South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-06-06

men consisted OF a patchwork of
gunny sacks.
The insurgent forces were bare
footed and clothed in rags and tatters
and were always hungry.
We now had with Us a gun that
had not been used in the sieges de-
scribeG in the previous chapters
12-pounder Driggs-SchrOeder naval
landing gun, one OF the inventors OF
which was the present Admiral
Schroeder Of the United States navy.
This gun came near TO the field-piece
type having a long barrel and high
velocity. We always spoke of it as
"CayO HuesO"-Key West-because 1T
came from there.
The town Of Jijuani was much larg
er than any we had heretofore at
tackled, being a local commercial cen
ter of importance. The garrison was
about 500 strong, consisting mostly of
infantry. but with a detachment of
artillery and a troop of guerrillas.
The strongest work, and the one that
was really the key to the whole stu
alton, was a very substantial two
story masonry fort known as FL Cas-
tillO ("the castle") This was situat
ed on the end OF a ridge, about so feet
above the streets Of the town, and
was surrounded b. formidable
trenches and wire ent@nglements. In
the upper story Of the castle" was
an eight centimeter Krupp gun, and
on the roof was the hehograph sta
ton, used in communicating with the
town or BayamO. Around the town
was the usual circle OF blOCkhouseS-
about a dozen Of them.
Besides "CayO HuesO," we had
Hotchkiss 12-pounder and two
FOUNDER. on the night of the 18th
strong paraDet. with overhead cover
and embrasures for two guns, was
constructed at the principal position
500 yards from the castle" L took
command Of the main battery and as
signed the smaller one 10 Cox, who
had Janney with him. while Jones,
1.atrObe, Joyce, and Pennie were with
me.
When dawn came. on n beautiful
but very hot day, our guns were
loaded and pointed. and we sat about.
waiting for orders. These came just
after sunrise and old "Cayo HuesO"
with a crash sent a shell that made a
beautiful burst on the identical spot
at which il had been aimed, on the
side Of the castle" We realized
that now we had something of "A gun.
In a couple OF seconds the HOtchkiss
12-pounder let fly and scored a hit;
and then we heard, away beyond 'the
castle" the bark OF the little gun
stirring up the bloc khOuses. We sent
in two more shells, both Of them
bursting against the stone wall with
out penetrating The fuses were so
sensitive that they burst before the
fun effects Of their blows could be
felt.
At this time we saw a cloud Of
smoke puff from a portfolio in the
upper story OF "the castle" and soon
heard a rumble as Of a train crossing
a bridge followed by the swish of a
shell as Ii rushed past us so close that
= -rHu H..
tx was the Krupp's shell. IL missed
the left end of the parapet about two
feet and Slashed through the tree
growth behind us with a noise like a
runaway team, cutting off branches
and tearing up things generally.
We were on the point of concen-
trating the fire OF both guns on the
portfolio. with the hope of disabling
the Krupp when our attention was
called 70 flashes Of light from the top
OF the fort the heliograph undoubt-
eddy sending news Of the attack to
BayRmo. The heliOgraph must be
disabled first. and / took a careful
sight with "Cayo Hueso." The shell
cleared the top OF the fort.
The second shot hit the top Of the
fort in a perfect line. and the smoke
OF the explosion completely obsCured
the Instrument and the men working
g. We thought the job was done but
with superb nerve the operators
stuck TO their post. and the smoke Of
the explosion had barely drifted
away when We again saw the little
flashes. The next shell was a center
shot. blowing roof instrument and
men TO pieces. But they had not died
ia vain. The news reached BayamO.
In the meantime the KrUpp was
sending In its compliments as fast as
Il could be loaded and fred The