The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-06-01
The aa1hia Badly gag1s aa1anesas qroraro gns 1sss

| the cables with graphing irons and cu
out section OF sufficient length to pre-
vent the possibility OF mending them y
reuniting the severed ends
When daylight came the three warships
were In position a short distance out from
the shore With the first rays Of light the
lookouts began 10 scan the shore. and II
was soon discovered that the spSnlards
were expecting and evidently knew the
mission Of the ships. Rifle pits were plain
u distinguished at the very waters edge
ard commanding the point where the ca
bic was supposed TO be and where tbs
Americans would have to go n their srna.
boats Rapid fire guns ana small cannon
could &c seen. TIE polished steel and
brass OF the guns glistened in the sun
light Squads of infantry swarnsd Ike
insects upon the shore. Groups OF cavalry
were ganopsng here and there and con-
stsa;ly racing up and down a dusty white
path that led from the shore 20 the aide
Of tbs bluff cad tie hilltop. AL this the
aen saw. but. as Il tia shore were q de-
serI The boats were lowered. the nipple
ments were put IN and the psrilous voy-
age was begun
The little hotilla that aid the hazardous
work consisted OF two small launches. two
steam launches and half dozen ordinary
row boats The launches were armed with
machine guns and were designated TO Go
what they could IN protecting the men IN
the small boats as they worked and tow
them back 10 the ships IN case the men
should be so badly disabled as to be IN
able TO use the oars.
With steady nerves and strong arms the
sailors pulled directly inshore toward the
cable house On they went until they
could see the faces OF the Spanish sold
!ers peering out from behind the build
ings and out OF me rife pits. They knew
II was only q matter OF minutes when FIRE
would be opened uponthem. But the reg
uiar swing Of the oars ala not faltsr.
A, last point within enc hundred feet
OF the cable house was reached. They
were within zoe feet or the RTE pits, where
the spsnierds were lying ready 70 open
fire upon the boats.
Lieutenant wfnslow stood up In tbs
boat and gave the command 70 throw out
the anchor ard begin graphing for the
cable. The water was cisor az glass The
water was as clear as glass The bright
morning sunlight penetrated Il. and every
object upon the bottom was plainly seen.
Calmly as II trolling for FISH the men
bent over the boats and began to work
with III egrappling hooks All this TIM,
the men on the Nashville. Msrolshead and
Window stood at their guns ready 20
rain shot and shell upon the shore the mo-
msnt the first puf OF smoke was seen TO
como from the rins pits.
The men IN the boats worked on stead
lily and in silence. Lieutenant Winslow
urged them 10 work more speedily. telling
them that az any moment q volley might
come They made no reply but wen 10
their work. At last one OF the graphing
hooks caught something few inches be-
low the soft white sand and the arms OF
two strong sailors soon brought the cable
into view. Then came the firsts hot 1t
was just flash. sharp enap. a singing
over the heads of the sailors. and a splash
In the water beyond. There was no white
pun from the shot. The Spanlards were
using smokeless powder. " was the sig
nal for the opening OF a deadly fire upon
the men in the meats Il was promptly
answered by the guns on the ships out in
the bay. A hurricone OF shells shrieked
and Kissed above the heads Of the sailors
IN the boats and tore 70 fragments the
earth where the SSgnlards were crouch
ing and hiding.
Again and again the guns roareA cron
the ships. Again and again the great
clouds OF dust and debris nsy skyward on
the shore Another mighty crnsh from the
Nashville and the cable house few into
the air, torn into numberless fragments
Another crash from the Marblehead and
the blockhouSe was In ruins. Then this
iron storm from tho sea swung around
and swept the hillside. tt shattered the
rocks and trees II pl owed great furrov,
IN the soft sand. IL drove a throng OF
panic-stricken men scurryinE 10 sheitar
Then it lowered again Ike the rays OF q
mighty searchlight and rsked ard riddled
the rife pits. What marksmansalpi
The terrible firing pouring IN upou ne
rife pits passel only few feet above
the sailors working IN the boats. Woo
but Yankee Eunners ooule do that-would
30 It-and WHO but Yankee sailors would .
work on like heroes under such a bas,
furnace Of destructlon7
At the time heavy sea was rolling and 4
The nljScalcuiation Of q fraction Of an 4
nch or the fraction OF . second would
l&ve slaughtered the men IN the bosts
But there came moments pause in
ne awful believing from the SHIPS and
nat moment was the fatal one.
Snap, snap crash from a hundred az
.ereEi points came the FIRE from the span
"a rifles and eight brave men sank down
2 the boats. Two were dead and *
wounded
But the SPSniar5s were too late A.
esdy one cable had been hsulsd Up ana
s feet cut out Of IL This vas TIE caAss
hat ran to Bstsaano and conected w1th
iavanz- Il vas sio9. labor5ous work
ne ca1Ess had 10 be ha1lsd up Hcross
be small boa-B ard chen. ~ slow &C.
-Teas. ne tough s'ssI wires we're Hacked
n with aKsA chiEeas and saws
After the v04ey had been fred e. fhs
'paTaaEds. me men trAzEfsrrsd the sNsa
nd wounded to Aao:h-r boat ard osgaa
,okiag Sor the other c&blA witch ran
asst to Santiago. THIS wss soon found
"a again under ths hssgy canopy q
bot and shelI from me snigs they z-srseea
ragely on until sscaGH Il = ght feet
al beer taken from fss; ous. Alter thls
oota-r s1ia3 sr e~ass runainE O. ssrus
scal point EAST wa cut ard Captain
ensral 2 anco Jas; lire - c9ruuar.-
sfi9n Wiaa TIE word va apparent >
-y.rsa
Waen our shops frst opszsd 1rs ~ -
lSgs e Eaa the lnfslfon % sH2r ne
a. noaias 70 r@rnala atsHtirF. o1t ~nsz
= SPan.a-ds p>z1e5 thsir Gre n sDoa
- s5@ts ire u.sn sH ere Nara. shsad a.a-