Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1898-06-10
GREAT EXECUTION DONE.

OCF oANVlA0O DE NO6As OUAo " vAo
Kingston, Jamaica, June 8.-The
American feet this morning engaged
the Spanish batteries defending the
entrance of the harbor Of Santiago de
Cuba and after q three hours bonn
bardment silenced nearly all the forts.
destroyed several earthworks and rem.
dered the Estrella and Cave batteries,
the two principal fertilization, useless.
The feet formed in double% column
about six miles off MORO castle at 7
o'clock in the morning and steamed
about :, 000cyards to sea, the Brooklyn
leading, followed by the Marblehead,
Texas and Massachusetts, and turned
westward. The second line, the New
York leading, with the New Orleans,
Yankee, Iowa and Oregon turned east
ward.
The Iowa Opens the Game.
The line headed by the New York
attacked the new earthworks . near
Moro castle. The Brooklyn column
took up station. opposite Estrella and
Catalina and the new earthworks along
the shore. Suddenly the Iowa fred q
1s-inch shell, which struck the base Of
Estrella battery and tore up the works.
Instantly firing began from both Rear
Admiral Simpsons and Commodore
Schley's columns and torrent Of shells
from the ships fell upon the Spanish
works.
The Spaniards replied promptly, but
their artillery work was of q very poor
quality and most of their shots went
wide. Smoke settled around the ships
in dense clouds, rendering accurate
aiming difficult. There was no
,maneuvering Of the feet. the ships re-
naming at their original stations and
firing steadily.
Ordered to Spare Moro Castle.
Previous to the bombardment orders
were issued to prevent firing on MORO
castle as the American admiral had
been informed that Lieutenant Hobson
and the other prisoners Of the Merri.
mao are confined there. In spite of
this, however, several stray shots dam.
aged Moro castle somewhat.
Commodore Schley's line moved
closer in shore, firing at shorter range.
The Brooklyn and Texas caused wild
havoc among the Spanish shore bat
teries, quickly silencing them. While
the larger ships were engaging the
heavy batteries the Suwanee and the
Vixen closed with the small inshore
battery opposite them raining rapid fire
shots upon it and quickly placing the
battery out of the fight.
The Brooklyn closed to 800 yards and
then the destruction caused by her guns
and those Of the Marblehead and Texas
was really awful. {
p Estrslls Battery silsncsd.
In few minutes the woodwork Of
Estrella fertilization was in flames and
the battery was silanoed, firing no
more during the engagement. q East
ward the New York and New Orleans
silenoed the Cave battery in quick or
der and then shelled the earthworks
higher up. Later the practice was not
80 accurate owing to the elevation OF
the guns Shortly, after . the firing
ceased, the warships turning in order
to permit the use Of the port batteries.
The firing then became q long, .rever-
berating crash of thunder and the
shells rahed tho Spanish batteries with
terrible effect Fire broke ont in Gaia.
lima fort; and .silsnced the Spanish
guns. The firing Of the feet continued
until 10 o CLOCK, when the Spanish fire
ceased entirely and Admiral Sampson
hoisted the s'cease firing" signal.
Fra Was Very Dsstruotsvs.
The fire Of the feet was very de-
structlve. many or the eartnworxs
were knocked TO pieces, and tho Els.
trella and Catalina Notifications were
10 damaged that it is questionable
whether they will ever be able to re-
new any effective work during the
war.
Throughout the entire engagement
no American ship was hit and no
American was injured. go
If the Spaniards stuck to their guns,
and all evidence is to the contrary,
their loss must have been heavy.