The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-19
THE BATTLE OF SAN JUAN.
Details of the BOmbardment of the
City's Qualifications.
(c.opyricht. 1895 byf the Associated Press.)

copyright 1898. bsr the Associated Press)
KEY WEST, Fla, May 1S.-The Daunt-
| less. dispatch boat of the Associated Press
| arrived here this morning and brought the
| first detailed account of the bombardment
| of San Juan de Puerto Rico by a portion
| of the fleet under the command of Rear
| Admiral Sampson on May u last The
| American war ships sustained only trivial
| injury and lost but one man killed. After
| the engagement the north end of Moro
| Castle was in ruins, the Cabras island fort
| was sienced and the San Carlos battery
was damaged
| No shots were aimed at the city and it
| is not known whether any damage was done
| there Spaniards at ST. Thomas claim that
| a schoohouse was struck and that the mas
| ter and his pupils were killed but this is
not thought likely, as the bombardment
took place early in the morning and the
schoolchildren probably were not in the
| building at the time.
The plans of the Notifications furnished
to the fleet were very misleading. 1t was
known that the Spanish forts had recently
been strengthened with new guns, but other
facts developed which showed miscalcula-
tions by those who drew the plans. Ref
ugees in St. Thomas told the correspond
ents who touched there after the engage
ment that the Spaniards thought the forts
at San Juan were stronger than those Of
Havana.
The United States fleet left Key West on
| May to intercept and destroy the Span
ish fleet which had left the Cape Verde
islands This was the only information the
United States Navy Department and Ad-
miral Sampson had on the subject. Our
ships steamed slowly east and on May
were off Cape Haitien, Republic of Haiti
Attempts were made there to obtain in
| formation regarding the whereabouts of the
| Spaniards but no definite knowledge was
| obtained.
Early in the morning of May II Admiral
| Simpsons ships approached San Juan, the
| American consul at Cape Haitien having
| informed the admiral that he had heard a
| report that thirteen Spanish war ships had
| been seen heading for Porto Rico The city
| of San Juan is situated in long, narrow
| pocket. A tongue of high land separates
| it from the ocean. The entrance of the
| harbor is easily defended and the same can
| be said of the headlards of the lofty Cabras
| island, which lies in the throat of the pas
| sage. These headlands had been fortified
| by the Spaniards, but they did not prove
| in any way dangerous to our ships The
| town of San Juan is on the ocean side of
|
| high hills. To reach the city ships must
pass MORO Castle and the battery of San
| Carlos, situated on promontory at the
entrance Of the harbor; beside they must
| pass the Canuelo battery of Cabras island
| The attack on the forts was planned so
| that our war ships could be in position to
meet the Spanish vessels should they
| emerge from the harbor.
| THE PLAN OF ACTION
| Following was the official plan of action
issued to the American fleet: 1.-THE SQUAD
ron will pass near Salinas Point and then
steer east, to pass just outside the reefs off
Cabras island. The column is to be formed
as follows: The Iowa, flagship; Indiana.
New York, Amphitrite and Terror The
Detroit is to go ahead Of the Iowa, distant
1000 yards. The Wampatuck to keep. on the
Iowa's starboard bow, distant 500 yards.
The Detroit and Wampatuck to sound con-
stantly after land is closed and to iromedi-
ately signal If ten fathoms or less is OBJ
tanned, showing at night a red light over
the stern and at daytime red flag aft The
Montgomery TO remain in the rear of the
column. stopping outside the fire of MORO.
and on the lookout for torpedo boat de-
stroyers IL Fort Canuelo fires she is to
silence il The Porter will take station un-
der cover of the Iowa on the port side. The
Niagara to remain westward off Salinas
Point
while approaching. sharp lookout is to
be kent an the coast between Salinas Point
and Cabras island for torpedo boat de-
stroyers. When near Cabras, one-half mile