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

shooting was uncomfortably good,
but we had 10 ignore it for the time.
One shell made a square hit on the
parapet, but exploded without pene-
trating, disarranging the scenery
quite a bit. however Others would
barely clear us and burst in the
woods behind, after cutting down q
few trees. About this time the Hotch-
kiss was disabled. So now it was
briggs Schroeder versus Krupp on
even terms.
1t was a pretty fight, and with a
large and appreciative audience, as
owing TO the fact that both gun pO-
sitiOnS were well elevated above the
surrounding country-everybody in
in the Cuban lines could see the re-
suit of every shot. The enemy's gun
did not seem TO be so accurate as
ours. but it's shooting was by no
means wild, every shell coming in
close.
At a burst Of smoke from 1.-The
castle" the one of us on lookout would
| call out down." and every one, no
matter what he might be doing,
would throw himself fiat on the
ground. In a couple of SECONDS the
shell would strike and burst. and then
we would leap to our fee and try to
give them a couple before they could
fire again.
The discovery was made that by
watching carefully we could discern
the enemy's shells up in the air when
about half way TO us, and several
times when we saw that they had a
line on the parapet, we succeeded in
avoiding them by quick jumping to
either the right or the left.
But the Spaniards' shooting was
becoming better and better. and it
was only question of time until
they would land a shell on our sole
remaining big gun and take from us
the last chance OF victory. The Krupp
must be put out of action.
Very careful sight was taken at the
portfolio. which was about four feet
in diameter and the shell struck the
lower sill, the smoke of the explosion
completely oDscuring the embrasure.
We hoped that the gun had been dis
abled but vainly.
on our next shot, instead of the
usual burst on the outside of the wall.
a torrent of smoke poured from the
embrasure and the sound Of the eX-
plOsion OF our shell was muffled. This
shot disabled the Krupp for several
hours and, as was subsequently learn
ed killed or wounded all but one of
the 2 men serving it.
The next shot was fired at the low
er sill of the embrasure Of the cas-
tie and went as true as If II had
been fired at pistol range. Half a
wagon load Of masonry fell TO the
ground and some of it rolled down
the hill slope.
From that time we fired very slow
" and carefully, planting the shots
alternately two feet TO the left OF and
| below the overwhelming gap. until
soon practically the whole corner of
the fort had been shot away. The
structure was by this time abandoned.
and we turned our attention 10 vari-
| Gus bloCkhOuses. And so the hours
/ dragged on until about 8 o'clock.
/ when. no one being on lookout. we
heard the boom of the Krupp and a
shell passed close over us. Leaping
( 10 our feet, we saw cloud of smoke
| over the small redOubt near the cas-
/ tie" The Spaniards had removed
the injured gun from the fort, repair
/ ed the damage. and mounted II in the
small earthwork.
Hot, thirsty, and hungry as we
were we sprang 10 "CayO HuesO" to
/ begin anew the artillery duel. Time
] and again we tried TO disable the gun.