Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-10-24
ADMIRAL SlhP3LN' SRE0DRI
Continued from First Page.
tempt to escape, that attempt will be
m ado econ -

tempt to escape, that attempt will be
made soon"
The admiral here remarks that much
trouble was experienced in landing on
account of the wandering proclivities
of some of the transports which had
to be looked up. The progress of dis
entbarkation was rendered somewhat
difficult by a heavy sea, the heaviest
during the three weeks the fleet had
been stationed there, owing to still
blow Off the coast of Jamaica. 1t APP
pears that according to a dispatch to
Secretary Long, dated June 26th, the
channel at Santiago
NOT HAVING BEEN CBSTRUCTFD
by the sinking of the Merrimac, Adj
miral Sampson was preparing tor
pedo attack to hasten the destruction
of the Spanish vessels, although he
regretted resorting to this method be-
cause CT its difficulties and small
chance Of success. He would not do
this, he says, were the present force
to be kept there, as it then insured
capture which he believed would ter
inmate the war. The above telegram
was sent, the admiral explains, with
reference to the proposed detachment
of some of our heavy ships for service
abroad (the proposed expedition to
the Spanish coast). A dispatch from
Secretary Long shows that this expe-
dition was to consist of the Iowa, Ore
gon, Newark, Yosemite, Yankee and
Dixie, and they were to go to the
Azores for orders Ell route to Tangiers,
Morocco. The Golfers were to join the
fleet at the Azores.
On June 80, the Admiral received
communication from Major General
Shafter, announcing that he expected
TO ATTACK SANTIAGO
the following morning, and asking that
he (Sampson) lombard the forts a.
Aguadores, in support of regiment of
infantry and make such demonstrations
as he thought proper at the harbor's
mouth, so as to keep as many of the
enemy there as possible. This request
was complied with. and on July LIST.
General Shafter asked that the Admiral
keep up his fight on the Santiago wa
ter front. On July I'd, the following
was received from General Shafter:
Terrible fight yesterday, but my
line is now strongly intrenched about
three-fourths Of mile from town. l
urge that you make effort Immediately
to force the entrance to avoid future
losses among my men, which are al
ready very heavy. You can now oper-
ate with less loss of life than l can.
Please telephone answer"
A reply was telephoned General Shat
ter from Admiral Sampson through
Lieutenant Stanton, which said the Adj
miral had bombarded the forts at the
entrance of Santiago and also Punta
Gorda battery inside.
SILENCING THEIR FIRE,
and asked whether he (Shafter) wanted
further firing on the Admiral's part.
The explanation was made that it was
impossible to force an entrance until
the channel was cleared of mines-a
work of some time after the forts were
taken possession of by the troops. To
this General Shafteer replied:
ut is impossible for me to say when
1 can take batteries at entrance of har-
Dor. If they are as difficult to take
as those which we have been pitted
against it will be some time. and a
great loss of life. l am at loss TO
see why the navy cannot work a de-
structive fire as we'll as the army. My
loss yesterday was over five hundred
men. By all means keep up fire on
everything in sight of you until de-
molished I expect, however, in time
and with sufficient men, to capture the
forts along the bay"
Admiral Sampson then says:
81 wrote Gen. Shafter the following
letter, and began making preparations
to countermine, and, with the object
of arranging an attack upon the bat
teries at the entrance, visit was ar
ranged to Gen. Shafter, so that the
matter might be thoroughly dis
cussed and
COMBINED ACTION
take place. l had in view the en-
ployment of the marines for an as
sault on either the MORO or Socapa
battery, while at the same time assault
ing the defenses at the entrance with
the feet.
u. S. Flagship New York, First Rate,
"'Of Santiago de Cuba, July 2, 1898.
My Dear General:
81 have your note of this morning
just received at 1880.
IAN officer of my staff has already
reported to you the firing which we
did this morning, but l must say in
addition to what he told you that the
forts which were siienced were not
the forts which would give you any
inconvenience in capturing the city,
as they cannot fire except to seward
They cannot even prevent our entrance
into the harbor Of Santiago. Our
trouble from the first has been that
the channel to the harbor is well strewn
with observation mines which would
certainly result in the sinking of one
or more of our ships if we attempted to
enter the harbor, and by the sinking of
a ship the object of the attempt to en-
ter the harbor
WOULD BE DEFEATED
by the preventing of further progress
On our part.
at was my hope that an attack upon
your part of the shore. batteries, from
the rear. would leave us at liberty to
drag the channel for torpedoes.
" IF it is your earnest desire that
we should force cur entrance, I will
at once prepare to undertake it. I
think, however, that our position and
yours would be made more difficult if,
as is possible, we fail in our attempt.