The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-08-08
ARMY AND NAVY.
Admiral Simpsons Report
Shows How They Coop
Grated al Santiago.
SIMULTANEOUS ATTACK PROJECT
Results Of the Sinking of the
Reina Mercedes -Capitu-
lation negotiations.
SIMULTANEOUS ATTACK PROJECT

WASHINGTON. Aug. 8, lSsS.--A good
deal of light is thrown upon the relations
between the army and navy during that
critical period just preceding the surrend-
er of Santiago. by the following extracts
from Admiral Simpsons report, dated
July Is, which is now made public by tina
| Navy Department.
On July l. demonstration was made BY
Michigan Volunteer Regiment, at Aqua
dcres under command of General Duffields
The New York Gloucester and Suwanes
moved up at the request of the army TO
assist in an attack which was begun at
| daylight, but the troop, which came by
rail- did not arrive until $40
The small river San Juan cuts through
! a deep deile and is spanned by an iron
railroad bridge There is an ancient fort
| near the water and on The hill two small
rifle pits. Some sixteen or twenty OF fhe
enemy had been encountered while wait
| ing for the troops, but disappeared when
the ships began firing. The troops ad-
vanced as far as the bridge. A corner Of
| the fort was knocked off by the shells
of the navy and the flagstaff was shot
away. Desultory firing was kept up be-
tween our troops and the Spanish, tbs
! troops returning TO Siboney about half
past ten.
On the evening of July 1 the Admiral
was advised by General Shafter that the
army would assault at daylight on the
| second and the navy was requested to
keep up a fire at the batteries on the
bluff The squadron consequently closed
in early on the morning of the second and
kept up a vigorous fire for two hours, but
| the attack proposed by General Shafter
! did not take place on that day.
On the night of July l the RENE Mer-
cedes was sunk by the Spaniards so as
to obstruct the ships. Extensive shore
/ batteries existed, and II smaller vessels
had been sent in and sunk by the mines
/ or batteries, the harbor would have been
effectually closed against US.
/ 1t was essential to the new scheme OF
| attack of the combined forces that the
| position occupied by the eastern and
| western batteries should be carried, and
| this was the scheme of action first pro-
| posed by General Shafter on the day OF
his first arrival. 1t was at that time ex-
planned to him that It was of primary I'M
4 portance that these points should first
be carried, as their possession insured the
destruction of the mines, the entrance OF
| heavy ships into the harbor ana the as
/ sault on Cervepa's fleet.
| This was heartily consented to py Gem
! eral Shafter, who stated that the entrance
to the harbor was the key TO the situation
i This was repeated in his interview WITH
| General Garcia at Acerradores
\ 1t had been the Admiral's desire to do
everything possible to cooperate with
! that proposed by the General was IN
4 complete accord with the views. held BY
the Admiral and discussed with ms stan.
| 1t was proposed to bring up the marines
! from Guantanamo and add them TO the
/ marines of the squadron thus making
/ force of nearly a thousand men which
Moro in Estrella Cove, to assault the
/ MORO, or to the westward for the purpose
same time detaching force OF two or
/ three thousand men from the army and
| proceeding by Aguadores, occupy the
/ ground between the MORO and that just
1 to the northward OF II:
/ A visit to General Shafter was arranged,
but the Admiral being i'll, his chief of stan
went instead. The following arrangement
was made
camp Near san Juan River, Cuba, July
| 6, 1898.
Captain Chadwick. of the Navy, repre-
sentlng Admiral Sampson and General
! Shafter
be made of Santiago from the sea. with
| the heavier guns of the fleet. the fleet
| firing slowly and continually during say
4 twenty -four hours at the rate OF one shell
1 every five minutes, excepting one hour
at the rate of one every two minutes.
4 This refers to the S-inch to l3-inch Shells
| If this be not sufficient to bring the enemy
to terms that an assault be arranged on
4 tho Socapa battery, using marines and
the Cuban forces under General Se-
breco, and an effort made to enter
| tho harbor with some Of the
smaller ships of the squadron. This at
tack to be made upon knowing the re-
suit of second demand made upon tina
commanding officer OF the Spanish forces
for the surrender of the place, stating to
him the conditions that surround him;
destruction of the Spanish fleet, etc, etc.
and the number of forces opposed TO him.
To give him time to consider the matter,
the date of the bombardment is fixed at
noon of the 9th unless he positively re-
fuses to consider it at all, when 1t will
begin at such time as it is convenient
nish the Admiral with correct maps
showing where his lines viii be surround
ng Ths eiy D aPa br also 5 open feegapne
down 10 near Aguadores to give informal
ton as to the falling Of shots.
This was followed by the following cor
Headquarters Fifth Army Corps, Camp
near San Juan River, Cuba, July G. 1898.
Spanish forces Santiago de Cuba
.Sir-In view of the events Of the third
excellency certain propositions to which
trust your excenency viii give the con-
sideration which in my opinion they de-
~ enclose a bulletin OF the engages
nent OF Sunday morning which resulted
in the complete destruction of Admiral
fieers and men and tho capture of the re-
mainder. The Admiral, General Paredes
and all others who escaped alive are now
prisoners on board the Harvard and St
Louis and the latter ship In which are
the Admiral General Paredes and the sur
viving captains tall except the Captain Of
has already sailed for the United States.
II desired by you, this may be confirmed