The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-07-08
PART PLAYED BY THE FLEET
Castle aud Other Forts at the
Entrance to thc Harbor Pounded TO

Copyright by Associated Press.)
OFF Santiago de Cuba, July 2. via
Port Antonio, Jamaica, and Kingston,
Jamaica, Sunday. July 3, 3:45 a. M
The men of the flag ship New York
were a pretty tired lot after nine
hours fighting yesterday, when they
turned out at 4 o'clock this morning.
AT 5 O'Clock the feet went to general
quarters. The knowledge that MORO
Castle was not to be spared created
much interest and the greatest salts
faction among the gunners.
Rear Admiral Sampson said TO the
correspondent of the Associated Press
shortly before the firing commenced:
General Shafter sent me word last
night that the batteries at the south
OF the harbor had fired on his troops.
| am almost certain that General Shat
ter is mistaken, as all our information
shows that no guns peal shoreward.
However, Thought it best to lombard
again today. 1t will be useful. and
have a moral effect that will assist the
army"
With the flag ship New York lead
ing the eastern end of the crescent of
ships the fleet steamed inshore two
thousand yards from Moro until in a
position to enfilade 9th the eastern
batteries.
At SAG the firing commenced. The
sea was smooth, and a light breeze
was blowing.
For the first ten minutes the marks
manship of the American INNER was
splendid, n of the eastern batteries
being so badly punished that not a
shot was fired from it during the en-
gagement. A few small shells from
the western batteries dropped around
the ships, but hit nothing.
The terrific fusillade of heavy shells
from all the battleships of the
United States navy silenced the fire
from the shore in short order. One
particularly good shot from the flag
ship New York sent a gun on one of
the eastern batteries flying high into
the air, and enormous clouds of earth
and debris rose all around MORO.
The smoke from the ships drifted from
east to west, and at $50 the firing had
become slower and more deliberate.
The Indiana, Oregon and Massachu-
sets were signalled to go right in
front of the harbor to shell the Punta
Gorda batteries inside along the cas-
tern arm. They steamed to within a
thousand yards of the shore. The
Oregon took a shot at MORO Castle,
and down came the Spanish flag. At
sight of this splendid piece of marks
manship the crews of the different
ships cheered enthusiastically for sew
eral minutes.
The three battle ships then kept up
an incessant fire on the Punta GOrda
batteries, doing great havoc to the for
tificatiOns and the works in course of
construction. Not a shot came from
the enemy.
The other ships contented them
selves by taking occasional shots at
Moro Castle. It's ancient battle
ments were knocked to pieces and
great holes doomed up in its p%arapets.
At 7:25 Admiral Sampson hoisted the
signal Cease firing" but it was half
an hour before the Oregon had fired
her last shot.
AS the ships returned to their block
aiding stations two futile shots were
fred at them from finch rapid fire
guns on one of the western batteries.
The man who tried to manage a wife
in this city and another one m E5altl-
more has come to grief. It is but forty
miles to Baltimore and frequently the
railroads make excursion rates.