Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-06-08
SAMPSON SENDS
A CONFIRMATION.
Continued from First Page.

Jectiles are said to have been fired
by the American warships, and it
seems that the responsive fire from
the Spanish forts and ships was
scarcely felt at all by the Ameri-
cans.
The Notifications near the en-
trance Of the harbor are described
as being riddled with solid shot
and shattered by the explosion of
the immense shells fired by the
American battleships. The Span
ish batteries are understood to have
been virtually slenced and FL
MORO and the Notifications at
Punta Gorda are reported to have
been demolished by the three
hours uninterrupted hammering
of the American feet.
The American attack is said to
have been specially directed
against Aguadores, a small coast
town little to the east of the en-
trance Of Santiago bay. The idea
of the American admiral, it ap-
pears, was to land troops and siege :
guns there, after reducing the de-
lenses of the place, and thence
make a close assault upon Santi-
ago, which, in view of the present
condition OF its Notifications, may
be expected to yield very soon after
the beginning of such an attack.
Heavy cannonading was opened
upon Aguadores at about midday
yesterday.
The latest advices received here
from Spanish sources do not indi-
cate the duration of the fire or whe-
Their American troops and siege
guns were actually landed at Aqua
dores, but, from the information
obtainable it cannot be doubted that
the net result Of Mondays fighting
was extremely disastrous to the
Spanish defenses.
1t is also understood here that
the Cuban troops maintained
throughout the greater part of yes
terday an attack by land on Santi-
ago, and the Spanish reports say
the garrison lost heavily in killed
and wounded
The military commander of San
tiago de Cuba acknowledges the fol-
lowing casualties among the land
forces: Col. Ordonez, Capt Sanchez,
Lieut.. Yrizar, of the artillery and
Perez and Garcia, both Spanish Of
ficers, whose rank is not mentioned.
These officers were killed. The
Spaniards admit the loss of q in
fantry soldiers severely wounded,
and say one soldier was killed. But
it is believed the losses of the Span
iards were much heavier
In the naval force the Spaniards
in command of the partly disman-
tied Spanish cruiser Reina Mer-
cedes and FIVE sailors and an ensign
were killed. The Spanish sailors
wounded, it is asserted, number 16
men.
The loss on the American side,
the Santiago report says, is not
known
The Spaniards acknowledge that
a great deal Of damage was lnfiict-
ed on the Spanish cruiser Reina
Mercedes and they say Moro Cas-
tie shows great, gaping breaches in
its walls.
Later In the day, 1t appears a
landing of American troops was eff
fected near Daiquiri some distance
east of Aguadores, and near the
railroad station connecting with
Santiago. Later an engagement
took place between the American
force and a column of Spanish
troops which had been sent against
the landing party. The accounts of
the battle obtainable here, being
from Spanish sources, do not set
forth the result and therefore it is
to be inferred that the Americans
were victorious, and that is the be-
lief which prevails here.
There is a report current at Cape
Haytien that the first class ar1nor-
ed cruiser Maria Teresa was sunk
yesterday by the fire Of the Ameri-
can ships.
1t is said that only 500 American
troops were landed at Daiquiri or
possibly at Aquadores, the two
places being seemingly confused in
the reports received here. 1t seems
to be admitted that the fire of the
American soldiers was so effective
that the Spaniards were compelled
to flee from the Notifications they
were defending.
Later reports show that Ordonez,
Captain Sanchez, Lieut.. Yrizar, of
the artillery, and Seniors Perez and
Garcia officers whose rank is not
mentioned, are only severely