The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-06-08
.'IlHE FORTS =.
SILENCED.
Vigorous Attack on the De-
fences at Santiago.
4g-e
OUR SHIPS FIRED STEADILY.
A Torrent Of Shells Fell Upon the
Spanish Works..

a 4fFeuG VI DutllS Ieli opVu bnu
Spanish Works. I
=.
MARINES PROBABLY LANDED.
-
Previous to the Bombardment Orders Wcrc
Issued to Avoid Firing on MORO Castle,
as Lieutenant Hobson and His Brave Com
panions Are There Conflned-The Brook
lyn Approached to Within Eight Hun
dred Yards Of a Spanish Battery--Tho
Spanish Fire Failed to Strike Our Ships.
Kingston, Jamaica, June 8.-Tho
american fleet Monday morning en-
Eaged the Spanish batteries defending
the entrance of the harbor of Santiago
de Cuba, and after three hours bonn
bardment silenced nearly all the forts.
destroyed several earthworks and rem
dered the Estrella and Cave batteries,
the two principal fortihcations, use
+ less. - p
!, The feet formed in double column,
nix miles of MORO Castle, at 6 o'clock
In the morning, and steamed slowly
5000 yards off shore, 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 following,
turned eastward.
The Vixen and Suwanee were far out
On the left flank watching the rifemen
On shore. The Dolphin and Porter did
uimilar duty on the right flank. The
line headed by the New York attacked
the new earthworks near MORO Castle
The Brooklyn column took up sta
tion opposite the Estrella and Cata-
lima batteries and the new earthworks
along the shore.
The Spanish batteries remained ST.
lent. It is doubtful whether the Span
Iards were able to determine the char
RI acter of the movement, owing to the
dense fog and heavy rain. Suddenly
the Iowa fired IL inch shell, which
struck the base. Of he Estrella bat
terry and tore up the works.
Instantly firing began from both col
umns, and torrent of shells from the
ships fell upon the Spanish works.
The Spaniards replied promptly, but
kheir shots went wide. Smoke settled
around the ships in dense clouds, rem
Herring accurate aiming difficult. There
was no maneuvering of the fleet, the
ships remaining at their original sta
tians and firing steadily. The squad
.ron were so close In shore that 1t was
icult for the American gunners to
reach the batteries on the hill tops,
but their firing was excellent
Previous to the bombardment orders
were issued to prevent firing on Moro
Castle, as the American admiral had
been informed that Lieutenant Hob
BON and the other prisoners of the
Merrimac are confined there. In spite
Of this, however, several stray shots
damaged 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
tcries, quickly silencing them. While
the larger ships were engaging tho
heavy batteries the Suwanee and the
Vixen closed with the small in-shore
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. In few min
utes the woodwork of the Estrella fort
was burning and the battery was ST.
fenced, firing no more during the en-
gagement.
Eastward the New York and New
Orleans silenced the Cave battery in
quick order. and then sbelled the
Barthworks located higher up.
Later the practice was not SO accu-
rate, owing to the elevation of the
guns. Many of the shells struck, how
syer, and the Spanish gunners retired
Shortly after 8 o'clock the firing
ceased, the warships turning in order
to permit the use of their port bat.
feries. The firing was then resumed
and became long, reverberating crash
of thunder and the shells raked the
Spanish batteries with terrible effect
TIM H., H. T,tn ltpn fNr
and silenced the Spanish guns there.
The firing of the fleet continued un'
til 10 o'clock, when the Spanish fire
ceased entirely and Rear Admira
Sampson hoisted the cease firing" sig
nal.
Generally the fire Of the fleet wa:
very destructive. Many of the earth
works were knocked to pieces and thu
Estralla and Catalina Notifications
were so damaged that it is questioned
whether they will ever be able to re
new any effective work during thu
war.
After the fleet had retired the Span
lArds returned to some of their gun
and sent IL shells after the fleet, bu
no one was injured. One large shel
fell close to the collier Justin.
Throughout the engagement NJ
American ship was hit and no Ameri
can was injured.
II the Spaniards stuck to their guns
and all evidence is to. 81 contrary
their loss must have been very heavy