Evening star., 1898-05-14

firing was more active. The launches re-
piled with the one-pounders.
One body of troops was driven from their
intrenchment and took refuge with the
garrison in the fort at the foot of the light
house. A steady fire was then maintained
on the boats by the lighthouse garrison.
They had machine guns. A volley from
these guns struck one of the launches, kill
ing Reagan and badly wounding others.
All this time the Marblehead. Nashville
and Window were pouring steady fire On
shore. 1t was a four-inch shell from the
Window that struck the light house. de-
nClished it and scattered the Spanish gar
iards is unknown. The wounded men were
then transferred to the Window, which is
commanded by Captain Mcclure.
While the Nashville and Marblehead kept
ard cut, and the launches then returned
with their crews
Lieut. Winslow. who was in one of the
boats. was wounded in the hand A chance
shot wounded an ensign on the Nashville
in the shoulder slightly and then. glancing,
srazed Capt. Maynards chest. PEPPER.
More Details of the Fight.
KEY WEST. Fla, Nay 1.-THE United
States cruiser Marblehead. the gunboat
Nashville and the auxiliary cruiser Win
dom steamed up the har5or of Cienfueeos
early Wednesday morning with orders to
cut the cable connecting Havana with
Santiago de Cuba. This task was accom-
plished, but only after a terrific fight be-
tween our warsh:ps and several thousand
Spanish troops, which lined the shore and
lay concealed behind improvised breast
works. One man, a seaman named Rea-
gan, of the Marblehead. was killed out
right N one of the working small boats.
and six men were severely wounded. In
addition, large number board the
ship received minor wounds.
Capt. s. E. Mcguire .of the Window be-
lieves that several of the six badly wound
ed men. who We're brought to Key West
this morning on the Window cannot re-
cover.
badly wounded:
List of the Casualties.
Regan. seaman. of the Marblehead.
X,
John ]. Doran of Fall River Mass
Ernest SuntZeanickle
Herman w. Hochneister.
Harry Hendrickson, all of the Marble
head.
the Nashville.
Soon after the arrival of the warships off
Cienfuegos four boats were launched and
inc for he nf,
pling for the cable in order to cut it. The
warships lay to about 900 yards or more
off the harbor.
When the commanders of the Marble
head and the Nashville called for volun-
teers to man the boats and cut the cable
the men responded with a jump.
Lieut. c. McR Winslow of the Nashville
took command of the Nashville's boats.
The shore surrounding the entrance of
the harbor was first sheled, and then. the
boats proceeded in.
The work of finding the cable was slowly
anG cautiously proceeded with. The cable
was deep in the channel, and found
with difficulty. One of the relays of the
cable had been cut when the Spaniards
opened fire.
Marines Answered the Fire.
and a machine gun from the forward
launch sent in a stream Of bullets, while
the heavy shells from the warship drove
the Spaniards from the rifle pits at the
shore. many of them seeking refuge in the
lighthouse fort, which was afterward torn
to pieces by shell from the Window.
With desperate courage the American
sailors remained calmly at their pests and
dad in, he oil
of the cable and severing 1t.
Seven men badly wounded was the count
and one of them. Reagan. died while on the
way back to the ship. Lieut.. Winslow was
shot in the hand. and number of others
were more or less injured.
On the Nashville Capt. Maynard was
standing forward, with an ensign, when a
Spanish bullet passed through the ensign's
shoulder and struck Maynard on the chest
lear the heart, wouHding him only slightly.
The Marblehead was struck scores Of
times by bullets from machine guns, and
the Nashville suffered to about the same
extent. The Window also had many marks
of the fray. Her shell, blowing up the
lighthouse and scattering the the Spaniards
in all directions. ended the battle.
Two Expected to Die.
Boltz and Hendrickson. who, with four
others of the wounded are at the naval
hospital here. ere expected to die.
The remains of Reagan were buried.
1t was observed that the Spanish troops
had assembled ashore, but 1t was not
krown that heavy guns had been placed
in a masked battery and that the old light
house, far out on neck OF land, had been
transformed into a formidable fort.
The small boats proceeded cautiously and
for more than an hour worked unmolested
on the cable. Suddenly, just as the work
was about completed. the shore battery
fired shell at the boats. 1t was followed
by others, and the Spanish infantry OPEN
ed fire with their rifles.
Marblehend Replies.
Then. like flash. the Marblehead sent a
shell inland, and followed 1t with a perfect
shower of shot.
The Nashville was quick to follow suit.
and the little Window cut loose with her
four-pounders.
In the meanwhile Spanish bullets fell in
every direction around the small boats
Though the attack had come suddenly and
fiercely the bluejackets were not dismayed.
and. protected by the terrific return fire of
1T.