The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1898-05-19


San Juan. but have no force to hold it.
only wanted to administer punishment
This has been done. came for the Spanish
fleet, and not for San JUAN"
Killed and Wounded.
The men killed were: Seaman Frank
Widemark. of the New York, and Gun
ner's Mate -, of the Amphitrite. The lat
ter died from effects of the extreme heat
OF the injured men three were on board
the Iowa and four on board the New York
The names of those slightly injured on the
Iowa are: Seaman Mitchell. Private Ma
rine Merkle, Apprentice Hill. The injured
on the New York are: Seaman Samuel
Feltman. seriously: Seaman Michael Muir
ply, two other enlisted men, slightly in
jured. All the above-named were injured
by the bursting of a shell on the New York
This Is a complete list of the killed and
wounded. The American ships were I'M
injured.
Story Of the Battle.
The engagement began at Sis a. m. and
were not silenced. The town in the rear
of the Notifications proba bly, suffered. The
ships taking part in the action were the
Iowa, Indiana, New York, Terror Am
phitrite, Detroit, Montgomery, Wampa-
tuck 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 guns in col
umn, delivering broadsides, and then re-
turned. The line passed thrice in front of
the forts, pouring tons of steel on shore.
Moro Battery the Target.
MORO battery, on the eastward arm of
the harbor, was the principal point of at
tack. Rear Admiral Sampson and Capt.
Evans were on the lower bridge of the Iowa
and had narrow escape from flying splin-
ters, which injured three men. The Iowa
was hit eight times, but the shells made no
impression on her armor. The weather was
fine. but the heavy swells made accurate
aim difficult. The broadsides from the
Iowa and Indiana rumbled in the hills
ashore for five minutes after they were de-
livered. Clouds of dust showed where the
shells struck, but the smoke hung over
everything. The shells screeching over
head and dropping around showed that
the Spaniards still stuck to their guns.
At three O'Clock in the morning all hands
were called on the Iowa, a few final touches
In clearing ship were made, and at five
general quarters" sounded. The me were
eager for the fight. The tug Wampatuck
went ahead and anchored, her small boat
to the westward showing ten fathoms, but
there was not sign OF fife from the fort
which stood boldly against the sky on the
eastern hills hiding the town. The Detroit
steamed far to the eastward opposite VAL
tern. The Iowa headed straight for the
shore. Suddenly her helm flew over, bring
ing her starboard battery to bear on the
fortified tons. At 5:15 az m. the Iowa's for
ward 12-inch guns thundered out at the
sleeping hills, and for IA minutes she
poured starboard broadsides on the coast.
Meanwhile the Indiana, the New York and
other ships repeated the dose from the
rear. The Iowa turned and came back to
the Wampatuck's boat and again led the
column. the forts replying f1ercely, concen-
trating on the Detroit, which was about
700 yards away, all the batteries ON the east
passed from the entrance Of the harbor to
the extreme eastward battery.
Ships. Retire.
At 7:45 a. m. Admiral Sampson signaled
cease firing" Retire. was sounded on
the Iowa, and she headed from the shore.
The Terror was the last ship in the line,
and, failing to see the signal, banged away
alone for about half an hour, the concert
OF shore guns roaring at her and the water
lying high around her from the exploded
shells. But she possessed charmed life
and reluctantly retired at S:15.
inflicted Much Damage.
It is impossible to Judge Of the amount of
damage done to the buildings and forts.
They appeared to be riddqed with shot, but
the Spaniards were plucky. After the first
passage before the forts the Detroit and
the Montgomery retired, their guns being
too small to do much damage. The Porter
and Wampatuck also stayed out Of range.
The smoke hung over everything, spelling
the aim of the gunnerS and making it i'm
possible to tell where our shots struck The
officers and men of all the ships behaved
with GOODNESS and bravery. The shots few
thick and fast over all our ships.