The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-05

StOrmed and Taken-One of the
Most Complete Triumphs of British
Arms.
From the New York Sun.
If we are TO have a war with Spain, and
an invasion of Cuba by United States
forces, il will not be the first time that
this country has furnished troops for the
capture of Havana.
In 1862, soon after the declaration of war
between England and Spain, the British
government dispatched an expedition
against Havana. The land forces were
commanded by Lord Albemarle civilian
Anne KeppeD, the victor of Culloden,
and the feet by Admiral Sir George Pc
cock, who had recently returned from a
brilliant campaign in the East Indies. The
expedition, as organized, was to consist
of 5000 men, of which Lord Albemarle
carried with him 1900 British regulars.
Eight thousand were to be furnished from
the British forces then in the West In,
dies under Gen. Monckton and 1900 from
the continent of North America. OF these
1900 were to be British regulars and 1000
provincial troops.
The fleet left Spithead March 6, and
upon its arrival was reinforced by the
feet Their under Rodneys command, and
soon after, on its way to Cuba, by Capt.
Hervey's squadron. Monckton's troops
joined Albermarle at Martinique and the
land forces were augmented to II, 351.
| The English fleet arrived off Havana
| on June 6. Here Pocock divided his fleet
| With the larger division he sailed down
| the coast past Havana. On the next day
| he manned his boats and made prepara-
! tions apparently for landing at a point
about four miles west of Havana. But
this was a mere feint to distract the at
tention of the Spanish while the actual
landing was made by the other division
under Commodore Augustus Keppel
| brother of Lord Albemarle, about six miles
east of Havana. Here the army was land
| ed in three divisions, commanded respects
| lively by Lieut.. Gen. Elliott, Maj. Gen.
| Keppel, another brother Of Lord Abe
marie and Brig. Gen William Howe, al
terward the Lord Howe of our revolu-
ton. With this force was also Col. Guy
Carleton, who, as Sir Guy Carleton, sur
rendered New York city to Gen. Washing
ton in 1888. On this occasion he distin-
guished himself by his gallantry in repel-
ling charge made by the Spanish cavalry
upon the landing forces.
Commodore Keppel gives this account of
the landing: r-.r-
Sat an appointed signal the flat-bot-
toned boats containing the troops repair
ed to their respective rendezvous under
the sterns of the line of battleships, whose
| captain conducted them to the shore
| While the embarkation was going on the
enemy made a show of resistance from
| breastwork which they had thrown up.
| Upon this Commodore Keppel directed the
Mercury and Bonnetta to pour their fire
into them, and they were soon put 10
| flight. A more considerable body of men
making their appearance, he ordered Capt,
Hervey to run in and batter a fort stu
| ated at the mouth of the Bocca Mao,
which in the course of an hour he COM
| pletely silenced, and the army landed with
out further molestation."
He thus describes the defences of Ha-
vana at that time:
1.-THE harbor of Havana. which is spa
cious enough to contain a hundred sail of
the line, is defended by two strong forts.
The principal of these, the Moro, built
| upon a narrow point of land, is inaecessi-
| BILE from the sea. To the east it is fortified
| by several works and by a deep ditch, half
| of which Is cut out of the solid rock. On
the opposite entrance of the harbor stands
Fort de la Punta; further in and on a level
with the water is a strong battery mount
ing twelve guns, called The Twelve Apos-
tles,' and higher up a work opposite the
Point Gate called The Shepherds Bat
| terry Above these are the Cavannos, a
chain of hills which range from the Moro
to the plains of Gunamacoa. chain OF
/ bastions and other works defend the town
| to the west"
The landing having been successfully &C.
complished, one division of the army I'M
| T,s 1,.aIt 80 H.,
to invest the Moro castle and the fortif-
cations on that side of the harbor. Gen.
Howe's division was assigned to the in
Vestment of the Castle del Punta, while
Gen. Elliott, with the center division, cut
off the city from all communications with
the interior of the island
The British commanders at once com.
menced the erection of batteries at the
most advantageous points on the line OF
investment. This was accomplished under
great difficulties. The troops were unaccus-
toned to the heat of a Cuban summer, the
water was scarce and very bad, there was
great wait of fresh provisions, and the
army soon began TO show signs of epidemic
disease. At one time there were 5000 sol
diers and 5000 seamen on the sick list
Fortunately, Albemarle had brought witt
him from Martinique about 1900 negroes
apd these performed the greater part Of
the work of throwing up breastworks and
erecting batteries. In spite of all obstacles
il was pushed on as rapidly as possible
and on June 30, the batteries bearing OF
the Moro were completed, and the mex
morning a tremendous cannonade wa.
opened upon the Spanish fort.
Admiral Pocock. anxious to cooperate witt
the land forces, directed Commodore Keep
pei, TO send part of his feet to bombarC
the MORO on the sea side, hoping thus Il
divide the attention of the enemy and pre-
vent the concentration of his fire upon tn
batteries. It was a dangerous undertaking
Keppel says:
THE ships proceeded to their stations
Capt Campbell, in the Sterling Castle, wa
ordered to lead but his courage failed him
The three other ships the Dragon, Mari
borough and Cambridge, anchored close il
with the shore and laid their broadside
against the fort. For six hours they KEEP
up an unlntermitting fire. Early in tn
engagement Capt. Goosetry of the Cam
bridge was killed"
Capt. Heryey. in announcing to Keppel
Capt. Goosetry's death. wrote:
II am nnluckily aground, but my gun
bear. / cannot perceive their fire TO slack
en-. l have many men hor
| de combat now and officers wounded. mn