Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1898-06-08
ANOTHER BIG Fight.
SANTIAGO'S FORTlFlCAIlONe
RIDDLED BY SHOT AND
sHELL-MANY SPANISH
OFFICERS KILLED
OR FATALLY
WOUNDED.

New YORK, June IA spcclui ous
patch from Cape Haytien, describing
the bombardment of Santiago de Cuba
on Monday says that the forts about
the harbor are now mass of ruins.
The Norro is shapeless pile of ruin
ed masonry and di .mantled guns, and
the Estrella battery is utterly ruined.
At Port Aquadores the fort recently
constructed by Colonel Ordonez, the
famous artillery expert, was blown to
dust, and Ordonez himself was badly
wounded. Two artillery officers, two
infantry lieutenants and twenty-one
privates were fatally wounded.
WRECKED THE MERcEDEs.
Later in the day the American ships
moved closer toward the mouth OF the
harbor, where the old cruiser Reina Mer-
cedes had been discerned attempting to
place explosives about the hull OF the
Merrimac to blow her to pieces and
clear the channel. A 13-inch shell from
the Oregon landed squarely abaft her
pilothouse and tore all her upper works
| to shreds. Her "second commodore,
five of her sailors and a marine were
killed. and second lieutenant and SIX
teen of her seamen were very seriously
wounded,
SHOWER OF SHOT AND SHELL.
A perfect shower of shot and shell
foil mon and around the old cruiser,
and she was so badly damaged that her
crew, by orders of Admiral Cervera,
abandoned her and sought the shore
for safety.
SPANISH LAND FORCES DEFEATED.
About noon according to the Cape
Haytien dispatch, landing party Of
American marines near Daiquiri was
attacked by Spanish infantry and a
| squad of cavalry. The insurgents were
posted in the neighborhood, and with
their aid the marines successfully took
up position, holding it and later max
| ing it base from which they operated.
The Spanish force was defeated with
heavy loss and driven back toward San
tiago, leaving their wounded behind
| them.
TO BEsIEGE THE CITY.
The Americans are now entrenched
near Daiquiri and are landing heavy
guns, preparatory to moving them to-
ward Santiago and laying siege to the
city.
There is panic in Santiago The
residents who can leave are fleeing to
the country, joining the insurgents or
doing anything to get away from the
certain destruction that now awaits
Cervera' S fleet and the forces of Pando
and Linares.
IMMENSE DAMAGE INFLICTED.
The Spaniards admit that the bonn
bardment from the American fleet was
| most destructive About 1900 projec
tiles are said to have been fired by the
American warshps, and it seems that
the responsive fire from the forts and
ships was scarcely felt at all by the
Americans.
RIDDLED WITH SHOT AND SHE'LL.
The Notifications near the entrance
of the harbor are described as beingrid-
died with solid shot and shattered by
the explosion of the immense shells
fred by the American battleships. The
Spanish batteries are understood to
have been virtually silenced and Ell
MORO and the Notifications at Socopa
and Punta Gorda are reported to have
been demolished by three hours I'M
interrupted hammering of the American
feet.
CUBANs ATTACK By LAND.
1t is also understood here that the
Cuban troops maintained throughout
the greater part of yesterday an attack
by land on Santiago ard the Spanish
reports say the garrison lost heavily in
killed and wounded.
The loss on the American side, the |
Santiago reports say, is not known.
The Spaniards acknowledge that
great deal of damage was inflicted on
the Spanish cruiser Reina Mercedes, and
they say Moro Castle shows great gap
ing breaches it its walls.
MARIA TERESA REPORTED SUNK.
There is report current at Cape
Haytien that the frst-class armored
Spanish cruiser Maria Teresa was sunk
yesterday by the fire of the American
ships.
It is said that 500 American troops
were landed at Daiquiri, or possibly at
the two places being SEEM
ingly confused here.
1t seems to be admitted that the fire |
of the American soldiers was so effect
i've that the Spaniards were compelled
to flee from the Notifications which
they were defending.
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