The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-26

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to report that the ship has been blown up,
and is now sinking" the American people
have become aware CT the general bravery
and devotion to duty of that branch of tie
naval service TO which Anthony belocg d.
Not alone the people of this country. but
of the world at large. have acknowledged
the courage and efficiency displayed in ac-
ton By the United States Marine Co.rs
and the present occasion of the allied ma
tons of civilization uniting against COM
mon foe has furnished fresh oppo. tunites
for this general appreciation.
Before adjourning Congress had the good
judgment to increase the force of the ma
rines to coo men, and so rapidly has he
work of recruiting progressed that only
about 200 are lacking of the entire number
provided for About 200 of the corps are
now in China. and it viii depend upon fu-
ture events as to whether more will be sent
to that quarter of the world.
To the marines belong the honor of be-
ing the first of the american forces TO
land on Cuban sell after the declaration
Of war with Spain. The organization of
The battalion which won this distinction
was the work of Commandant General
Charles Haywood who, in accordance with
verbal instructions from the Secretary of
War. issued orders on the 18th and 18th of
April. 1898, for the immediate assembling
al New York OF detachments of men from
all the Eastern pests of the CORPS and
receiving ships. On the night OF April IS
General Heywood left Washington for
New York for the purpose of personally
supervising the organization of the corps
and = sarf,,
ice. In this task were united the require
ments of CELEBRITY and forethought. The
situation called for immediate action as
well as, owing to the climatic and other
conditions existing at the seat of war.
complete provision against the danger of
disease the natural features of the coun-
try and the peculiar tactics of the enemy
That all these requirements were sue
ces5fully met by General Haywood in his
organization Of the battalion, subsequent
facts testify
In regard to the first and most important
consideration. the preserving of he hesHi
OF the men in a foreign and tropical eli
mate, it may be instGnced that only .
per cent of the entire battalion were. at
any time, incapacitated for duty on ac-
count u sickness. a record which compares
favor&5ly with that Of other branches of
the service. in some of watch an appalling
number were rendered hors du combat
through indisposition alone.
Fighting BRrbed Wire BARRIERS.
Moreover, as a provision against the
sometimes effective obstruction Of harbsd
wire fences, employed by the Spaniards.
General Haywood supplied every tenth
man Of the battalion with a pair of nip
pers capable of cutting the stoutest wire.
a precautioa which furnished a very vaIu-
able example to our army organizations.
The battalion, thus formed, consist
ed Of % commissioned officers ard
623 enlisted men, under the command of
Col. r. W. Huntington, L. S. NJ c. Be
sides Colonel Huntington, commanding.
the battalion was Offered as follows:
Major P. c. Pope, Major H. c. Cocarane,
First Lieut. H. L. Draper. adjutant: Capt
c. L. McCawley, quartermaster; Surgeon
John NJ Edgar, L. :. N; First Serg.
Henry Good, sergeant major; First Sergt.
". J. Limerick.
The six companies composing the bat
talon were differed as follows:
Company A: Captain, Allan c. Shelton:
first lieutenant, F. j. Moses, and second
lieutenant, L. ]. Magill.
Company B: Captain, B. R. Russell;
first lieutenant, C. L. A Ingate, and Sec
ond lieutenant, NJ. J. Shaw.
Company c: Captain, G. f. Elicit; first
lieutenant L. C. Lucas, and second Lieu
tenant, P. NJ. Damon.
Company D: Captain. W. F. Spicer; first
lieutenant, ". c. Melville, and second
lieutenant, Newton H. Hall.
Company Z: Captain, II. X. White first
lieutenant, J. E. Mahoney. and second lieu
tenant, c. s McLemore.
Company + (artillery1. Caufain F II
first lieutenant, c. G. Lou-
and second Lieutenant W. Y. McKelvey. /
Color guard: One sergeant, and two cor
porals.
Before leaving Washington. General Hey /
wood was informed by the War Depart !
nent thet the commandment OF the New /
York Navy Yard, Rear Admiral F. NJ !
Bunce, had been directed to fit out the
transport ship Panther to accommodate a /,
battalion Of 400 men. which number was
sfterward increased by the department by I;
the addition OF two companies Admiral
Bunce rendered valuable cooperation with !
General Haywood and. had It not been Tor
the subsequent addition of the two compa-
MES 10 the original battalion, the ship
would have sailed in TWO days from the
generals arrival in New York.
As 1t was, 1t only took two days further
10 arrange accommodations for s,Ie addi- /
.ional two companies ana on April % or [.
tour days aft5. General Heywood's arrival 4
n Kew York, the entire battalion. accom- I
panied by the navy yard band. which had 4
been loaned to escort it to the pier and /
greeted On all sides with the heartiest en- !
husiasm, marched down 10 where the /
good ship Panther lay, and embarked for /
Cuba
In regard TO the fitting out Of the troops /
With all needful requirements, General T.
Ieywood rendered due tribute to the e1. !
,TtiCns Of Major F. l.. Denny. the quarter
master OF the corps. and Capt C. l. Nc
,awley, the quartermaEter Of the battal-
Oh.
After leaving New York the Panther
to Hampton Roads for the pur
,ose OF awaiting a convoy 10 Cuba. which
vas obtained under the United States
teamship Montgomery. Arriving az Key
Vest Fla. april 29j. the men went into
amp at that place to await further orders
I was not until June l. 1898 that the Pan.
heT left the coral island for Santiago dc
,uba and on the afternoon OF the 10th the
horeg Of Guantanamo Bay. lined with
heir dense, tropical underground, came
nto view.
The marines landed. and at once went
nto camp. their only enemy. apparently.
he scorching heat OF the day and the
warns Of insects and land-crabs that in
ested earth and air after the sun had set
n all its radiant splerdor OF green and
rimson and purple and gold.
Mark for Spanish shnrpshoofers.
1t was not until they had been in camp
our days. or on June Il, that the dense
tickets surrounding them or three sdes
uret into deadly fame.
In an instant every man was in his
lace, and the greatly superior Spanish
orce was repulsed. as was every like at
ack of the enemy. Thus, ever surround
d by the danger that turks in the rife of
be sharpshooter, did the marines hold the