Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1898-08-17
COULD NOT DO IT
Spaniards Try to Retake San
Juan Lighthouse.
oARRIsoNED BY 40 JAcKIEs.
This Small Force of Americans At.
tackled by 500 Well Armed
Spaniards.

I'll Sdpc SdH aug la IOTCc
of 800 Spanish soldiers made a desper-
ate attempt to retake the lighthouse on
Cape San Juan early in the morning.
They were repulsed by a heavy fire
from American warships and by gal
liant charge of sailors fighting on shore.
The Spanish loss in killed and wounded
was very heavy. After the Americans
gained possession of the lighthouse re-
Gently 1t was garrisoned by forty sailors
from the monitor Amphitrite. This
force was commanded by Lieutenant
Atwater. The other officers at the light
house were Assistant Engineer Jenkins.
Ensign Blonson and Gunner Campbell.
The attack by the Spaniards was begun
shortly after midnight. They advanced
from Rio Grande and Luquillo along
the road leading from the city of San
Juan, retaking Fajardo and hauling
down the American flag, which had been
flying over that town for several days.
Then the Spaniards moved rapidly along
the coast road toward the right.
With Mausers and Machine Gun.
On approaching Cape San Juan light
house they opened on our men with
Mausers and a machine gun. The
American sailors responded with steady
volleys from their carbines, but the
Spaniards continued to advance in over
whelming numbers, evidently intending
to carry the lighthouse by storm. Be-
fore the Spaniards, however, could COW
er the distance, the cruiser Cincinnati,
which lay near shore, was sweeping
the invaded coast with her searchlights
and had opened on the enemy with her
6-inch firing guns. These quickly
stopped the Spanish advance. The
Amphitrite also began to hunt for Span
iards with her searchlights and to
throw among them shots from her six
Founders. The little tug Leyden ran
in close to shore, and her one FOUNDERS
Joined in the battle. The firing con-
tinued for two hours, the Spanish
troops shielding themselves as best they
could from the deadly hail coming from
the warships. The little garrison in the
lighthouse kept its carbines busy, but
1t was too weak for a sortie against
the skulking enemy.
Reinforcements Landed.
At last, however, $50 sailors were
landed from the three American war
Spaniards, so that by daybreak the enc
my was retreating. With shots from
the warships flying about their ears
and the yelling jackes swarming after
them they were sent whirling down the
coast road once more. past Fajardo and
on toward Luquillo. That ended the
battle. The inhabitants of Fajardo are
in mortal terror of the Spaniards, who
rao rI
have permitted the American flag to
wave over their town. They fled from
their homes to save their lives when the
Spanish soldiers marched in upon them.
After the rout of the Spaniards the
frightened villagers would not return to
their houses, but rushed to the seashore
and begged the protection of the Amer
leans. AS it was clear that their lives
would be in peril at Fajardo. every man,
woman and child was taken on board
the Leyden. which then steamed away
with them to Ponce. Farjardo is now
completely deserted.
Spaniards Suffer Heavy Loss.
The battle of Cape San Juan was dis
astrous for the Spaniards One hum
dred dead bodies were strewn along the
shore where the enemy had fought and
then retreated. In the final rout they
left behind them the machine gun and
many rifles and ammunition boxes,
which were thrown away while the
Spaniards were running for their lives.
Not one American was killed. but Ca
Diet William H. Boardman Of Lawrence,
Mass, was so badly wounded that he
will die. Three Chicago boys were In
the lighthouse during the battle. They
are z. ]. Strubeir, w. J. Leonard and
o. Oleson. all Of the Amphitrite. None
Of the three was hurt. 1t was deemed
prudent to withdraw the garrison from
the lighthouse. but 1t still flies the
American flag and is guarded from
Spanish attacks by the guns Of the
Amphitrite. The Cincinnati has gone
to San Juan for blockade duty and the
Leyden has not yet returned from her
trip to Port Of Ponce with the Fajardo
refugees