The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-07-24
.BOMBARDMENT
AND CAPTURE
OF N|PE HARB0R
The Wasp, Leyden, Annapo-
lis and Topeka
WIN THIS VICTORY
w | N
THE SPANIARDS DESERT THEIR
FORT AND FLY.
A SMALLER FORT EASILY SlLENCED
Jorge Juan Sunk in Twenty Minutes Two Shots
from Topeka Dropping into Mayari
Fort Brought Down theFlag,
Closing Engagement.
Closing Engagement.

Key West, Fla, July 23.-(1l:50 Il. m.)
Acting under orders from Rear Admiral
Sampson four American warships on
Thursday afternoon last entered the har-
Dor of Nipe, on the northeast coast of
the province of Santiago de Cuba and
after a furious bombardment took pos
session of the harbor as base of opera
tions for the Porto Rico campaign. 1t Is
understood, however, that the plans have
been changed since i'll consequence of the
occupation of Santiago by the United
States forces and that Nipe will not be
used for the purpose originally intended.
The vessels engaged were the Topeka,
Annapolis, Wasp and Leyden. In the
course of an hour they silenced three
forts. sunk the Spanish gunboat Jorge
Juan mot the Juan Jorge as before re-
portedD and scattered Spanish ritemcn
who had taken part in the engagement.
The channel leading into the harbor
was very narrow and on Il bluff to the
right, called Galory Point, was a fort
and signal station. AS the American
ships entered the Spaniards were sig
ming in Il lively fashion with blue
ball and flag apparently notifying the
Spanish ships in the harDor. which were
the Jorge Juan, two smaller gunboatS
and an armored launch. AS the Wasp
and Leyden rounded the point, the fort
fired il dozen shots, none of which, how
ever. fell near them and the Topeka re-
turned the fire with her three-p0unders.
Almost Immediately the Spaniards de-
serted the fort and ran, while the Topeka
continued to send shells into them. a
|body of riiiemen on the beach returned
the fire with II few wild shots, but they
too, were quickly dispersed by the Tope-
ka's smaller guns. The Topeka dis
charged two torpedoes. At the same
time another small fort to the left of the
channel fired on the American ships, but
it was silenced as easily as the other.
In the meanwhile, the Wasp and Ley
den had taken up Il position i'll the north
western portion of the harbor and opened
fire across the water at the Jorge Juan,
which lay to the southeast i'll front of
the town of Mayari. Her position was
about mile and quarter from the
beach and behind her n third fort stood
on an eminence. This fort opened fire
on the Wasp and Leyden, and as the An
napolis and Topeka came up the Spanish
gunboat joined III the fight and Il gem
eral battle followed.
The Topeka anchored in the middle of
the harbor about 1000 yards from the
Jorge Juan and the other three Ameri-
can boats drew IN on either side and
formed Il semi-circle. They then closed
in on the Spanish ship, pouring Il de-
structiye fire ut her and the fort beyond.
The Topeka sent four-inch SHELLS era sh-
ing into the Jorge Juan at such Il rate
that she sank within twenty minutes.
When the firing became heavy the of
iicers and crew of the Spaniard put off in
small boats. made the shore under IL
heavy fire and escaped into the woods.
Two shots from the Topeka's bow gun,
fired on an elevation of 1900 yards.
dropped square into Mayari fort the
Spanish pennants disappeared and Il
white flag was run up. This ended
short but one of the most vicious battles
of the war.
All the American ships sent small
boats over to the Spanish gunboat. They
found that the Jorge Juan's forecastle
had been entirely nipped away by the
Topeka's four-inch shells and that the
fore and mizzen masts and flag staff were
carried off. 1t is thought the Spaniards
scuttled her before abandoning the YES
sci.
Divers were sent down and quite Il
curious collection of relics were found.
One was the ships motto: BE Brave and
You VIII go Home to Spain"
-Four or five eats, still alive, were
cinging to the wreckage and one dog
which had been chained to the deck was
drowned. That part of the rigging.
which protruded from the water
swarmed with rats who attemptedstO re-
new the battle with the Americans, but
We're driven into the sea.
The harbor was found to be well mined
and two of the mines exploded. one
about 100 yards off the Topeka's bow.
and the other 200 yards from her port
quarter AS the ships came out they
saw a contact mine floating on the sur
face of the Water.
The engagement was hardly over when
the, torpedo boat Dupont came along
with dispatches, from Rear Admiral
| Sampson for Commodore Remey, and the
Topeka was sent with them to Key
West. arriving this morning. She had
borne the brunt of the fight and bore
! herself nobly. Her captain is William