The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-06-09

4
For an hour a perfect storm OF shot
and shell landed In the batteries and
forts. doing frightful execution. The
spaniards stood II as long as they could,
and then their fire began 10 slacken.
shells from the fleet could be seen land
ing and exploding on the cres, OF the
hill on which the MORO stanus ana az the
bottom OF which were some Oh 'he strong
est batteries. ,,,.,
As shells landed in these nai,erles mere
would he a roaring that could De heard
shove the ain Of battle and then above
The clouds az dust and masses OF flying
,nasonrv Gould be seen guns and men
blown high in the air.
The Yankee manned BY the naval mi
litia, made fine showing Sne Kept
close inshore. fighting the batteries near
The beach The naval militia fought like
old blueiackets and poured a savage fire
into the enemy.
The cannonading was kept up until
1920 O'clock. when the New iork Sig
nailed Cease firing
During the battle one gun located east
of the MORO was seen 10 be hit. IL was
lifted bodily into the air and hurled for
great distance.
A magazine on the west side OF the en-
trance was set on fire by shell whlch
exploded in Il. One OF tho three spanish
flags that we're shot away were not re-
placed.
In the course OF the bomoardment a
battery Of field pieces at the CUBAN mead
quarters on a mountain top north OF
Santiago opened FIRE on tse town. The
range was fully ten miles. and. of course.
no damage was done. The nrlng was at
tributed TO the enthusiasm OF the insur-
gents in seeing their hereditary enemy
being thoroughly whipped
A number OF Spanish troops were seen
in a small fort near the beach. ana ths
Dolphin's commander thought he could
draw their fire. He pumped severaI shells
into them. but elected no reply. The
fort was knocked 10 pieces ana tho Span
iards who were left alive ned.
The Spaniards had mounted several
Quaker guns. supposed to be pieces OF
trunks OF trees, since Commodore Schley
had his last engagement with them. and
IL is supposed that the fort destroyed was
supplied with these harmless weapons.
There we're only two pieces served by the
Spaniards east OF the MORO, and these
were finally silenced.
admiral Sampson, after the engagement
began. ran within $500 yards OF the
mouth Of the harbor. The fire from the
flagship was principally directed against
the batteries inside the harbor and IT did
great execution. None OF the ships APP
preached tho shore so closely as the New
York.
To make the fire against the Moro ef-
fective II was necessary for some OF the
warships 10 stand well of tho coast In
order that the proper elevation OF the
guns could be obtained.
The ships on the west side OF the en-
trance ultimately worked in until they
were within 5000 yards OF the beach.
BY this time the old MORO had been
transformed into a picturesque ruin, part
of what had been its walls lying In tum-
bled heaps of masonry. while the part
still standing was torn and rent with
great holes. where the solid shot had
ploughed through.
A short distance beneath the MORO
stands an old stone fortihcation in which
II was known Lieutenant Hobson and
his fellow heroes of the Merrimac were
confined. This was. of course, not fired
upon and the American gunners were
exceedingly careful that none OF their
shots went anywhere near enough the
structure to harm their imprisoned COM
rades
The surprising accuracy Of the Ameri-
can fire was illustrated by the fact that
the batteries on the rocky table below
the building where the prisoners were
confined were completely ruined by the
shots from Commodore Schley's squad
ron.
The Marblehead and the New Orleans,
which had been lying far or shore for
some time after the firing began, were
dinally signalled that they might take
part in the bombardment
They came in. the Marblehead on the
west and the New orleans on the east
and worked their way well inshore, all
the time fighting desperately. The ef-
feet OF their shots could be seen along
the shore, where bare patches Of ground
show the pathway OF their shells.
The firing was suspended before the
officers and men wished and they were
greatly disappointed in not being allow
cd TO wipe the last vestige OF the Span
ish fortihcations of the earth.
Much laughter was occasioned on board
the big ship by the conduct OF the auxil-
larry cruiser Yankee. which. when the
order 10 cease firing was given, slowly
Z and reluctantly turned seward. at the
same time keeping up hot FIRE on the
shore from her stern guns. The Texas
was slow to withdraw. and she, too. con-
tlhued 10 fire over her stern until she
was nearly out Of range.
The New Orleans. as usual used
smokeless powder which permitted her
TO use her guns with greater raplhty
than she would have been able 10 do had
her gunners been blinded by the huge
clouds OF smoke which followed eacn us
charge OF the big guns OF the other
ships.
1he Suwanee.. which was firing close
IN shore. was struck by bursting smell
William Rose, seaman. was struck IN
the leg by flying fragment, but his IN
jury Is slight.
coil of their great guns. The military
,naet NJ the Massachusetts was struck
nv a shot. but the damage ala not
amount TO much IT'D.
The spanish batteries on the key inside
the barbor fred on the feet but thelr
shots were ineffective Many shels from
the warships flew into the city but thlS
was unintentional Admiral sampson
having no idea OF bombarding the town.
The morning was misty and showers
o.ore freouent The scene ashore ana
afoot was most beautiful. The noun
tains along the coast were wrapped III
| clouds and the ships were enVeloped IN
The shells that missed the Notifications
tore nm trees by their roots demolished
rocks and dug huge holes In the earth'
scattering the fragments high INTO the
air. ,,-
fountains of debris showed whenever a
big shell landed on the GIN racing tns
sea. Vegetation was eXterminated ana
the conformation OF the CHI was AFTER
| ed and buildings were demolished where-
ever the shells struck. All the guns
along the sea front. save the smooth,