The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-05-19
BATTLE OF San JUAN
FsIl Detailed Account Of the Recent
Bombnrdment.
OUTLINE OF THE PLAN OF BATTLE.
SIMPSONS Orders Mere to Destroy
the Spanish Ships.
NOME WERE ENCOUNTERED.
American Vessels Crnised Around as
They Fired on Forts.
SPANISH CRAFTSMANSHIP WAS BAD.
TURNER'S Were Dcmoraiixcd and Did
No Damage 10 the ships--The
Forts BADLY Damaged.
SPANISH CRAFTSMANSHIP WAS BAD.
tcopyright, 1888. BY Associated prcss.l


Boat Dauntless. Key Vast, Fla. May is -
The Dauntless, tho dispatch boat OF the
Associated Press. arrived here this morn
ing and brought the first detailed account
OF the bombardment of San Juan de Porto
Rico by portion of the feet Under the
command OF Rear Admiral Sampson on
May 10 last
The American warshlps sustained only
trivial injury and lost but one man killed.
After the engagement the Benjamin the
north end of MORO castle, was In ruins.
the Cabras island fort was lcneed and the
San Carlos battery was damaged.
No shots were aimed at the city and 1t
is not known whether any damage was
done there. spaninrds at ST. Thomas claim
that school house was struck and that
tho master and his pupils were killed but
this is not thought likely, as the lombard
ment took place early In the morning and
the school children probably were not In
the building at the time
plans of the Notifications furnished
TO the fleet were misleading 1t was known
that the Spanish forts had recently been
strengthened with new guns; but other
facts developed which show miscalculatlons
by those who drew tho plans.
Refugees IN st, Thomas told tho GORE.
spondents no touched there after the
engagement that the spaniards thought the
forts at San Juan were stronger than those
at Havana
The United States feet left Key West
TO intercept an. destroy the Spanish fleet
which had LETT Cape Verde islands: this
was the only information the United states
navy department and Admiral Sampson
had on the subject, Our warshlps proceeded
slowly eastward and on May were OIL
Cape Haytien, Republic OF Haytl. ATTEMPTS
were made there TO obtain information re-
sarding the whereabouts of the spunlards.
out no definite knowledge was obtained
Early In the morning of May 10 Admiral
sampsons ships approached San Juan. the
American consul at Cape Haytlcn having
informed the admiral that he had heard
report that thirteen Spanish warshlps
had been seen heading for Porto Rico.
The city of San Juan is situated In n
long narrow pocket. tongue OF high
land separates II from the ocean. The on
trance OF the harbor is easily defended and
the same can BIO said OF the headlands of
LOFTY Cabras island, which lies in the throat
OF the passage. These headlands have been
fortified by the Spaniards but they did
Iot prove in any way dangerous to our
sEips The town OF san Juan is on the
ocean side OF the buy and in the rear OF
the town rise high hills To reach the city
ships must pass MORO castle aud the bat
terry OF san Carlos situated on u promon-
Tory al the entrance OF tho harbor Be
sides, they must pass the Canuelo battery
on CabraD Island
The attack on the forts was planned so
that our warshlps could be in a position to
meet the Spanish vessels aho0ld thpy
emerge from thr harpor. The following IA
the official plan OF action issued TO the
American ileet
The squadron Will pass near Salinas
point, ami then steer about east to pass
Just outside the reefs oil Cabras island
The column is to BIO formed as follows:
The Iowa, flagship; Indiana. New York,
Amphitrite and Terror. The Detroit is 10
80 ahead OF tho Iowa distant 1900 yards
Tbs Wampatuch to keep on the lowa's
starboard bow, distant 400 yards. the De-
troit and Wampatuck TO sound constantly
AFTER land Is closed aud to Immediately
signal II ten fathoms or less is OBTAINED.
showing al night red light over the stern
ana at day time Il red flag art.
Tho Montgomery to remain In the rear
OF tbs column, stopping outside of the fire
from MORO ana on the outlook for togp do
boat destroyers If Fort Canuelo Hres she
Is TO silence II. The Porter WI take sta
lion under cover OF the Iowa on the port
SIDE The Niagara TO remain westward OF
Salinas point.
While approaching sharp lookout ia
to be kept on the coast between Salinas
point and Cahras island for torpedo boat
uestroyers, When Cabras is one-half mile
To one mile, the Detroit will RAPIDLY cross
the mouth OF the harbor and be close un
Ger MORO to the westward, screened fran
the nre Of the Morros western battery. II
the other guns on the north side OF MORO
hre she is to silence them. These two
cruisers are to keep on The lockout es
pecially for Spanish torpedo boat Destroy
ers coming out OF the harbor.
ne Porter. when action begins, viii
cross the harbor mouth behind the Iowa
and get close under the cliff to the east
ward OF the Detroit and torpedo any Span.
ish cruiser trying to get out OF the harbor
put she Is not to attack destroyers
~ 'Fe"lStuNh VIII low one OF her
boats with masts stripped Hyiny rod
nag having boats anchor on hoard the
tug SO arranged that she can stop the boat
ana anchor at the same time. Sh. "a to
anchor the boat In three fathoms. win
Fort Canuelo and tho western end ~
Cabras island In range.
There VIII be two objects for attack mn |
the batteries on Moro and the men-of-w war
II 1t is clear that Spanish vessels are living
IN PORT IRE Is to be opened upon then,
as soon Or they are observable, over ca
bras island. the motions OF the larshins
heiug followed In this regard. NJ I,
should become evident. however that
neutral men-of-war are In the iine OF fire
{ nag o. truce viii be sent before the
vessels are injured. The Porter is 10 hold
herself In readiness for this service.
4 4 becomes necessary to silence the
Hprso batteries. portion Of the Are win
- 0!sscted With this object But the prin.
object = q destroy the ships.
aee1ns - hArbor mouth. no IewA