The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-29

gun and disabled 1t and the Spaniards could
be seen flying to old MORO for shelter. A
mortar battery then opened fire from the
brow of hill on Caspar Point well back
in the bay and the shells began to fall
around the ship dangerously near. This
battery was out of range of the small guns
of the st. Louis.
The little tug Wampatuck, commanded
by Lieut.. Karl Jungen, then. came up just
ahead of the ship and opened fire with her
one little three-pounder. Quartermaster
Reynolds, one of the famous Jameson raid
ers, fired the gun and did excellent work.
Another battery to the west of the entrance
opened fire, but 1t was silenced after it had
lied a few shots. and the gunners engaged
now turned on the signal station to the
east Of MORO, where the Spaniards had
been engaged in signaling since the begin
shots tore away the roof of the signal
house, and the men stationed there left
without hauling down their last signal.
Seeing that the mortar battery could not
be reached, and that all other batteries had
been silenced, the captain took the ship
out Of range of the mortars and then
stopped and turned to the grapnel. AS the
grapnel appeared al the waters edge the
cable could be seen hanging from two of its
prongs, and a mighty cheer arose from the
officers and crew. who had assembled on
the forecaStle. About two hundred fathomS
of the cable was brought in on deck; then
the ak rose and fell and the work was done,
and nobly done, and each man in the crew
of the st. Louis treasures a piece of that
cable as a souvenir of the battle they found
that day in order to get that cable.
The engagement lasted forty-fve minutes,
the ship lying motionless in the water with
and quarter away; She could not
move without cutting her line and let
ting the cable go, which the captain de-
clined to do. During this time sixty-six
shots were fired from the ST. Louis gun
forward and leg shots from the aft gun,
while the little Wampatuck fired seventy
three shots from her three-pounder.
After cutting the cables at Santiago de
Cuba, Captain Goodrich decided to cut the
French cable that runs from Mole ST. Mich
olas, Haiti, to Guantanamo Cuba, about
thirty miles to the eastward of Santiago.
On the morning after the encounter with the
forts Of Santiago, the st. Louis and the
Wampatuck, on May 10, appeared off Guam
tanamo about daylight, and the Wampa-
tuck. with Lieutenant Jungen in command,
Catlin and eight marines and four seamen
from the st. Louis on board. steamed into the
mouth of the harbor, and, dropping a Crap
pie in eight fathomS of water, proceeded
to drag across the mouth or the harbor for
the cable. About $50 fathomS of line was
run out and soon the cable was hooked in
about fifty fathoms of water About this
time the lookout reported a Spanish gun
boat coming down the harbor, and a signal
was sent to the st. Louis, lying half a mile
outside, but she had already discovered it
and Immediately opened fire with the two
port siX-pounders The Wampatuck then
commenced firing with her one three-pound-
er. The gunboat was, however. out of range
of these small guns and the shells fell short.
The gunbOat now opened fire with four
inch guns, and every shot went WhiStling
over the little Wampatuck and struck in
the water between her and the St.
Louis Being well out of range of the six
Founders, the gunboat was perfectly safe
and she steamed back and forth. firing her
larger gun. For about forty minutes the
tug worked the cable, while the shells
were striking all around her. but she seemed
to bear a charmed life. Captain Goodrich.
seeing that ne could not get the gunboat
within range of his small guns, while that
vessel could easily reach both the ST. Louis
W1mn1tllcK heavier battery
signaled the tug to withdraw. The line was
cut and both vessels steamed out to sea,
on shore were firing at her. Lieutenant Cat
lin then opened up with the Calling gun
mounted aft, and the. Spaniards on shore
could be seen sea ttering and running for
shelter. The French cable was cut the next
morning off Mole st. Nicholas, well outside
island of Cuba entirely from the outside
world.