The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-14
FIRST LAND fight.
Party With Guns for Gomez
RGpuISed.
SHOT TWELVE SPANIARDS.
None Of the American Soldiers
Wounded.
SHELLS FIRED FROM SHIP.
New Appointment to Be Made With
Insurgents.

New York, May 1S.-The Evening Post
prints the following:
'"on Cabanas Cuba, May IL, via Key
West, May 13.--In an effort to land compa-
MES II and of the First United States
Infantry on The shore of Pinar del Rio
this afternoon with 800 rifles, 5000 rounds
of ammunition and some food supplies
the war took place.
Each side may claim a victory, for 80
the Spaniards frustrated the effort 20 con-
meet with the insurgents the Americans
got decidedly the better Of the battle, kill-
ing twelve or more Of the enemy, and ON
their own part suffering not a wound.
AFTER dark last evening the old FASH
ioned side-wheel steamer Gussie of tho
Morgan Line. with the troops and cargo
mentioned, started for the Cuban coast :.
"All night she allowed the tug on whlch
was your correspondent to pilot her.
"At sunrise she fell in with the gunboat
vicksburg on the blockade off Havana.
Other blockading vessels came up also.
"The converted revenue cutter Manning.
Capt. w. w. Munger. was detailed TO con-
voy the Gussle, and three abreast the
steamers moved along the coast
mo doubt Morro castles defenders OBJ
served the strange vessel and sent tho
alarm ahead
Spanish soldiers were seen grouped on
the shore near Mariei and the MannIng's
guns were trained on them suspecting a
masked battery. No shots were fired, how-
ever.
BY the ruined walls Of an old store-
house further on Spanish troops were
gathered
Several shots were fired by the gum
boat Manning and presently no troops
were visible.
''It had been decided 10 land near here,
bat the depth Of the water was not favor
able.
Just west of Port cabanas harbor, the
Gussie anchored the Manning covering
the landing places with her guns and the
torpedo boat Wasp came up eager 10 as.
sist
"The first American soldier to step on
Cuban shore from this expedition was
Lieut.. Crofton, Capt. OConnor with the
first boat load, having gone a longer route.
"A reef near the beach threw the men
OUT ana tnty FtuinDieu lufOuSu L0t water
up to their breasts.
when they reached dry land they i'm
mediately went into the bush to form
picket line.
1.-TWO horses had been led swimming to
land when suddenly a rifle shot, followed
by continuous sharp firing, warned tho
men that the enemy had been in waiting.
'frhe captain OF the transport signalled
10 the Wasp and the Manning fired into
the woods beyond our picket line.
''Scrapnel hissed through the air like
hot iron plugged in water.
'@rhe Waep opened with her small guns
"Ihe cannonade began at 3:15 and last
ed a quarter of an hour; then our pickets
appeared, the ships circled around, and.
being told by Capt. O'Connor, who had
come from shore with the clothing torn
from one leg, where the 5paniards were,
100 shots were fired in that direction Any
body hurt captain hailed your corre-
spondent.
No one; but our men shot twelve
Spaniards,' ne shouted back.
Capt. Anderson, on board the Gusstes
heard the news without word.
Several plckets crept along the beach,
but The Spaniards had drawn back.
1T was decided that the soldiers should
re-embark on the Gussie and that the
guides should take the horses and seek
the insurgents and make a new appoints
ment. They rode off to the westward and
disappeared around point"
Key West, May 10, 10 p. m.-The trans
port Gussle, which left here Wednesday
with 1000 rifles for the insurgents, was,
late this afternoon, still cruising Off Ca
banas and Mariei, not having been able
10 locate any insurgents or land her cargo.