The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-06-18
FIERCE FIGHT ON LAND
MARINES HAVE A DESPERATE ENcOUNT.
= Err WITH THE SPANIARDs,
-Four Killed and One Wounded on the
American side...The Nerve and Steadi.
ness OF tho American Soldier of Yore
Evinced Again.

W.Huntington's battalion Of marine ca
which landed from the transport Pan
ther on Friday and encamped on tn,
ELL guarding the abandoned cable sta
ton at tho entrance 10 the outer hsrboy
OF Guantanamo has boon engaged il
beating off oil attack by Spanish guer.
rillas and Spanish regulars since 8
o'clock Saturday afternoon. The fight.
ing was almost continuous for thirteen
hours until 6 o'clock Sunday morning
when reinforcements were landed from
the Marblehead.
-Four Americans were killed md ono
wounded.
The killed arc Assistant Surgeon
John Blair Gibbs, Richmond, Va:
Sergeant Charles H. Smith, Of Small.
wood; Private William Dunphy, of
Gloucester, Mass, and Private James
. McColgan, Stoneham, Mass.
Corporal Glass was accidentally
wounded in the head
The Spanish loss is unknown, but il
= was probably considerable. The
splashes OF blood found at daylight at
the position the Spaniands occupied
indicates fatalities, but their comrades
4 carried off the killed and wounded.
The engagement began with desul-
tory firing at the pickets, q thousand
yards inland from the camp. Capt.
splcer's company was doing guard du.
ty and was driven in. finally rallying
and repulsing the enemy at 5 o'clock.
The bodies Of the killed were strip
pea OF shoes, hats and cartridge belts
and horribly putilated with machetes.
below IN the bay were the warships ut
anchor. Inland from the hill camn ia
sdeep ravine and beyond this are high
hlls. The adjacent country is heavy
with thicket growth.
The sky was blanketed with clouds
ana when the sun set gale was blow
ing seward. Night fell, thick and i'm
penetrable. The Spanish squadron
concealed in the chapparel cover had
the advantage, the Americans on the
ridge furnishing fine targets against
the sky and the white tents, The
Spaniards fought from cover till mid
night, discoverable only by flashes at
which the marines fired yollevs Tbo
repeaters sounded like crackers in q
barrel. " "
The Marblehead launched n Co1t
machine gun in her bow and pushed
up the bay, enflading the Spaniords
and it is thought that some we're
killed. The marines trailed mich
6lood to the waters edge and there Z,
lost 1t. 'D0A0 :
The ships throw their searchlights S
ashore, tho powerful electric lights q
sweeping the deep tropic folige and t
disclosing occasionally sulking parties $
OF Spaniards. 3
Each discovery of the enemy was l.
erected by the cracks of carbine fire. u
along the edge of the camp ridge or q
ny the long roll Of the launch's mn Il
chine gun, searching the thickets with
q leaden stream. ''A
Shortly after midnight came the
main attack. The Spaniards made NJ
gallant charge up the southwest slone
put were met by repeated volleys from
ne main body and broke ne-third pi
ne way up the hill. They came SO on
lose that at some points there waa in
'i IN hand to hand struggles. The ST.
ulcers used their revolvers Three We
'panlards got through the open form. m.
t'on to the edge of the camp. Col TIL
ose Campina, tho Cuban guide, dis
harged his revolver, and thew, t,lrn. XII,
1g and finding themselves without bo
Import, ran heller skelter down the fro
everse side of tho hill. 1t was dur thi
e this assault that Assistant Surgeon loo
lbbs was killed. He was shot in Tho Til
cad In front of his own tent tho is .
rtherest point of attack. He fell POI
10 the arms of Private Sullivan and la,
'th dropped. A second bullet threw 1st
list In their faces. Surgeon Gibbs wit
'ed ten minutes, but did not regain he
nsclousness. Tho surgeons of the wit
spltal corps then removed their Gus
arters to the trenches about the old His
'anish stockade north of the camn dea
10 attacks were continued at intcr.
Is Is throughout the rest of the night.
III firing from small squads in w. J,
us directions. V" bv
towards morning the fire slackened ever
wn is the favorite time for attacks havi
as the east paled, the marines ". brot
on thelrguns, were aroused. Some Wac
% actually asleep, as they had had last
rest Tor forty-eight hours and tired grow
ure could no longer stand the strain clast
lieut. lieut.; Col. Huntington and Major vel verd
krell gave high rraise to the nerve VINO
steadlness of officers aud men, and , ocIas
'clally the young ones, as the en- ! knee
ement was baptism of fire for n o'atl
o majority ! frlen