Combat· Spanish-American War
Cienfuegos Cable Cutting
In May 1898, American forces set out to cut the undersea telegraph cables near Cienfuegos on the Cuban coast.
Cutting these cables would break Spain's communication links and leave its forces on the island more isolated. The work had to be done in small boats close to shore, within easy range of Spanish riflemen on the beach. Marines from the Atlantic Squadron took part in the landing aboard ship and supported the operation, while the ships' guns covered the boat crews working at the cables. This was one of the first Marine actions of the war in Cuba and showed the dangerous, close-in work the Corps was asked to do. The mission was part of the larger effort to weaken Spanish control before the main landings began at Guantánamo Bay.
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Record no. 519