Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-05-20
ADMIRAL SAMPSON REPORTS
INFORMS THE NAVY DEPARTMENT
OF HIS FIGHT AT SAN JUAN.
THE VERDE FLEET AT MARTINIQUE
Onicial Report Has Been Received That
Leaves No Doubt OF That
Fleets Location.

At 7:20 o'clock Friday morning the
navy department received the follow.
ing dispatch from Admiral Sampson.
II was dated 81. Thomas, May ~, and
was as follows:
IA portion OF the squadron under
my command reached San Juan this
morning at daybreak. No armed yes.
sells were found in the port. As soon
as il was sufficiently light I commenced
attack upon the batteries defending
the city. This attack lasted three
hours and resulted in much damage
to the batteries. The batteries replied
TO our FIRE but without material affect.
One man was killed on board the New
York and seven slightly wounded in
the squadron. No serious damage to
any ships reulted.
(SignedD "SAMPsoN,'
Admiral SIMPSONS statement that
he entered the harbor with only q por-
ton of his feet is taken to indicate
that he did not And IL expedient to
take the entire squadron into the har.
Dor, though it is not believed he has
separ ated his feet. The navy depart.
ment officials were at O loss to know
how his dispatch reached st. Thomas
until receipt Of the Associated Press
dispatch announcing the presence of
the Yale at st. Thomas.
Details OF the Fight
Additional dispatches regarding the
bombardment OF Porto Rico state that
the forts were bonbarded by part of
Real Admiral SIMPSONS feet until
they were silenced. The enemy's loss
is believed to be heavy. The American
loss is two men killed and seven men
injured.
After three hours firing the admiral
withdrew the fleet, and headed for
Key West. He said:
II am satisfied with the mornings
work. I could have taken San Juan,
but have no force to hold it. I only
wanted to administer punishment.
This has been done. I came for the
Spanish feet and not for San Juan"
The men killed were; Seaman Frank
Widemark, of the New York; Gunner's
Mate -, Of the Amphitrite. The
latter died from effects OF the extreme
heat. OF the injured, three were on
board the Iowa and four on board the
New York.
Tbs names of those slightly injured
on the Iowa: Seaman Mitchell, Pri-
vate Marine Merkle, Apprentice Hill.
The injured on the New York: Sea-
man Samuel FELTON,, serious; Seaman
Michael Murphy, and two other en-
listed men, slightly injured. The New
York's men were injured bythe burst
ing Of shell on deck.
The American ships were uninjured
The engagement began at 5:15 a. M
and ended at 8:l5 a. IN. The town in
the rear of the fortifcation probably
suffered.
Rear Admiral Simpsons feet bonn
barded the forts at San Juan until they
were silenced. Our loss was two
killed and seven wounded. The
enemy'sk loss was severe. The city
could have been taken but there was
no land force to hold it, The object
in reducing the ordinations was to
prevent the Spanish fSet from running
in under their walls for protection at
some future date.
IT was definitely made known at
Washington Friday, despite all Spanish
statements heretofore to the contrary,
that the Cape Verde feet is at Port de
Franc, capital of the island of Martin
ique, four hundred miles from Porto
Rico. 1t is also Stated positively that
the commander Of the fleet received
orders Friday after the bombarding
of San Juan by Sampson to put to sea
at once. Madrid advices received Fri
day morning state that the fleet will
sail for an unknown destination i'm
mediately.
At $40 Secretary Long gave out
statement that official information had
been received that the Spanish squad
ron had been sighted to the westward
of Martinique.