Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1898-06-09
SMASHED THEM.
Commodore Schley Destroys Forts
at Santiago de Cuba.
His Ships Pour "A Deadly Fire of Shot and
Shell Into the Defenses of the Cuban
Town and the Spaniards Who Occu-
pied Them Suffer Great Losses.

New York, June "A special from
Cape Haitien says: The torpedo boat
Porter arrived at Mole st. Nicholas
Wednesday morning with dispatches
for Washington. She left Immediately,
but before going to sea the following
story of the bombardment of Santiago
de Cuba was obtained:
The American squadron, augmented
by the torpedo boat Porter, the auxil-
iary cruiser st. Paul and the protected
cruiser New Orleans, approached the
entrance to the harbor of Santiago at
1890 p. m., Tuesday. the Iowa leading.
Inside the entrance to the harbor was
seen one of the warships of Cervera's
fleet, stripped for action.
AS the American fleet drew near the
New Orleans steamed forward ahead
of the Iowa, Texas and Massachusetts.
One of the forts opened fire on her and
she replied, the other two ships direct
ing their fire at the battery on Punta
Gorda, within the harbor and west
ward Of the position occupied by the
Spanish ship. The latter replied to the
fire and immediately became a target
for all the American ships engaged in
the battle. She retired behind pro-
tecting headland and was not seen
again during the engagement.
The Iowa, directed by Capt. Eight
ing Bob Evans; the Massachusetts,
Capt Higginson; Texas, Capt. Philip
and the New Orleans, Capt. Folger
kept up a terrific fire against Moro,
Zacopa and Punta Gorda forts for two
hours, their projectiles, of enormous
size, doing tremendous damage TO the
defenses of the harbor The masonry
on Zacopa and MORO was battered al
most into dust, and the forms of Span
ish artillerymen could be plainly seen
flying to safety behind the neighbor-
ing hills.
The auxiliary cruiser which joined
Schley's fleet just before the battle
took place was hit by shells from the
forts and it is thought she was serious
ly damaged.
After seeking the protection of a jut-
continued to fire proiectiles over the
hills toward the fleet, but the shells
fell harmlcssly into the sea.
That the number of killed and
wounded on the Spanish side is enor-
nous no one doubts, for time and again
the American shells hit the batteries
squarely, and amid the flying masonry
and dismantled guns the forms of men
were deserted. The damage done to
the American fleet cannot be learned,
but it is not thought any person was
killed-if indeed, any one was wounded.
Cape Haitien. June "A dispatch
from Santiago says: The American
squadron which bombarded Santiago
was composed of IA vessels among
which were recognized the Iowa,
Brooklyn, Massachusetts,, Texas and
New Orleans, besides a gun boat and
auxiliary cruiser believed to be the
Columbia. The five vessels which
were recognized opened fire on the
batteries at Punta Gorda, Ell Moro
and Zacopa and also on the cruiser
Cristobal Colon, which had advanced
toward the entrance of the harbor and
was visible from the sea. The Amcri-
cans fired huge projectilcs and the
batteries as well as the Cristobal Co
Ion kept up a responsive fire.
Wednesday morning the American
squadron reappeared off Santiago, but
contented itself with firing two shots,
which are believed to have been sig
nails agreed upon with the insurgents,
who, numbering 2, 600 or 5000, are said
to have concentrated near Santiago.
Key West, June 3.-Advices from
Santiago show that after the American
ships ceased firing on Tuesday the
Spanish batteries roared long after the
American vessels We're entirely out of
range. All the Spanish shells fell from
two to three miles from the vessels at
which they were aimed. Worse gun
merry was never seen. During the en-
tire fight not an American vessel was
struck and not a sailor injured. al
though 800 shots were fred by the
SpaniardS