The herald., 1898-04-25
EIRsT FULL ACCOUNTS
OF THE FIRST SHOT AND THE
FIRST PRIZE
CANNONADE BY MORR0 CASTLE
Only Serves to Rouse Contempt of the
Yankee Gunners Fired at
But Not Hit
associated Press Special Wire

WITH THE FLEET, OFF HAVANA
fon board the U. S. flagship New York;.
April 22.-(Copyright 1898, by the Associ-
ated Press.) A few minutes after O'clock
this (Friday) morning the signal was
flashed from the flagship to get under way,
and at 4:25 the capstan was hauling up the
anchor.
Dawn was breaking as the gray war
ships crept out from Key West harbor
and took their designated places in line.
Rear Admiral Sampson, in command OF
the fleet paced the quarter deck briskly.
and on the New York's forward bridge
stood Captain Chadwick, in command of
as fine an armored cruiser as ever led a
fleet. With him were Lieutenant-Com-
mander Potter, Lieutenant Roller, the nav
igating officer, and Ensign Brumby. On
the after bridge were Assistant Chief-of-
Staff Staunton, Flag Lieutenant Bennett
and Cadet Austin. Ensign Brumby and
Cadet Austin were two aides.
The capstan creaked and groaned as it
dragged the anchor from its bed, where it
had been lying since the day after the
battleship Maine was blown up in Havana
harbor. There was no confusion, no shout
ing and no singing. When, at 4:55, Captain
Chadwick gave the order to go ahead, the
clang Of the engine bell could be heard all
over the ship.
At slow speed, the flagship leading, the
fighting squadron, in column, took south
west course and Key West faded out of
sight.
About fifteen miles off Key West, be-
tween Z and a. M, tramp steamer was
sighted bearing down on the feet and
off the cruiser Nashvilles quarter. The
steamer hoisted Spanish flag, whereupon
the Nashville promptly signaled her to
stop. The Spaniard paid no attention to
the signal and continued on her way at
full speed. The Nashville put shot across
her bows; this also had no effect. But
in a minute puff of smoke curled out from
the Nashville, and the first shot of the
war, fired in earnest, sped close to the
Spanish steamer. A second later down
came the Spanish flag and the steamer
hove to. The steamer turned out to be
the Buena Ventura of Bilbao. She was
boarded from the Nashville. The fleet
stopped, and after hurried investigation
the Nashville was ordered to take her prize
back to Key West. 1t was not very i'm
portant capture, nor was it an exciting en-
gagement but the incident added greatly
to the enthusiasm prevailing among the
rank and file of the fleet.
At a. m. Admiral Sampson hoisted
rear admirars flag, and as the two white
stars on blue ground appeared salutes
were fired. Captain Evans headed the bat
tleship Iowa nearer the flagship, and
his crew joined in giving three rousing
cheers for the admiral. The ships fol-
owed each other in a well-kept line through
the dark blue waters of the gulf, the guns
shining brightly in the sunlight. The scene
resembled more the peaceful evolutions at
Hampton roads than the menacing prog
ress of death-dealing force.
It was almost impossible to realize that
this was war. Orders were quickly given
and as quickly carried out. Neither Off
GERS nor men showed the slightest trace
of excitement. Rear Admiral Sampson
strolled up and down the starboard
side of the quarter deck, while on the port
side the officers off duty smoked and chat
ted as unconcernedly as If in a harbor
The fighting squadron arrived safely off
Havana tonight. Before the vessels took
up their positions in the blockade line two
prizes were captured. One was taken un-
der the shadow of Cuba's coast, and one
was seized fifteen miles south Of Key West
There were no casualties on either side.
and the first day Of the war proved salts
factory to our forces-more so, in fact.
than was expected.
The trip from Key West was made over
smooth seas, with gentle breeze blowing
and the sun Shining brightly.
The warships Of the United States now
lie off Havana harbor, in sight of Moro
castle light. At this hour of writing Is
m) no shots have been fired from the
land.
The flagship New York captured the
Spanish tramp steamer Pedro of Bilbao
between Matanzas and Havana at o'clock
this evening, and put prize crew on her.
The Pedro is now on her way to Key West.
Two shots We're fired at her, after an ex-
citing chase.
The German steamer Remus, from Ha-
vana, was also stopped and boarded, and
subsequently released. Intense enthusiasm
has been aroused throughout the fleet by
the capture Of the prizes.