Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1898-07-23
VICTORY At NIPE BAY !
A Spanish GunbOat Sunk and
the FOTtifCatiOnS Destroyed.
Cuban Insurgents Attack Surren-
dered Troops and are Defeated.
Gen. Brooke ahd Thousands Of Troops
EnrOule TO Porto Rico.
BIG HOTEL AT GALVESTON BURNED.

Key West, July 23-The United States
gunboats Topeka, Annapolis, Wasp and
lleyden sileneed the Spanish fortified
tions In Nipe bay on the Northern coast
OF the province Of Santiago dc Cuba on
Thursday, and sank the Spanish gunbOat
Juan Jorge, which lay In the hafb0r.
Her crew escaped In small bOats. under
A heavy Gre from the Leyden. The four
hips mentioned pounded the forts an
h0ur when the Spanish flag was hauled
down. The Americans did not lose q
man. The Spanish lOss must have been
heavy.
The Wasp and Leyden being the small.
est Of the quartette, led the way, followed
by the Annapolis. while the Topeka,
which carried a heavier battery, brought
up the rear. The channel leading into
the harbOr was very narrow. On bluff
10 the right called GRlory point, was
fort and signal station. As the Ameri.
can ships entered the Spanlards
we're signaling in lively fash.
ion. apparently notifying the Span.
ish ships in the harbor which
we're the Jorge Juan mot Juan JOrge)
two smaller gunbOats and the RrmOred
launch before mentioned. As the Wasp
and Leyden rounded the point the fort
tired dozen shots, none OF which, how
ever, fell near them. The Topeka re.
turned the fire with three FOUNDERS. Al
most Immediately the Spaniartis deserted
the fort and ran, while the Topeka con
tinued 10 send shells into them. Rifle
men on the beach returned the Gre with
few wild shots, but they too we're quick.
ly dispersed by the Topeka's smaller
Uuna Tho Tonaka oluo nrod tsyo torna
does. A small fort 10 the left OF the chan
nel fred on the American ships, but was
silenced as easily as the other.
Meanwhile the Wasp and Leydan had
taken up position In the northwestern
portion OF the harbor and opened fire
across the water at Jorge Juan which lay
TO the southeast In front OF the town OF
Mayari. Her position was about a mile
and quarter from the beach Behind
her third fort stood on an eminenee
This fort opened on the Wasp and Ley
den. As the Annapolis and Topeka came
up the Spanish gunbOat Joined In the
light and a general battle followed. The
Topeka anchored In the middle harbOr,
about 1000 yards from the Jorge Juan
and the other three American bOata
drew up on either side and formed semi.
biiOiu. Auo hAntil luhht ClVotu lu VII int
Spanish ships, pouring In a destructive
tire and on the fort behind.
The Topeka sent inch shells crashing
into the Jorge Juan at such rate that
she sank within twenty minutes. When
the firing became heavy the officers and
crew OF the Spaniards put of Ia small
boats and made for the shore under a
heavy fire and escaped into the woods.
Two shots from the TOpekais bow gun
fired on elevation OF $500 yards, dropped
square into the Mayari fort and the
Spanish pennants disappeared and a
white tag was run up. This ended a
short but one OF the most vicious battles
OF the war. The harbOr was found 20 be
we'll mined and two mines exploded, one
about 100 yards of the Topeka's bows
and the other 200 yards from her por,
quarters.
The Jorge Juan was a three masted.
one funnel ship OF go tons and 100
horse power. She was 800 feet long, 80
feet wide and ~ feet draft She carried
crew OF lag men. Her battery was
heavier than the TOpeka's The captain
OF the Topeka is W. s. COwles, a brother.
in law OF Col. Roosevelt.