The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-05-09
RUSHED INTO DANGER:
Two Of Our War Vessels Narrowly
,sa~. Escape Destruction.
LURED INTO AN AMBUSOADE,

NoA oNeT p"'i uh hour tHe v ickSDurE
and the Cutter Morrill, We're Under
the Fire Of the Guns Of the Santa
Clara Water Batteries.
Key West, May 9.-Only poor Marks
manshir, on the part of the Spanish
gunners saved the Vicksburg and the
cutter Morrill, from destruction off
Havana Saturday. For over half an
hour they were under the fire of the
guns of the Santa Clara water batter
les, but both escaped without material
injury, although shrapnel shells from
eight inch guns exploded all about
them. and both now show the pitted
scars of the Spanish bullets.
The willy Spaniards had arranged a
trap to send couple of our ships to
the bottom. They baited 1t as q man
would bait a rat trap. A small
schooner was sent out from Havana
harbor to draw some Of the Americans
into the ambuscade. The ruse worked
like a charm. The Vicksburg and the
Morrill,, In the heat of the chase and
In their contempt for Spanish gunnery,
walked straight into the trap that had
been set for them. Had the Spaniards
possessed their souls in patience but
five minutes longer not even their bad
gun practice would have saved our
ships, and today two more Of our ves-
sells would lie at the bottom within two
lengths Of the i'll starred Maine.
Friday evening the Vicksburg and
the Morrill,, cruising to the west of
Moro Castle, were fired upon by the
big guns of the Cojimar batteries. Two
shots swere fired at the Vicksburg and
one at the Morrill,. Both fell short, and
both vessels, without returning the
fire, steamed out of the range. But
on Saturday the Spaniards had better
luck. The schooner they had sent out
ran off to the eastward, hugging the
shore. About three miles east of the
entrance of the harbor she came over
on the port tack. A light haze fringed
the horizon, and she was not discov-
cred until three miles off the shore,
when the Mayfower made her out and
signaled the Morrill, and Vicksburg.
Captain Smith. of the Morrill,, and
Commander Lilly, of the Vicksburg,
Immediately clapped on all steam and
started in pursuit.
The schooner instantly put about
and ran for Moro Castle before the
wind. In doing so she would, accord
ing to the well cherished plot, lead the
two American warships directly under
the guns of the Santa Clara batteries. ,
These works are a short mile west Of !
Moro, and are a part OF the defenses
of the harbOr. There are two batteries, |
one of which mounts modern ten inch |
and u inch Krupp guns behind six |
foot stone parapet, in front of which
are 20 feet of earthwork and betting
of railroad iron. This battery is con-
sidered the most formidable of Ha-
vana's defenses except Moro Castle.
The MOrri and Vicksburg were about
six miles from the schooner when the
chase began. They steamed after her
at full speed, the Morrill, leading until
within a mile and half Of the Santa
Clara batteries. Commander Smith, of
the Vicksburg, was the first to realize
the danger into which the reckless pur-
suit had led them. He concluded it
was time TO haul off and sent shot
across the bow of the schooner. The
Spanish skipper instantly brought his
vessel about, but while she was still
rolling in the trough of the sea, with
her sails Tapping, an eight inch shrap-
mel shell came hurting through the air
from the water battery, mile and a
half away. 1t passed over the Morrill,
and exploded less than 80 feet on the
port quarter. Two more shots followed
f--Sulck succession, both shrapnel.
The crews of both ships were at their
guns. Lieutenant Craig obtained per-
mission to return the fire At the first
shot the Vicksburg, which was in the
wake Of the Morrill,, slightly in shore,
,heered off and passed to the windward
lnder the Morrils stern.
In the meantime Captain Smith also
out his helm to port, and was none
90 soon, for as the Morrill, stood off
solid eight inch shot grazed her star
,oard quarter and kicked up tons Of
water as 1t struck a wave 100 yards
,eyond. Captain Smith said afterward
hat this was undoubtedly an eight
nCh armor piercing prOjeCtlle, and that
t would have passed through the Nor
ills boilers had he not changed her
curse in the nick Of time.
All the guns of the water battery
we're now at work One of them cut
he Jacobs ladder of the Vicksburg
drift, and another carried away por-
ion of the rigging. As the Morrill, and
he VicksburE steamed away their aft
'uns were used, but only few shots
we're fired.
The Spaniards continued to fire shot
nd shell for 90 minutes, but the shots
we're ineffective. Some Of them were