New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-18
THE FIGHT AT CAIBARIEN.
THE MANGROVE WAS HAVING LIVELY
COMBAT WITH SPANISH BOATS
WHEN PEACE NEWS COME.

WHEN PEACE NEWS COME
Kew West Fla. Aug 1T.-Further details have
been received here of the bombardment OF the
port of Caibarien on the north coast OF the
Province OF Santa Clara, Cuba, last Sunday, by
the armed tug Mangrove. which began her belli-
cose career by capturing the big Spanish liner
Panama
The Mangrove left here last week to protect
tho landing of an expedition. under Colonel
Bozas. which had gone ahead on the schooners
Adams and Dollie When the Mangrove reached
Santa Maria Key. near Caibarien she FOUND the
Cuban party had safely disembarked. but reared
to advance because of the presence Of the
Spanish gunboat Herman Cortes and a smaller
gunboat which were evidently making Cal
baren their base.
on Saturday afternoon the Mangrove anchored
at Key Francis, just outside Of Caibaren. and
as she lay there the Herman Cortes came out
and ran around the key to get peep at her.
scurrying back into the harbor as soon as she
saw she discovered The Mangrove fol-
| lowed far as the shoal water would permit.
but could only get about halfway into the har-
Dor
The next morning Captain Stuart. the
| mander of the Mangrove. decided to have shot
| at the gunboats He was alone. and the odds
| against him were heavy. Sounding her way
inch by inch. the Mangrove crept along the
channel, drawing eight feet Of water in an aver
| age depth Of eight and half. until about y
| o'clock when she sighted both the Spanish gun
| boats The Herman Cortes anchored near
| the shore. about thousand yards to the
right OF the town. with her broadside TO the sea
| The small gunboat lay at the wharf.
| The Spaniards were evidently anticipating
fight The shore was crowded with Spaniards,
citizens and soldiers. while the roofs Of the
| buildings were covered with people.
The Herman Cortes carried two 47-inch guns
| and four FOUNDERS while her smaller compan-
| ion was armed with three 1-pounders and a
Hotchkiss rapid-fre gun. The crews Of both.
numbering in all between seventy-fve and one
| hundred men, could he the decks.
| Ashore several 1-pound fedpeces, while
| the Spanish troops were armed with Mauser
rifles
The Mangrove whose entire battery consists Of
two 6-pounders. worked into range Of three
| thousand yards The channel was so narrow that
| only one gun could he fired N time. At 1o:io
| a. m she let 60 her port gun at the Herman
| Cortes. The shot fell short Instantly both gun
boats and the feldpieces began pouring In
heavy fire upon the American vessel. Every
shot of this volley struck the water ahead Of
Il
with her port 6-pounder
| She concentrated her fire the Herman Cor
| tes and he next five or six shots fell the
| Spaniards deck between the bow gun and amid
ships scattering a body Of men. Some OF the
latter must have been killed. although tho Span
| iards later denied that they suffered any loss.
| For a while no Spanish gun was fred but soon
| the Spaniards got the Mangrove's range and a
| fierce fire of shot and shell was hurled at her.
| Shells from the guns Of the Herman Cortes
dropped within twenty feet Of the tug. several
! bursting. and the fragments chipping bits on
her hull. Others went whizzing through her
| shrouds and Mauser bullets peppered tho sur
rounding waters like a summer shower
In the midst Of all this. and while tho Man
| grove was swinging cautiously around 20 bring
her starhoard 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 and two from the
| Government houses shore. The Mangrove
acknowledged the signal. and presently small
boat came out with a Spanish officer. who clam
! bered aboard the Mangrove and said:
Peace is procla lined. and have instructions
for your commanding officer from the military
| commander Of this district
He added that during the engagement the
| Spanish authorities in Caibarien had telegraphed
| 20 the military commander Of the district that
| the American ships We're hombardng the port.
and that Immediate response had been received
informing him that peace had been restored and
the firing should cease
| The Spanish crew Of the small boat which
brought this officer 10 the Mangrove said the
| Standards had not LOST a man. hut the officer
himself made no ausion n the fight which had
| lasted an hour and ten minutes