Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1898-05-18

after the firing began. Later on the
houses in Ballaj square in St. Christie
pher street, in San Jose street and in San
Sebastian street were in flames. The st.
Catharine institute, an ancient palace, the
orphan asylum, the old churches, were
burned or almost demolished.
The American officers through their
glasses, could see the Spaniards at work
in many places where the Notifications
had been broken down. The Spaniards
seemed drunk with fury. They loaded and
fired like madmen, without aiming, with
out any appearance of discipline or di-
rection. At times their crazed condition
led them to many absurd acts, such as
waving swords, shaking fists and dis
charging pistols at the American line,
which was barely within reach of their
guns of longest range.
"Cease Firing"
Toward o'clock the heat became alb
solutely unbearable on the American
ships. 1t became evident that the Span
ish forts could not be silenced short Of
another hours work. Men on the Amer
lean ships were dropping on all sides, not
from Spanish shots, but from the accur-
ate and terrific bombardment under the
tropical sun.
After consultation Admiral Sampson
signalled "Cease firing" and turned away
westward. The other ships followed, all
except the monitor Terror. She did not
or would not see the signal of the ad-
miral She remained in her position in
range of all the unsilenced guns of the
Spaniards. For half an hour she kept
roaring away at the forts and embank-
ments with an almost incessant fire from
her l0inch guns.
The Spanards concentrated their fire
on her. But her audacity seemed to in
furiate them beyond even attempts at
craftsmanship. Many of the shells
struck the sea a mile and half from her.
Only few came anywhere in her neigh
borhood. Still fewer struck her low-lying
deck and these glanced away as harm
lessly as a pea-shooter's slug from the
shell of turtle. The Terrors guns are
the tempetstuous booming of the Spanish
batteries. Before she steamed reluctantly
away she had the satisfaction of noting
that she had made many a deep wound in
the Spanish line and silenced several guns
that might have made trouble later on.
A Few Minutes for Refreshments.
The fleet steamed to the westward
about 20 miles and then stopped to re-
move the CRIME of battle and to rest and
refresh the weary but happy sailors.
The Spaniards evidently got the idea
that the departure was retreat and that
the Americans had been driven off. So
they sent out dispatches about a great
Spanish victory just as they did at Ma
Mia, when Dewey steamed away to rest
and get breakfast.
While the fleet was at anchor 20 miles
from San Juan German steamer, the
Bolivia, came by. She was on her way
to st. Thomas. Admiral Sampson de-
cided that it would be best to find out
more about her and sent the Montgomery
in pursuit. She was presently overhauled
and while she steamed along Lieutenant
Field went aboard, examined her papers
and looked over the passengers to make
sure that she was not going to call at
San Juan on her way.
AS the Montgomery started back, and
had gone nearly to San Juan, she spied
the Spanish cruiser Isabella III, an old
warship, crawling out u San Juan har-
Dor and crawling along in-shore, evident
ly going to see what had become of the
American fleet and whether it was really
flying, as the Spaniards wished to think,
or was only preparing anew the complete
ruin of San Juan.
When the Isabella saw the Montgomery
she put about hastily and went back
home.