The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-09

i'oi n'"oHship oH tHe part Oh tne span
iards saved the Vicksburg and the cut
ter Morrill, from destruction in Havana
harbor yesterday morning. For over
half an hour they were under the fire
OF the guns of the Santa Clara water
batteries, but both escaped without ma
terial injury, although shrapnel from
S-inch guns exploded all about them
and both now show the scars of the
Spanish bullets.
The willy Spaniards had arranged a
trap to send a couple of our ships to
the bottom. They baited IL as a man
would bait trap. A small schooner
was sent out from Havana harbor
shortly before daylight yesterday morn
ing to draw some of the Americans into
the ambuscade. The ruse worked like
charm. The Vicksburg and the Nor
rill. In the heat of the chase and in
their contempt for Spanish gunnery,
walked straight into the trap that had
been set for them. Had the Spaniards
possessed their souls i'm patience but five
minutes longer not even the bad guu
practice would have savee our ships,
and this morning two more of our ves-
sells would lie at the bottom, within two
leagues OF the wreck of the Maine.
Friday evening the Vicksburg and the
Morrill,, cruising to the west of Moro
castle, were fired upon by the big guns
OF the Cojimar batteries. Two shots
were fired at the Vicksburg and one at
the Morrill,. Both vessels. without re-
turning the fire. steamed out of range
1t would have been folly to have done
otherwise. But yesterday morning the
Spaniards had better luck. The schoon-
er they had sent out before daylight ran
off to the eastward. hugging the shore
with the wind on her starboard quar-
ter. About three miles east of the en-
trance of the harbor she came over
on the port tack. A light haze fringed
the horizon and she was not discovered
until three miles off shore, when the
Mayfiower made her out and signaled
the Morrill, and Vicksburg.
Captain Smith Of the Morrill, and
Commander Tilly of the Vicksburg inn
mediately slapped on all steam and
started in pursuit. The schooner in
stantly put about and ran for Morro
castle before the wind. On doing so she
would. according to the well-conceived
Spanish plot, lead the two American
warships directly under the guns of the
Santa Clara batteries. These works are
a short mile west OF MORO and are a
part of the defenses Of the harbor.
There are two batteries. one at the
shore. which has been recently thrown
brasures for S-inch guns, and the other
on the crest of the rocky eminence which
juts out into the gulf at the point. The
upper battery mounts modern 10-inch
and 12-inch krupp guns behind a six
foot stone parapet, in front of which are
20 feet Of earthwork and a betting of
railroad iron. This battery Is consid-
cred the most formidable Of Havana's
defenses except MORO castle. 1t is
masked and has not been absolutely To-
Gated by the American warships. 1t is
probably due to the fact that the
Spaniards did not desire to expose it's
position that the Vicksburg and Nor
rill are now afioat.
The Morrill, and Vicksburg were
about six miles from the schooner
when the chase began. They steamed
after her at full speed. the Morrill,
leading until within a mile and a half
of the Santa Clara batteries. Com
mander Smith of the Vicksburg was
the first to realize the danger into
which the reckless pursuit had led
them. He concluded II was time to
halt and sent a shot across the bow of
the schooner. The Spanish skipper in
stantly brought his vessel about. but
while she was still rolling in the
trough Of the sea. with her sails flap
ping. an S-inch shrapnel shell came
hurtling through the air from the
water. a mile and a half away. 1t
passed over the Morrill, between the
pilot house and the smokestack and
exploded less than so feet on the port
quarter. The shot ratified against her
side. IL was a close call. Two more
shots followed in quick succession,
both shrapnel. One burst close under
the starboard quarter. filling the en-
gine room with the smoke OF the ex-
plosion of the shell. and the other. like
the first. passed over and exploded just
beyond.
The Spanish gunners had the range
and their time fuses were accurately
set. The crews of both ships were at
their guns. Lieutenant Craig, who was
in charge of the bow 4-inch rapid-fire
gun of the Morrill,. asked for and OBJ
tanned permission to return the fire. At
the first shot the Vicksburg. which was
in the wake of the Morrill,. slightly in
shore. sheered OF and passed to wind
ward under the Morrilrs stern
In the meantime Captain Smith also