Arizona republican., 1899-02-10

l $50 yards of the enemy's trenches.
 Here Major Strother remained on
 watch, and Majcr Bell advanced to the
 edge of a small stream which l have | before mentioned, where he met Lieu
 tenant Means and Sergeant (noW lieu
 tenant Clotworthy of the First Colo
 rado volunteers, who were bent on the
 same errand as Major Bell. Leaving
 Sergeant Clotworthy on guard with his rife, Major Bell and Lieutenant Means entered the stream, and discoV-
 cred that it was fOrdable near the
 mouth and for considerable distance
 out into the sea. They then returned into the river, and crawling up to-
 wards Fort San Antonio Abad. tried
 several approaches to a point nearer
 the enemy'S works, and finally sue ceeded, by pushing through bram bl ?
 thicl1et, in getting to within 150 yards
 of a number of Spaniards at work on
 the Qualifications. At that point, still
 being unable to see whether there
 were any obstacles in front of the en-
 emys works, they determined to swim
 out to sea and approach the Spanish
 position from that side. During this
 portion of the reconnaissance they were in full view of Fort San Antonio Abad, but heavy shower favored them
 
 diers under cover.
 Taking to the ocean, they Swam out, and then began to approach the fort, but found that the water was so shall low for a long distance out from shore that it would scarcely conceal their bodies while swimming In the mean time it had stopped raining and the men began to worksOn the sard bag bar,icade which extends from the fort to the edge of the water Major Bell and Lieutenant MeaLs remained quiet in the water for some time, so as not to attract attentiOn; then when the Spanish soldiers seemed absorbed i'll their work, the major and his compan- ion turH ed and swam out to sea, their plan being to dive if any shots were fired, and only to come to the surface for breath. As no shots were fired and the Spanish soldiers returned into the fort, they determined to go further out and approach the Spa nish line from the right rear for a nearer view. They succeeded in coaching a point 300 yards from the fort, when a Spanish sentinel discovered them and gave the alarm. There was considerable cOmmotion i'll the fort, and a number of Spaniards crowded to the parapets. Some of the enemy also ran down across the bridge near the fort as if intending to cut or the retreat of the two Americans, but the latter succeeded, by swimming and | crawling. to reach cover.
 During this time, and indeed [ the whole reconnaissance, the Spaniards did not fire single | shot The reason for this was that | some days before they had fired Cn Father McKennon and Father Dough arty, American chaplains, who were trying to pass the lines bent on q peaceful mission. The Spaniards re- yretted this incident eXtrem ely, and thought that Major Bell and Lieuten- ant Means might also be priests. In he meantime Major StroGher, seeing he connection Sn the walls Of Fort - San Antonio Abad, went back to the ines, and return ed to meet Major Bell It with a squad of soldiers. Continuing \, heir reconnaissance, Major Bell aud Lieutenant Means, with Major 5trother and Sergeant Clctworthy $ title to the rear as guards, recon loitered on the right of our lines, sev- ,ral Spanish outpust trenches. During he time they were frequently in plain sight of the enemy at distances vary ng from 300 to 150 yards from the Spanish lines-Harper's Weekly.