Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1899-07-22
FIRST FIGHT IN CUBA.
How Our Marines Routed the
| Spanish at Guantanamo.
STEPHEN CRANES GRAPHIC STORY.


tempts to Drill Cuban Soldiers Like Ma
rines-A Halt For Cuban scouts-ser-
geant Of Marines wigwagging Under
Firs-MagiIrs Force Shot at by the
Dolphin.
1t has become known that Captain
Elliott's recent expedition against the
Ruorrillas at Guantanamo hay, Cuba,
was moro successful than any one could
Imagine OF the time. The enemy was
badly routed, but we expected him to
recover in q few days perhaps and come
back to renew his night attacks. But
the firing Of shot near the camp has
been wonderfully rare thing since our
advance and attack. Inasmuch rs this
piTair was the first serious engagement
Df our troops on Cuban soil few de.
balls Of it may he of interest. 1t was
known that this large guerrilla band had
its headquarters some five miles back
from our camp, at point near the sea-
coast, where was located the only well,
according to the Cubans, within four or
five leagues of our position.
Captain Elliott asked permission to
take 200 marines and some Cubans to
drive the enemy from the we'll and
destroy it. Colonel Huntington granted
this request and ii was my good for
tune to get leave to accompany it. Aft
,er breakfast ore morning the companies
Of Captain Elliott and Captain Spicer
1were formed on the sandy path below
The fortified camp, while the Cubans, so
In number, were bustling noisily into
eome kind Of shape Most of the latter
were dressed in the white duck clothes
tf the American jack tar, which had
ben dealt out to them from the stores
O. the fleet Some had shoes on their
feet and some had shoes slung around
their ncChs with a string, all according
20 taste. They Were i'll short, peasants
hardy, .ireless, accomplishing peas
orts-ard they viewed in utter calm
these ca-.y morning preparations for
battle.
| And also they viewed with the same
calm the attempts Of their ambitious
officers to make them bear some resem-
blance to soldiers at "order arms" The
officers had an idea that their men must
drill the same as marines, and they
howled over it good deal. The men
HAD 10 To adjusted one by one ut the ex-
peuse of considerable physical effort
but when once in place they viewed
their new position with unalterable
.. Nlity. Order arms? Oh, very we'll.
What does it matter? Farther on the
two companies of marines were going
through short, sharp inspection.
Meanwhile the officers were thinking
of lusincss. Their voices rang out. The
sailor clad Cubans moved slowly off on
narrow path through the bushes, and
presently the long brown line Of marines
followed them. After the ascent of q
chalky cliff the camp on the hill, the
ships in the harbor, were all hidden by
the bush we entered, thick, tangled
mas, penetrated by winding path
hardly wide enough for one man. No
word was spoken. One could only hear
the dull trample Of the men, mingling
with the near and far droning Of in
sects raising their tiny voices under the
blazing sky.
A halt was made to give the Cuban
scouts more time. The Cuban colonel,
revolver in one hand, machete in the
other, waited their report before adj
vancirg, Finally the word was given.
The men arose from the grass and
moved on around the foot of the ridges.
Out ut sea the Dolphin was steaming
along slowly. Presently the word was
passed that the enemy were over the
next ridge. Lieutenant Lucas had mean
time been sent with the first platoon of
Company q to keep the hills as the
main body moved around them, and we
C0Uhl now see his force and some Gu
bans crawling slowly up the last ridge.
Tho main body was moving over a lower
part of this ridge when the firing broke
out.
IL needs little practice to tell the diff
ference in sound between the Lee and
the Mauser. The Lee says, "Prutr' II
is fine note, not very metallic. The
MaRsgr Gays, "Pop!" - plainly and
frankly pop, like soda water bottle be-
ing opened close to the ear. We could
hear both sounds now in great plenty
Prut-prut -pr-r-rut-pr-rut! Pop
Top-poppotty-
1t was very evident that our men had
come upon the enemy and We're slug.
ging away for all they We're worth,
while the Spaniards We're pegging away
TO the limit, 70 the tune of this furious
shooting Captain Elliott, with Lieuten-
ant Bannon's platoon of g company
scrambled madly up the hill, tearing
themselves ON the cactus and fighting
their way through the mesquite. To the
- CT
pnen had rapidly closed up and were
racing Ia.
It took only three minutes to reach
be scene Il activity and, incidentally,
thc ac.iy'. y was considerable and fierce.