Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-08-11

sixty of the Spanish force were killed and
something more than $50 wounded, and one
lieutenant and seventeen privates were
captured. The forces returned to camp at
pm, exhausted by the long, hard march
through this mountainous and tropical
country.
10 This affair was planned by the Gu
bans, but too much praise cannot be award
ed to the GOODNESS, skill and bravery of our
otfcers and men, by which alone its sue
cess was achieved.
20. Capt. Elliott's cool advance UP
rocky. steep, mountain path, under fire for
twenty minutes without being able to re-
turn ii, and the gallantry and skill display
ed by him throughout this affair were es-
sential to the great success attained by the
expedition, and are worthy of and l ear
nestly recommend that he be advanced in
II nix one grade. Capt. Elliott mentions in
terms of high praise the conduct of First
Lieuts. Lucas and Neville and Second
1deuts- Magill and Bannon. Your atten-
ton is called to a report made by Capt. Ell
lott attached hereto.
Very respectfully,
tSigneO R. w. HUNTINGTON,
Lieut.. Col, U. S. M. c.,
Commanding list Battalion.
Colonel Commandant,
CHARLES HAYWOOD. U. S. NJ. c.,
Headquarters, Washington, d. c.
Commander McCnIln Praises Marines.
F'irst indorsement)
U. s. S. MARBLEHEAD, Sd rate
June 49, 1898.
Respectfully referred to the commander
;n-chief:
This report requires several corrections.
The block house referred to on page 2 was
burned by the gun fire from the Yankee on
the 18th inst.
The position referred to on the same page
was not occupied again after a small Span
ish force had been driven away when the
Marblehead took permanent possession of
the bay on the Sth inst.
Early on the morning Of the 10th inst
Capt. Goodrall, with forty marines from
the Oregon and twenty marines from the
Marblehead examined the locality occupied
by the marines. who arrived shortly after
he had completed this duty. On the arrival
of the Panther Capt. Goodrich was sent on
board 10 give Col Huntington the benefit of
his observations
referring to paragraph 4, page 2, the DO
sition occupied by the marines has been
pronounced by Maj. Gen. Perez of the Cuban
army, on the 18th inst, to be the only ten
able position on the bay which could be
successfully held by a small force He also
stated that 5000 Spaniards could not take it,
II the marine position is commanded by a
mountain ridge, that mountain ridge is COM
nahded IN turn by the ter five-inch rapid
fire guns of the Marblehead and of such
other ships may be here
Inc mistake of locating the camp between
phe nam position and the outpost was cor
N.
The expedition was suggested by Col Ia
borde, and the Dolphin was sent to cover
the sea front of our force.
Twenty-three marines overcome by the
neat, were brought back by the Dolphin.
This exhaustion was due l believe main
~ 10 the fact that the campaign hats of the
marines were on the Resolute and not In
the marine camp " 40
The behavior of the Officers and NAV 80
the marine battalion generally has been
most gallant, and is in general worthy of
all praise Very respectfully,
w. H. MccALLA,
COMMANDER, u s. Navy, commanding
Capt. EIliotfs Report.
CAMP McCALLA,
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, June 10, 1898
Sir: have the honor to submit the fol-
lowing report:
IN accordance with your verbal direc-
ions l left camp at am yesterday with
TWO companies of the battalion, c and D.
commanded respectively by First IJeute,-
ant L.. G. Lucas and CAPTAIN VIM
Spicer, with an aggregate of 100 men and
% Cubans under command of Lieutenant
Colonel Eugene Thomas. Colonel Laborde
command
My orders were to destroy the well at
Cusco about six miles from this camp.
which was the only water supply of the
enemy within twelve miles of this Mace
the continuance of the ANNOYING attacks
upon our force in camp here
TWO miles and half from Cusco half
the CuDans and the first platoon of Com
pany =, under Lieutenant Lucas command
passed over mountain on our left hon
ing to cut off the enemy's pickets In this
We failed and our force was discovered by
the Spanish outpost, which retreated i'm
mediateiy and gave the alarm to the main
body, whose headquarters were in a house
at Cusco.
A high mountain separated the two forces
at this point, and each attempted to gain
It's crest as point of advantage In this
we were successful, but were fired on
heavily by the enemy from the valley at a
distance of 500 yards. This fire was re-
piled TO by the Cubans of the main BODY
Lieutenant Lucas with eighty-two men of
his platoon and the remaining Cubans came
into the fight at 11:15, the other nine men
of his platoon becoming exhausted and
were obliged to return to Camp McCalla
Lieutenant Bannon conducted the second
platoon of Company just below the crest
of the hill, out of fire from the enemy
leaving the narrow path, which was the
only road, and making their way through
the cactif Just in the rear of this platoon
and following in single file was D Com
pany. The crest of the hill was in the
shape of horse shoe two-thirds encircling
Cusco valley and the well. The Cubans
Company and D occupied one-half of
this horseshoe ridge, while Second Lieu
tenant L. j. Magill with one platoon $50
mem OF "A company came up from the
valley on the opposite side, where he had
been stationed as an outpost from Camp
McCalia, having been attracted by the
heavy fire, and believing his force neces-
sary to our assistance, and occupied the
left center of this ridge. As soon as he
saw our position he sent enc of his men
around the ridge 10 report to me.
For fifteen minutes we were marching
under heavy fire to which no reply was
made to gain this position. BY the use of
glasses and careful search by the men, in
Gviduals were discovered here and there
and FIRE being opened upon them they
would break from cover to cover and we
were thus enabled to gain targets at which
To fire, which had been heretofore impos-
sihle owing to the dense chapparai in
which the enemy sought successful cover
Many of the men fired as coolIy as at tar
get practice, consulting with each other
and their officers as to range. Among
these was PriYates Carter Faulkner and
Boniface, all of whom did noticeable exc
81