The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1898-06-23
WRECK AND RUIN.
thursdays sombardment Played Havoc
With l'ortiflcations at Santiago.
The Flag Over MORO Castle Was Half.
Masted for Several Hours-Possibly a
spanish Leader Was Killed or Hob
son and Men Were Murdered.

OFF SANTIAGO DE CUDA, June Is. vi
hIngs'oa. Jamaica, June 9O-A care
ful inspection OF the fertilization
along the crest OF the hills defcndin,
Santiago harbor since the lombard
ment Thursday morning shows tina
NE American gunners spreai wrecl
and ruin everywhere Some of tn,
batteries were demolished beyond re-
pair. The vulturcs which circled or
level wings over the hills as thick n,
swallows around chimney for hour,
after the firing ceased furnished
grucsome evidence of the fatality
among the Spanish soldiers. Hun.
dreds of troops could be seer
from the ships digging in mounds
Of earth piled up 10y the explosions of
tn projectilcS from the heavy guns
for bodies while their heads were
famed 10y the wings Of the black
scavcngers OF the battlefield There
we're two spots, one on the cast and
| the other on the west of the harbor
entrance which were denudcd Of the
foliage. The hill. tops seem literally
blown away. These marked the place,
where the POO pound charges Of gun
cotton blown by the Ncsuyius landed.
But the most ominous token OF death
flew from MORO castle. The saffron
flag of Spain was half masted for ,ey.
cral hours. The significance OF this
Is not known. 1t is not customary to
ha,l mast flags, but possibly some
Spanish leader was killed 10y the heavy
fire Of our guns, though some officers
Of the squadron believe that tine nay
was hall masted as Il mott hcation to
the Americans that Lieut. Hobson and
his brave men were dead
II such is the case they must have
been wantonly murdered The Span.
i>h might seek TO lay their death To the
commandment, but not shot from the
American shirs struck the fortress.
Neither Adm. Sampson nor Commo.
dorc Schlcy believe that Lieut.. Hob.
son and his party have been killed. /
We have II prisoners taken at Guam.
tanano, incIuling a lieutenant, for
reprisals or exchange
There was evident dcmoralization /
among the Spanish troops during the
bonn mbardnent Officers could bc seen
with drawn swords driving the men to .
the guns, but even then they could not
be forced to Stay so long a. our guns
were directed at them. The fifteen
minutes night work OF the Ncsuyiu,
had shattered their nerves. 1t j. be.
lievcd by some that the l5-inch pro-
icctIlc fired from the Texas which was
to have exploded the powder
magazine in one of the western bat.
icricS did not fall in the battery out
went beyond and blew up one Of the
ships in the harbor
y dramatic incident Of the bonn bard.
ncnt was the act of Spanish officer
Who bravcly ran along the parapct
lndcr heavy fire encouraging his
ncn to stan by their guns Shot aud
hell raiucd about him and after one
crriic explosion he wa, seen no more
nd the parlpct had disappeared ii,
ould not have escaped death.
From the foretop Of the Brooklyn
900 yards distant, the men iu the
rounds could be noticed. but min.
tie later dust and lying dcbri, would
axe their places and when the smoke
lcarcd away only spot Of red earth
ouli be >cen-guns and gunncrs had
ccn swept away II wa, the most
cad.v and destructive bombardment
{ the war thu, far Scarcely a >ho!
rom the biz guns Of the squadron
'cnt aStray. The aim OF our gnnnrrS
as superb and not oaly were the
past forts annihilatcd. but the bat
'rics on Cayo Smith. up the harbor,
ere destroyed ,
Had all the ships used smokclcss :
owder Il, did the New Orlcan, there r.
ou.d remain no signs Of guns or FOR. ,
GcationS to indicate that there had ,
yer been any dc'cn>eS there =
There were no casualties in the feet, =.
Though the ships held fixed posi- @,
on as if inviting the SpanIards to fire :
them. The half-strippcd ships gum
cr, never worked with more enthusi-
m. The words OF Rr Adm Sampson
cr, First silence the batteries on
Ic shore and then continue firing un- %
the fortitications arc reduced
This order was strictly obeyed 1t y
as the first time that such instruc- 81
ons had been given and the men re- ,.
ondcd with will In IS minutes u
c order was given to cease firing ard .
c message went 10 each ship from
e admiral We'll done" and the OF.
crs and men turned in for break ?
ST. Every detail of the engagement p,
d been executed to the letter from n
c opening FIRE by the New York TO 50
t last shot from the Iowa The G.
,aniards were evidently surprised d
lilc strengthening their fortifica- d
'ns. n
A Manifesto In Favor of Peace.
MADRID. June 20.-The Spanish pa