Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-14

Il am satisfied with the mornings work
L could have taken San Juan; but l have
no force to hold it. / only wanted to ad
minister punishment. This has been done
/ came for the Spanish fleet and not fol
San Juan"
KILLED.
The killed are:
SEAMAN FRANK WIDEMARK, Of the
| New York
| GUNNER 'S-MATE -----, Of the Am
| phritrite.
The latter died from the effects OF the
| extreme heat.
or the injured. three were on board
the Iowa, and four on the New York.
INJURED.
The names Of those slightly injured on
| the Iowa are:
| Seaman Mitchell.
| Private-Marine Merkle.
| Apprentice Hi.
| The injured on the New York are:
| Seaman Samuel Feltman, seriously hurt.
Seaman Michael Murphy.
| Two other enlisted men; slightly injured.
| All the above named were injured by
| the bursting of shell on the New York.
| This is a complete list of the killed and
| wounded.
| AMERICAN SHIPS UNHURT.
The American ships were uniniured.
The engagement began at 5:l5 A. VI. and
ended at S.l5 \. NJ.
The enemy's batteries were not silenced.
The town in the rear of the fOrtihcations
probably suffered.
The ships taking part in the action We're
the Iowa. Indiana, New York. Terror.
Amphitrite, Detroit, Montgomery, Wam-
patuck, and Porter. The enemy's firing
was heavy, but wild. and the Iowa and
New York were probably the only ships
hit. They went right up under the big
guns in column. delivering broadsides,
and then returning. The line passed
thrice in front of the forts, pouring tons
Of steel on shore.
SPANIARDS PLUCKY.
1t IS impossible TO judge the amount OF
damage done to the buildings and forts.
They appeared 10 be ridded with shot;
but the Spaniards Were pucky. The
after-turret Of the Amphitrite got out of
order temporarily during the engagement
but she banged away with her forward
guns. After the first passage before the
forts. the Detroit and the Montgomery
retired, their guns being too small 10 do
much damage. The Porter and Wampa-
tuck also stayed out Of range.
The smoke hung over everything. spoil
ing the aim Of the gunners, and making
il impossible TO tell where our shots
struck. The officers and men Of all the
ships behaved with cOOlness and bravery.
The shots flew tnick and fast over our
ships
INJURED BY SPLTNTERS.
The men of the Iowa were injured by
spinters thrown by an S-inch she'll whicn
came through a boat into the super
fra n in "a
directions. The shots course was finally |
ended on an iron plate an inch thick. |
Merkle tMurtlel was stuck In the arm, |
and may lose the limb. All We're hurt by |
splinters. and "A fire was started in the
boat. but it was quickly eXtinguished.
MORO battery. on the eastward arm OF |
the harbOr was the principal point OF |
attack
Kear-Admiral Sampson ana captain |
Evans were on the lower bridge of the |
Iowa, and had a narrow escape from
spliuters. which injured three men. The
Iowa was hit eight times. but the shells
made no impre ssiOn on her armOr. The |
weather was fine. but the heavy swells
made accurate aim difficult The broad
sides from the Iowa and Indiana rum
bled I'm the hills ashore for five minutes
after they were delivered. Clouds of dust
showed where they struck
MEN EAGER FOR FIGHT.
At O'Clock in the morning all hands
were called on the Iowa, a few final
touches in clearing ship We're made, ana
al 5 general quarters" were sounded.
The men were eager for the fight
The tug Wampa tuck went ahead and |
anchored, her small boat TO the westward |
showing 10 fathoms. but there was not
a sign of life from the fort. which stood
boldly against the sky on the eastern
hills hiding the town.
The Detroit steamed far 10 the east
ward, opposite Valera.
The Iowa headed straight for the shore. |
her helm flew over, bringing
he starboard battery to bear on the for
ifcstions.
THE IOWA OPENS.
At 516 A. NJ. the Iowa's forward T.
nch guns Numbered out at the sleeping
hills and for fourteen minutes she |
poured starboard brOadsides on the coast.
Meanwhile, the Indiana, the New York,
md other ships repeated the dose from
he rear The Iowa turned and came
,ack to the Wampatuck's boat. and again
ed the column. the forts replying fiercely
md concentrating on the Detroit, which
vas about seven hundred yards away, all
he batteries on the eastward arm Of
he barbOr Thrice the column passed
rom the entrance of the harbor TO the
.xtreme eastward battery.
INDIFFERENCE TO ENEMY's FIRE
Utter indifference was shown to the
uemy's fire. The wounded were quickly
.ttended, the blood was washed away,
md everything proceeded like target
rice.
At 7:45 A. NJ, Admiral Sampson Sig
Ialled: Cease firing"
Retire" was sounded on the Iowa, and
he headed from the shore The Terror
vas the last ship in the line, and, fail
1g TO see the signal she banged away
lone for about half an hour the con-
ert of shore-guns roaring at her and the
-ater flying high around her from the
xplOded shells. But she possessed a
harmed life, and reluctantly retired at
10.
RESULTS UNKNOWN.
AS at Matanzas. the Unsatisfactory ,
onditions. the smoke. and the distance
revented any important conclusions be- I
X drawn The town of San Juan must a.
ave suffered, although protected by the
Ills as the high shots must have reached ,
No traces of the bombardment were
iscernible on the forts. except small |
res. which were apparently eXtinguished
efore the feet left.
SIMPSONS OFFICIAL REPORT. y
May BAT 1920 o'clock
lis morning the Navy Department re- :
lived the following dispatch from Ad- q
iral Sampson. 1t is dated st. Thomas,
ay 18th, and is as follows:
"A portion of the squadron under my
,mmand reached San Juan this morn