Another shell came whistling along and exploded about ten feet
overhead and twenty feet in rear of the battery. It tore up the grass
in rear of the battery. After this engagement was over, Priv. Shiffer
picked up the still hot fuse of this last shell. It was a large brass
combination fuse, and set at eight seconds, which justified the
estimated range. This third shell was the last one the enemy was able
to fire from these pieces. The powerful field-glasses which were used
in locating the battery revealed the fact that as soon as the Gatling
guns were turned on it, the Spanish gunners ran away from their
pieces. The big gun turned out to be a 16-centimeter converted bronze
piece, mounted on a pintle in barbette, rifled and using smokeless
powder. It was also found that they were firing four 3-inch
field-pieces of a similar character in this battery, as well as two
mountain guns.
It is claimed that this is the first time in the history of land
fighting that a battery of heavy guns was ever put out of action by
machine-gun fire. This battery of the Spanish was never afterward able
to get into action. Their pieces, which had been loaded for the fourth
shot, were found on the 18th of July, still loaded, and a Spanish
officer gave the information that they had lost more than forty men
trying to work that battery, since the 1st of July.
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