Evening star., 1898-08-06
SHARPSHOOTER FROM CUBA
Charles Marley Tells of the Fight at
Guantanamo.
stopped a Strong Movement - Picked
OFF Two Spanish Officers Lead
ing an Advance.


The first man to win distinction as a
sharpshooter at long distance in this war
is Charles Chandler Marley, who fought in
Company d, 1st Battalion United States
Marines, in the battle of Guantanamo.
Marley is only twenty-four years oIu and
this is his first enlistment. He is a native
of Boston and enlisted in April, joining
Company at Brooklyn in May. His COM
pany was shipped on the transport Pan
ther to Cuba. He came to Philadelphia
late on Friday night from the United States
Hospital at Norfolk. He is suffering from
badly shattered wrist, the result of a
Spanish bullet, which, it is feared, will put
stop to his sharpshooting for a long time
to come.
The Panther landed at Guantanamo on
June IL, and the day following the battle
began. The hungry Spanish guerrillas had
been watching the vessel from the top of
the hills near the coast and determined
upon grand sweep down upon the sup
plies. That they failed in their intention
is owing to the exceptional effort and brav-
cry which have distinguished all our SOL
ders since the opening Of the war There
were about $50 men on board the Panther
including the officers, and on June Il the
attack was made on them. From the after
reports the enemy must have numbered
about 5000, although at the time of the
battle they kept under cover and fired from
ambush.
Killed Two Spanish Omcers.
The situation of our men in strange
land, at the mercy, seemingly, of so great
an army, seemed hopeless, but they were
well disciplined and went to work system
atically. Company d was detailed for out
post duty, which, of course, put them near
est the enemy. For three days and three
nights the firing kept up incessantly and
the enemy gradually withdrew to the
woods. 1t was on the second day that Mar
ley distinguished himself. He from the
first, kept a remarkably cool head, and
seemed undaunted by his dangerous posi-
ton. In the afternoon two Spanish officers
tried to lead their men to one side in an
effort to break through the American line
and Marley fired twice, aiming at the Off
GERS, and each time killed his man at dis
tance of about twelve hundred feet This
checked that advance, for the other guer-
rillas broke rank and got hurriediy in hid
ing, but not before Marley had gotten sew
eral more shots at them they ran. For
this brilliant achievement Marley was call
ed up by the officers after the battle was
over and publicly complimented.
He was struck by ball on June 15 near
ly at the close OF the battle The ball
penetrated the wrist, shattering and dis
placing several of the bones and passed
He is suffering severely and it will be some
time yet before it can heal. He was taken,
with the other wounded, on board the So
lace July 6, and brought to Norfolk, from
where he was transferred to Philadelphia.
George Walter Balbridge, a mechanic on
board the Panther, was also brought up on
the Solace and sent here from Norfolk on
Thursday. He is suffering from a compi-
cation of troubles, including appendicitis.
Corporal Glass is Here.
Io,f ;e y,
pital now who can tell thrilling stories CT
that battle and is glad to talk of it. AS he
is Philadelphia man he is of particular
interest. Corporal Glass was also a mem
ber of Company d, the company which had
outpost duty and in which all the casual
ties occurred. He is suffering from a bad
wound caused by his own rifle. While in
the act of loading he was forced hack into
a trench and the rife exploded. the bullet
passing along the palm of his hand, lacer-
atirg the muscles and tendons horribly.
This, too. is both painful and slow healing.
The corporal regrets his enforced inactiv-
ity greatly. Some men had bullets pass
clean through the muscles of their legs
and are now able to be on duty again." he
cad. But II this gets so / can load q
gun before the war closes will go and fire
a few more rounds at the Spanish ii only
to pay for this"
His description of the battle is very vivid
I'VE didn't get time to eat or sleep. The
SlA men hllteu dli DelOTSeu 10 our company.
Two of them were just sitting down to eat
and had their salt horse and hardtacks in
hand when they were killed by a perfect
shower of bullets. When they fell a couple
of Spaniards forced their way up and
snatched the food from the dead mems
bends and devoured it notwithstanding
that 1t was soaked with blood. They ere
all half starved, and more miserable lot
of men could not be found"
did you not have any reinforcemen,s at
ALP
We had no reinforcements until the
third day. We heard there were 500 COM
ing to hep u.s. but on the third day $50
Cubans came to cur aid. Since / have
come away 1 have heard that some people
say the Cubans are no good, but 1 want to
say just here that they didn't prove that
way with US. They fought like heroes and
they are no cowards--at least those that
came to our aid were not. Finally we cor
rallied about 450 of the Spanish aud tell
you we made 1t hot for them. They we-e
completely annihitated, and this frightened
the rest and practically ended the battle
1--WE heard that Gen. Linares was at The
head of the Spanish forces. One of our
prisoners told Us that and we heard after
ward that he broke through line of the
Cuban Insurgents TO get to Santiago"