The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-06-07
Copyright by Associated Press.)

Copyright by Associated PresS.)
On board the Associated Press Dis
patch Boat Dandy Port Antonio,
Jamaica, June ID a. n.-For an hou
yesterday afternoon the Massachu-
sets, the Iowa, the New Orleans and
the Vixen, of Commodore Schley's
squadron, exchanged shots with the
Spanish fleet under Admiral Cervera
and with the land batteries guarding
h harbor of Santiago de Cuba, behind
which the Spanish fleet is hiding.
The engagement was the first which
has occurred between the naval forces
and was the prelude to serious work in
the latter part of the week.
Mo attempt was made by the Ameri-
can commander to bring on a general
engagement, it being his desire to To-
cate the batteries on the hills above the
harbor and to determine the position
of the Spanish forts.
Shortly before 10 o'clock Commodore
Schley left the Brooklyn for the Mas
sachusetts, on board of which battle
ship he remained during the fighting.
After 1 o'clock the signal to form
column vas hoisted on the Massachu-
sets, and the New Orleans, tn Iowa,
and the Vixen fell in in the order
named.
The Massachusetts steamed slowly
until about five miles west of the har-
bon entrance, when she turned in to-
ward the shore and, when about 5000
yards off, turned east again and bore
down on the harbor, the New Orleans
being close UP and the Iowa half a mile
behind. The flagship gradually in
creased her speed and was running
Through the water at the rate of ten
knots an hour. She drew closer and
closer to the batteries and to the anxi-
u watchers ON the other ships it
seemed that she would never open fire.
When, hoWevr. she had passed the
harbor entrance 500 yards, a great cloud
of white and yellow smoke burst from
the two 13-inch guns in her after-tur-
ret and two shells rose over the hill,
one of them striking the Spanish flag
ship CristOfbal Colon full and fair as
she lay at her anchorage, and the other
falling close alongside. The two guns
on the forward turret were then fired
and their shells in exploding threw up
great sprays close to the Colon.
All the shore batteries took UP the
challenge and began a rapid fire on the
Massachusetts, but she was soon be
yond their range and the batteries
t~hereupon turned their uns on the
New Orleans. This cruiser had been
directed to pay attention to the bate
ries and to draw their fire as much as
possible. and she Obeyed her instruc-
lions to the letter. Her first shot 10
Gated a large battery on the hill above
MORO. 1T flew straight into the fort
and must "a caused much damage,
as a great cloud of dust and debris rose
as the shell burst. "A couple more shots
-~-k - &c NI- n ~ NJ @~ON arsr,~
into the air and then the New Orleans
confined herself to the batteries. her
firing being rapid and extremely accu-
rate. Every shot she fired made
trouble for Spain.
The Iowa came next and, like the
Massachusetts, devoted her attention
TO the ship lying within the ha-bor.
Her Pinch shells made the water fly
all around tina part of the harbor in
which the Cristobal Colon lay. The
latter, however, was not seriously dam
aged and kept up her firing until long
after the American ships steamed u
OF range.
THE LITTLE VIXEN I'm 1T.
After the Iowa came the little Vixen,
which apparently had no business in a
fight where battleships were engaged,
but she scudded along after the Iowa,
like a fox terrier following a mastifc
and when at the proper point she let
fly with her one 6-poundeT and glided
away, proudly conscious of having
done her best.
After the Vixen had passed the forts.
the Massachusetts turned again to the
westward, followed by the other ships
in the same order, with the exception
OF the Vixen, formerly the yacht jose
phine, which was ordered to keep out
of trouble.
The ironclads bore down ON the har-
Dor once more. The flagship kept in
until less than 1000 yards from the
shore and then her shells again began
to heave up the waters in Santiago
harbor. This time the shore batteries
were better served, and the Spaniards
replied to the warships' fire in ener-
getic fashion,; but nearly all the shots
from the BATTERIES fell short.
Then came the New Orleans once
more, her long, black guns doing fear
full work and tearing up the ground all
around the batteries in a most savage
nanne
The Spaniards dropped shells close
to the Iowa, as she came by for the
second time, sending a stream Of shells
into the harbor as she did so.
The Spanish ships, with the excep-
ton of the Cristobal Colon, were be-
hind the hills and could not see the
enemy, who threw shells around them
with such rapidity that they knew he
was somewhere on the otherside of the
hill and then hopefully raised the muz-
zles of their guns and banged away
The result was what might have beer
expected. Their fire tore the bosom
of Caribbean sea, but it harmed moth.
ing else.
After the Massachusetts had passed
the point where she could fire into the
harbor with advantage, she turned tc
the open sea, the other vessels follow.
ing her. That fight was over as far a:
the Americans were concerned.
Spanish honor, however, demanded
more destruction of u powder b.
made, and the ships doomed and tn,
batteries roared long after the Ameri
can vessels were entirely out of range
The affair soon become l~udicrous, a:
nearly all Of the Spanish shells fel
from two TO three miles from the YES