The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-06-28
Copyright by Associated Press.)

lCODyIlSHI Wy ASSOCIdIcu ITcSS.) I
on Board the Associated Press Dis
patch Boat Wanda, Baiquiri Harbor,
Cuba, Wednesday, June 22nd, 5 2. m,
via Kingston, ia, Thursday, June %
$50 a. NAT 5 o'clock this afternoon
5000 trained American soldiers are en-
camped in the hills in and around Bal
quiri and 10, 900 more rest on their arms
on board transports off shore, ready
to join those who have debarked as
soon as the available launches and
small boats can carry them ashore.
Time and sea and weather were pro-
pitiOus for the army of invasion. The
navy and the army cO-Operated splen-
didly and as the big Warships closed in
on the shore to pave the way for the
approach of the transports and then
went back again, three cheers for the
navy went up from 1000 throats on
the troopships and three cheers for
the army arose from ship after ship
as the t~roopships moved in to AXE
their share in the hazardous game.
1t was war, and it was magnificent.
CUBANS GUARDING THE NOUN
TAIN PASSES.
lie 1uDdu lIlSuI gents, IOO, UOEe lLlclI
share in the enterprise hOnOrably and
we'll. Five thousand of them, in noun
ain Businesses and dark thiCkCts or
ravines, lay all last night on their
guns watching every road and noun
tain path leading from Santiago de
Cuba to Guantanamo. A thousand Of
them were within sight of Baiquirl,
making the approach of the S~pdniarGS
under cover of the darkness impOssi-
BILE.
At 4 o'clock this morning as the
Associated Press dispatch boat ap-
preached Baiquiri the entire island of
Cuba seemed wrapped in soft mist
like that of the dog days in northern
ATTITUDES. Distant objects doomed
dimly, but it was seen that many of
the troopships that had been lying
several miles in the offing had drawn
in toward shore. while three or four
warships lay menacingly near the har-
Dor approach. All around the trans
ports steam launches and small boats
were bobbing about like cOrks, the
first Indication. of the true object OF
the undertaking ahead.
An hOur later the sun was rising III
the eastern sky, touching the mountain
tops with patches Of light green and
revealing the great 1emi-circle of
troopships. some close 90 the coast
line, others a mile distant, with their
decks crowded with eager, eXpeCtant
men. impatient to begin the great
movement of destiny, to make 81 ne"
chapter in the history of America, the
first invasion by our army Of a for
eign country in half a century.
SPANISH RETREAT FROM BAL
QUIRT.
AS the dispatch boat of the AssOci-
ated Press ran closer in, near where
the New Orleans was lying with her
--..ot -o.+,D,~ c,,~~ = ra nod IN Cni-
Quiri, tongues of lurid flame and black
smoke were seen rising from the town,
the inevitable consequence of war and
u sure sign that the Spaniard5 had
gone, leaving ruin behind them.
The captain of the New Orleans
shouted the news to the dispatch boat,
adding: You had better keep off a
little. You are in range. They have
a rifle on the hill on the eastern side
of B%aiquiri."
There is a steep, rocky hill, known
as Punta Baiquiri, rising almost per-
pendiCular at the place indicated. 1t
is a veritable Gibraltar in pOssibili-
ties of defence. From the staff at it's
summit, the Spanish flag was defiant
Iy floating at sunset last night; but
it was gone this morning, and with
it the small Spanish guard which had
maintained the signal station. Between
nightfall and dawn, the SpaniardS had
taken the alarm ana ndu neO from the
place, firing the town as they left. The
flames We're watched with interest
from the ships. Two heavy explosions
were heard. At first they were thought
to be the report of guns from Span
ish masked batteries. but they proved
to be the explosions of ammunition in
the burning buildings.
Three hours waiting made the men
on the transports impatient to get
ashore and in action. and every move
of the WarShipS was closely watched
by the soldiers.
THE WARSHIPS OPEN FIRE.
A little before 9 o'clock the lombard
ment of the batteries of Jaragua was
begun by the ships of Rear Admiral
Sampson's fleet. This was evidently
a feint to cover the real point of at
tack, Jaragua being about half way
between Barquiri and Santiago de Gu
ba. The bombardment lasted about
twenty minutes.
The scene then quickly shifted back
to the great semi-Circle of the trans
port fleet before Barquiri.
At $50 o'clock the New Orleans
opened fire with a u that sent a
shell rumbling and crashing against
the hillside. The Detroit, Wasp, Ma
ohias and Suwanee followed suit and
soon the hillside and the valleys
seemed to be ablaZe as hot followed
shot in swift succession mid the
wild and excited cheering of the SOL
diers on the transports.
THE LANDING BEGUN.
In five minutes the sea was alive
with fiotillas of small boat headed by
launches, speeding for Baiquiri dock.
Some of the boats were manned by
crews of sailors, while others were
rtwed by the soldiers themselves. Each
boat contained sixteen men, every one
in fighting trim and carrying three
days r%ations, a shelter tent, a gun
and 200 cartridges, ready to axe thu
field on touching the shore, should
they be required to do so.
The firing of the warships, however
proved to be a needless precaution, as