The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-06-20
NAS ROBSON NURDER[D2.
SPANISH FLAG ON MORRo CAS-
TIE AT HALF MAST
PECULIAR ACTION OF SPANISH
DURING BOMBARDMENT
NOT MUCH APPARENT FOtJNDarrou
FOR THE STORY HOWEVER

Big Guns of sampson's FLEET s,re,a
Wreck and Ruin During tbe I,..
attack on Santiago Manv og
the Spnniards Are Believed tn
Have Been Killed by the Well.
Directed Fire of the American
ps-The spnniards With Great
Difficulty Kept at Their Guns.
copyright by the Associated Press
off' SANTIAGO DE CUBA, June IL
via Kingston, Jamaica, June 10.-A
careful inspection of the fortifications
aiong the crest of the hills defending
Santiago since the bombardment Tues
day morning shows the American gum
hers spread wreck and ruin everv-
where. Some Of the batteries were de-
moralized beyond repair.
Inc Vultures, which circled over the
nils for hours after the firing ceased.
furnish evidence Of the fatality amone
tne spanish soldiers. Hundreds Of
troops could be seen from the ships
digging in mounds of earth piled up by
the explosion of the projectiles from
the heavy guns for bodies. One hill On
the east and one on the west side of
the harbor entrance were denuded Of
foliage. The hill tops seemed literally
blown away. These marked the places
where the two 2OO-pound charges of
gun cotton, blown by the vesuvius,
landed
WHAT DOES 1T MEAN?
But the most significant feature was
Morro castle. The saffron -coIored flag
of Spain was half-masted for hours.
The significance of this is not known.
1t is not customary to half-mast flags,
but possibly some Spanish leader was
killed by the heavy fire of the guns.
though some officers of the squadron
believe the flag was half-nasted as a
notification to the Americans that
Lieut.. Hobson and his brave men were
dead. If such is the case, they must
have been wantonly murdered The
Spaniards may ascribe their death to
the bombardment, but not a shot
struck Morro castle. Neither Admiral
Sampson nor Commodore Schley be-
lieves Lieut.. Hobson and his party have
been, killed
MEN DRIVEN TO GUNS.
There was evident decentralization
among the Spanish troops during the
bombardment Officers could be seen
with drawn swords driving the men
to the guns, but even then they could
not be forced to stay so long as our
guns were directed at them. The fif-
teen minutes night work Of the We
suvius had shattered their nerves
1t is believed by some that the twelve
inch protectile fired from the
Texas which was reported to have ex-
ploded the powder magazine in one OF
the western batteries, did not fall into
the battery, but went beyond and blew
up one of the ships in the harbor.
A dramatic incident of the lombard
ment was the act of a Spanish officer,
who bravely ran along the parapet un-
der a heavy fire, encouraging his men
to stand by their guns. Shot and shell
rained about him, and after one ter
rife explosion he was seen no more,
and the parapet had disappeared. He
could not have escaped death.
FLYING DEBRIS.
From the foretop of the Brooklyn,
2,a00 yards distant, the men in the
grounds could be noticed, but a minute
later dust and flying debris would take
their places, and when the smoke clear
ed away only a spot of req earth could
be seen-gunS and gunners had been
swept away. 1t was the most deadly
and destructive bombardment of the
war thus far. Scarcely a shot from
the big guns of the squadron went
astray. The aim of the gunners was
superb, and not only were the coast
forts annihilated but the batteries on
Cayo Smith, up the harpor. were de-
struyed. Had all the ships used smoke
less powder as did the New Orleans
there would remain no signs of guns
OR Notifications to indicate that there
had ever been any defepses there.
There were no casualties in the fleet,
although the ships held a fixed posi-
ton, as if inviting the Spaniards to fire
upon them. The words of Rear Ad-
niiral Sampson were: First silence the
batteries on the shore and then con-
tinue firing until the Notifications are
reduced
This order was strictly obeyed. 1t
was the first time that such instruc-
tions had been given.
"WELL DONE" SAYS SAMPSON.
In thirty-eight minutes the order was
given to cease firing and the message
went to each Snip from the admiral,
well dcne," and the officers and men
turned in for breakfast. Every detail
of the engagement had been executed
to the letter from the opening of fire
by the New York to the last shot by
the Iowa. The Spaniards were evident
ly surprised while Strengthening their
fortifcations.
The first shot of the New York landed
full and fair on the top of the hills to
the east, where the gunners were al
ready at work, erecting new pieces The
earth seemed to rise ir a cloud, AMI
when the twelve-inch shells Of the Iowa
anu the thirteen-inch 'projectiles of the
Oregon landed squarely and fairly
great cheer went up from the ships.
The western squadron got into line
and began firing before the eastern one
did, and the effect Of the shots could
be plainly seen. The Spanish gunnerS
at the batteries could be noted, and
quick fire was returned, but only for
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