The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-07-03

Copyright. 1898, by the Associated Press.)
Off Santiago de Cuba, July Before
8 O'Clock this morning the crew of the
flagship were astir, eating hurried
breakfast, and at $50 general quar-
ters'' were sounded and the flagship
headed in towards Aguadores, about
three miles east of MORO castle The
other ships retained their blockading
stations. Along the surf beat of the
shore the smoke of an approaching
train from Altares was seen. 1t was
composed of open cars full of General
Duftield's troops.
A mile east, at Aguadores, the train
stopped and the Cuban scouts proceed
ed along the railroad tracks. The
troops got out of the cars and soon
formed in a long thin line, standing
out wildly against the yellow rocks
that rose perpendicularly above. From
the quarter of the flagship there was a
signal by a vigorous wig-wagging let
ter, and in a few moments later from
lump of green at the waters edge
came an answer. This was the first
cooperation for offensive purposes be-
tween the army and navy. The land
ing of the army at Baiquiri and AL
tares was purely a naval affair.
With the flag in his hand, the SOL
der ashore loked like a butterfly
Are you waiting for US to begin?"
was the signal made by Rear Admiral
Sampson to the army.
General Duffield is ahead with the
scouts" came the answer from the
shore to the flagship.
BY this time it was o'clock and
the admiral ran the ships bow within
three-quarters of a mile of the beach,
She remained as near during the fore
noon and the daring way she was
handled by Captain Chadwick within
the sound of the breakers made the
Cuban pilot on board stare with as
constituent.
The Suanee was in company with the
flagship. still closer inshore, and the
Gloucester was to the westward, near
Moro castle
From the southward the Newark
came on and took a position to the
westward. Her decks were black with
l, 600 or more troops as she went along
side the flagship and was told TO dis
embark the troops at Altares.
Then Admiral Sampson signaled to
General Duff1eld: When do you want
US to commence firing?''
In little while white flag on shore
sent back the answer: when the rest
Of the command arrives. Then 1 will
signal you
1t was a long and tedious wait for
the ships before the second 80 car
loads Of troops came putting along
from Altares.
By $50 o'clock the last of the SOL
diers had left the open railroad tracks,
in the thick brush that
covered the eastern side of Aguadores /
inlet. The water in the sponge tubes
under the breeches of the big guns was
hot in the burning sun
Ashore there was no sign of the en-
envy. They were believed to be on the |
western bluff.
Between the bluffs runs a rocky !
gully, leading into Santiago City. On |
the extremity of the western arm was /
an old castella fort, from which the /
flags were flying, and on a parapet Of |
the eastern mill. commanding the gully, /
two stretches of red earth could easily I
be seen against the brush. These were /
the rife pits.
COMMENCED FIRING.
At 1918 the signal for the flagship |
was wagged to commence firing and |
a minute later the New Yorks guns |
blazed away at the rifle pits and at
the old fort.
The Suanee and Gloucester Joined in
the echoes which rumbled around and I
thunder of the clouds seemed to have
broken loose and smoke soon rose over
the hills and the gully was shut out
from view. Then the firing became
more deliberate. OF our troops ashore
n the brush nothing could be seen, but
the ping, ping of the small arms
lOated out to sea during the lull of
The big guns, which peppered the rife
pits and clouds of red earth arose
around them.
An eight-inch shell from the Newark
dropped in the massive old fort and
clouds of white dust and huge stones
filed the air. When the small shells
ait it's battlements, almost hidden by
green creepers, fragments of masonry
;ame tumbling down. a shot from
he Suanee hit the eastern parapet and
t crumbled away like air. With the
smoke and debris the flagstaff was seen
% fall from it.
THE flag has been shot down.
shouted the crew, but when the smoke
cleared away the emblem of Spain was
seen to be still flying and blazing bril-
iantly in the sun, though the staff
vas bending toward the earth. APP
)arently the flagstaff had been caught
irmly in the wreclage of the fort, a
ew more shots levelled the battle
nents.
SPANS FLAG WENT DOWN.
When the firing ceased Lieutenant
Oelehanty OF the Suanee was anxious
o finish his work, so he signalled to
he New York asking permission to
mock down the Spanish flag.
Yes" replied Admiral Sampson, 'if
you can do it in three shots"
The Suanee then lay about 1000
ards from the old fort. She took her
ime. Lieutenant Blue carefully aimed
he four-inch gun and the crews of all
he ships watched the incident amid
intense excitement.
When the smoke of the first shot
feared away, only two streamers of
he flag were left. The shell had gone
through the center Of the bunting.
A delighted yell broke forth from the
rev of the Suanee.
Two or three minutes later the Sua-
lee fired again, and huge clouds of
ebris rose from the base of the flag
taft For a few seconds it was inn
'ossible to tell what had been the eff
ect of the shot. Then it was seen
hat the shell had only added to the
uin Of the fort.
The Flagstaff seemed TO have
harmed existence and the Suanee had
My one chance left. 1t seemed hardly
Ossi5le for her to achieve her object
nth the big gun such a distance and
UGH a tiny target.
There was GREATNESS silence among
he crews. They crowded on the ships
ecks, and all eyes were on that batter
ne top of what once had been grand