared to advance be
cause of the presence of the Spanish
gunboat Herman Cortes and a smaller
! gunboat, which were evidently making
Caibarien their base.
Sunday morning Captain Stuart, the
commander of the Mangrove, decided
to have a shot at the %gunboats. Sound
ing her way inch by inch, the Man
grove crept along the channel, draw
in eight feet of water in an average
depth of eight and a half, until about 9
o'clock when she sighed both the Span
ish g~unboats. The Herman Cortes was
anchored near the shore, about 1000
yards to the right of the town, with
her broad side to the sea. The small
gunboat lay at the wharf.
The Spaniards evidently were antici-
pating a battle. The shore was crowd
ed while the roof of every building
that commanded a view of the har-
Dor was covered with people anxious
to see the fight. The Herman Cortes
carried two 4.7-inch gun and four
1 nn,yrInr1 u,h;14 Ln. 1xao~u -.
panion was armed with three 1-pound-
ers and a HOtchkiss rapid-fire gun.
The crew of both, numbering in all be-
tween rs n 100 men, could be seen
on the decks. Ashore We're several
1-pound field pieces, while the Span
ish troops were armed with Mauser
rifles.
consists of only two ~6-pounders, work.
ed into a range of 5000 yards.
The channel was so narrow that only
one gun could be fired at a time. At
10:45 o'clock a. m. she got up her port
gun with the Herman Cortes. The shot
fell short. Instantly the whole shore
line burst into flame, both g%unboatS
and the field pieces pouring in a heavy
fire upon the American vessel. Every
shot of this vOlley struck the water
ahead of the Mangrove which contin-
ued pumping away with her port g.
FOUNDER. She concentrated her fire on
the Herman Cortes, and the next five
or six shots fell on the Spaniard's
deck between the bow and amidships,
scattering a body of men. Some of the
latter must nave been killed, although
the S~paniards later denied that they
suffered any loss.
For a while no Spanish gun was fir
ed, but soon the Spaniards got the
Mangrove's range, and a veritable av-
l. h. - g ~I@@ @-I -I~1l I,-Io1
at her. 1t was nothing less than a mir
acle that her loss of life was not
heavy.
In the midst of all this, and while
the Mangrove was swinging cautiously
around to bring her s~tarboard gun into
play, the watch shouted: Flag of
truce" and sure enough not only one
but three white flags could be seen,
one flying from the small gunboat n
two from the government houses on
shore.
The Mangrove acknowledged the
signals. Presently q small boat came
out with a Spanish officer, who clam
bered aboard the Mangrove, and, in
exceedingly nervous tones announced:
Peace is proclaimed, and / have in
structions for your commanding Off
Ger from the military commander OF
this district" He added. that during
the engagement the Spanish authori-
ties in Caibarien had wired the mill
tary commander of the district that
the American ships were bombarding
the port and that immediate response
had been received informing them that
peace had been restored and the firing
should cease.
The Spanish crew Of the small BOAT
which brought the officers to the Man
grove, said the Spaniards had not lost
a man, but the officer himself made
no allusion to the fight which had last
ed an hour and ten minutes.
AS the Mangrove was creeping out
of the channel she went aground and
lay there five hours. Had the same
mishap befalien her during the en-
gagement the chances are that she
would AVE been sent to the bottom
with all on board.
Snain and Anerfco,s Er.sda IN