The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-06-22
Terrible Destruction at San
tiago.
WHEN THE BOMBARD-
MENT WAS OVER SAT-.
FROM FLAG WAS
HALF.MASTED.

HALF-MASTED.
On board the Associated 4resa dis
patch boat Dauntless. of Santiago de
Cuba. Saturday. June is, noon via
Kingston, Ja.. Sunday, June 10,
noon "A careful inspection of the
Notifications along the crest of the
hille defending Santiago harbor since
the bombardment Thursday morning
shows that the American gunners
spread wreck and ruin everywhere
Some of the batteries were demolish-
ed beyond repair The vuItures,
which circle on level wings over the
hills as thick as swallows around
chimney, for hours after the firing
ceased, furnished gruesome evidence
of the fatality among the Spanish
soldiers Hundreds of troops could
be seen frons the ships digging in
mounds Of earth piled up by the ex
plosion of the .projectiles from the
heavy guns for bodies. while their
heads were famed by the wings Of
the black scavengers of the battle
field. There were two spote, one on
the east and the other on the west Of
the harbor entrance, which were
denuded of the foliage The hilltops
seem literally blown away. These
marked the places where the 200
pound charge Of gun cotton blown
from the Vesuvius landed
But the most ominous token of
death few from Moro castle
The Saffron flag of Spain was half
masted on the keep for seversl hours.
The significance of this is not known.
1t is not customary TO half mast flags,
but possibly some Spanish leader was
killed by the heavy Ere of our guns.
though some officers Of the squadron
believe that the flag was half masted
as notification to the Americans
that Lieutenant Hobson and his brave
men were dead. If such is the case
they must have been wantonly mur-
dered. The Spanish might seek to
lay their death to the bonbardment,
but not shot from The American
ships struck the fortress
Neither Admiral Sampson nor
Commodore Schley believe that Lieut..
Hobson aud hia party have been kill
ed. We have II prisoners taken at
Guantanamo, including lieutenant,
besides number in the United States,
for reprisals or exchange.
There was evident generalization
.mong the Spanish troops during the
sbombardment Officers could be
seen. with drawn swords, driving the
men to the guns, but even then they
could not be forced to stay SO long
ae our guns were directed at them.
The Is minutes night work of the
Vesuvius had shattered their nerves
1t is believed that some of the 13.inch
proeictiles fred from the Texas,
which was reported to have exploded
the powder magazine in one of the
western batteries did not fal! in the
battery, but went beyond and blew
up one of the ships in the harbor.
A dramatic incident ofthe lombard.
ment was the act of a Spanish officer,
who bravely ran along the parapet
under heavy FIRE encouraging his
men to stand by their guns Shot
and she'll rained about him. and after
one terrific explosion he was seen no
more and the parspet had disappear
ed He could not have escaped
death.
From the foretop of the Brooklyn,
1000 yards distant, the men in the
grounds could be noticed, but a
minute later dust and flying debris
would take their places and when the
emoke cleared away only spot ofred
earth could be seen-gun aud gun
ners bad been swept away. 1t was
the most deadly aBd destructive bonn
bardment of the war thus far
Scarcely shot from the big guns OF
the squadron went astray The aim
of our gunners was superb and not
only were the coast forts annihiEated,
but the batteries on Cayo Smith, up
the harbor. were destroyed.
Had all the ships used smokelese
powder. as did the New Orleans,
there wonld remain 90 signs of guns
or Notifications 70 Indicate that there