The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1898-05-18

Port-Au. Prince, May 12-The
American fleet under Rear Admiral
Sampson, bombarded San Juan de
Porto Rico today. The following are
the details of the bombardment thus
far received:
The bombardment began this
morning. Rear Admiral Sampson,
With nine warships, arrived before
San Juan just before sunrise. At a
signal the battleship Iowa fired the
first shot, which took effect.
Then the battleship Indiana opened
fire: in few minutes Moro fort was
reduced to a heap of ruins.
The fort made little effort to
respond and was silenced almost i'm
mediately.
The Spanish steam Rita was cap
tured by the United States auxiliary
cruiser Yale, which took her crew on
board.
Thousands of the population and
the foreign consuls have sought
refuge in the interior of the island.
Key West, May l2.-When the
United States gunboat Hudson came
up to the government dock at s
o'clock this morning, the bodies OF
five dead men were lying on her after
deck. They were the remains of
Ensign W. Bagley and four members
of the crew of the torpedo boat Win
slow, who were killed in an engage
men in Cardenas harbor yesterday
afternoon. The bodies were covered
by the stars and stripes. ln the
cabin of the Hudson was Capt. Jno.
B. Bernadou, of the Winslow, who is
slightly injured in the left leg, and
several others of the Winslow's Drew,
who are slightly wounded. The
dead are: Ensign Worth Bagley,
John Varvels, oiler; Josiah Tunnett,
cabin cook; J. V. Meeks, fireman;
aad J. Daniel, fireman.
The engagement took place inside
the harbor of Cardenas. The gun
boat Wilmington, the torpedo boat
Winslow and the gunboat Hudson
were the only vessels engaged. They
entered the harbor for the purpose of
attacking some Spanish gunboats
which were known to be there.
These latter, however, were not dis
covered by the Americou force until
the Spaniards opened fire. The
lsnd batteries of Cardenas supported
the fire of the Spanish gunboats.
The engagement commenced at 2;o5
p m and lasted for about an hour.
R. F. Cox, gunner's mate; D. Nc
Leon, quartermaster: J. H. Patter
son, fireman: F. Gray and Lieut.. J..
B. Bernadou. Ali are slightly
wounded except Patterson, whose
condition is serious.
TIE battle while it lasted was
terrific, The Wilmington and the
Hudson were ahead and opened fire
on the Spanish boats, which were
lying at the docks, they being at a
range of $500 yards. A few min
utes later the Winslow came up and
also opened fire. In an instant the
entire attention CT the Spanish gun
boats and land batteries was directed
upon her From all sides shot and
shell seemed to pour in upon the
little torpedo boat.
The Wilmington and the Hudson
still kept up their fire but they could
not turn aside the terrible storm OF
fire and death pouring in upon the
torpedo boat.
The crew Of the Winslow, however,
never faitered for a second. At 2:3J
D. m, a solid shot crashed into the
hull of the Winslow aud knocked out
her boiler. In an instant she began
t. roll and drift helplessly. Their
there was a moment Of awful sus
pense. A fierce cheer of triumph
went up from the Spaniards on the
punboats and in the batteries, anc
again a storm of fire was opened VI
on the helpless boat.
The Hudson, which was lying
near by, started to the assistance o