The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-06-13

Kingston, June 13.-For three days the
scene of the chief military and naval
operations has been Caimanera and
Guantanamo bay. The American flag
Is flying on the shore and in the harbor,
first planted on Cuban soil by marines
from the Panther under Lieutenant Col
onel II. w. Huntington. covered by the
guns OF the cruiser Marblehead
The landing was effected without firing
q single shot, and this despite Spanish
boasts that they would defend Caima-
nera to the last. When Color Sergeant
Richard Silvey Of company c, First bat
talon OF marines Of Brooklyn, raised the
nag above the ruins Of the blockhouse,
the marines laid down their carbines.
picks and shovels. AID tent poles and,
lifting their caps gave voice to a mighty
shout of salutation and satisfaction
Guantanamo city is inland about Is
miles. The two harbors are connected
oy narrow channel with a dumb bell
erect. Ii Is the outer harbor which Ad-
niral Sampson now holds with the
Marblehead. the Yosemite and the Vixen.
and battalion of marines on the crest
n
trance on the eastern side. In the in
terror harbor are two small Spanish gun
boats and at Caimanera there is a bat
tery. The distance overland to San
uago. around the bay, is about 60 miles
and the roads have been rendered i'm
passable by the Cubans The first di-
vision OF the Cuban army claims to have
1000 men, but these figures are probably
THa r..l~N
that there are about $500 soldiers in the
vicinity of Caimanera, which lies at the
entrance to the inner harbor.
Judging from the panic in which the
spaniards fleN from the village at Fish
erman's point. they will scatter at the
nrst approach. They left sa~.he point
their antiquated howitzers, several cases
Of ammunition, shells and canister
some rifles and a regimentaI flag.
Every precaution has been taken IN
guard the men from disease. All the
nuts In the locality have been razed
large casks of Spanish wine have peen
smashed, two wells have been boarded
and all the drinking water is supplied
from the fleet. The marines are we'll
EQUIPPED for the campaign. The camp
VIII probably be named Camp McCalla.
after the commander of the Marblebead
VINO Is indefatigable and has not re-
moved his clothing since the lombard
ment
Saturday afternoon the marines wers
subjected to bush attack by guer;I;as
ana regulars. The fighting was almost
continuous for l3 hours when reinforce
ments were landed from the Marblebead
-FOUR or our men were killed and one
was wounded. The advance picketsun-
uer Lieutenants Neville and Shaw ara
unaccounted for.
among the killed is Assistant Surgeon
John Gibbs, son Of Major Gibbs of the
regular army. who fell In the Custer
massacre. His home was at Richmond
va, but he had been practising in New
YORK. and he entered the service whom
the war began. The others killed ore
sergeant Charles III. Smith Of Smallwood
Private William Dunphy Of Gloucester.
Mass, and Private James Mcclellan ~
Stoneham. Mass. Corporal Glass was
accidentally wounded i'm the head The |
Spanish loss Is unknown, but IL was proh-
pbly considerable. The splnshes of blood |
found at daylight at the positions the I
spaniards occupied indicate fatalities. |
but their comrades carried off the killed |
and wounded.
The engagement began with desuItory !
firing at the pickets, 1000 yards inland |
from the camp. Captain sricer's COM
rany was doing guard duty and was
driven In. finally rallying on the camp
and repulsing the enemy at O'Clock.
The bodies OF Privates McColgan and
Dunphy were found. both shct in the
head. The large cavities caused by the
bullets, which inside range Of 600 yards
have rotary motion, indicate that the
victims were killed at close range
The bodies were stripped of shoes. hats
and cartridge belts, and horribly mutt
lated with machetes. When they were
brought In the whole battalion formed
three sides of hollow square about the
camp on the hilltop. Below in the bay
were the warships at anchor. Inland
from the hill camp Is a deep ravins, and
beyond this are high hills. The adjacent
country is heavy with thicket growth.
The sky was blanketed with clouds. and
when the sun set gale was blowing
seaward. Night fell. thick and mpene-
trable. The Spanish squads concealed
Li the chapparel cover had the advan-
tage. the Americans or the ridge fur
nishing fine targets against the sky and
the white tents. The spanards fought
from cover till midnight. discoverabie
only by flashes. at which the marines
h-ed volleys. The repeaters sounded like
crackers in a barrel.
The Earblehead launch. a Colt machine
run I'm her bow. pushed up the bav. en-
hlading the Spaniards, ana IL IS thought
that some were killed. The marines
trailed much blood to the waters edge,
and there lost IT, Sharks are numerous
In the vicinity. The ships threw their
searchlights ashore. the powerful cleo
trio eyes sweeping the deep tropic foliage
and disclosing occasionally skulking
parties Of Spaniards. 1t all resembled ,