Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1898-05-19

Copyrighted, 1898, Associated Press.)
On board the Flagship Iowa, of San
Juan de Puerto Rico, May ~. via st.
Thomas, Danish West Indies, May IS.
The forts of San Juan de Puerto
Rico were bombarded by part of Rear
Admiral SIMPSONS fleet this morning.
The enemy's loss is believed to be
heavy. The American loss is two men
killed and seven men injured. After
three hours firing the Admiral with
drew the aeet, and, heading for Key
West, he said:
II am satisfied with the mornings
work. l could have taken San Juan
but have no force to hold it. I only
wanted to administer punishment.
This has been done. 1 came for the
Spanish fleet and not for San Juan"
The men killed We're Seaman Frank
Widemarll, of the New York and the
gunner's mate of the Amphitorite The
latter died of the extreme heat. OF
the injured men three were on board
the Iowa and four on board the New
York. The American ships were I'M
injured. The engagement began at
5:15 a. IN. and ended at SID a. IN. The
enemy's batteries were silenced The
town in the rear of the Notifications
probably suffered. The ships taking
part in the action We're the Iowa.
Indiana, New York, Terror, Amphi-
trite, Detroit, Montgomery, Wampa-
tuck and Porter. The enemy's
| Firm" Was :Ica~y,
| but wild, and the Iowa and New York
were probably the only ships hit.
They went right up under the guns in
column, delivering broadsides, and
then returned. The line passed thrice
in front Of the forts. pouring tons Of
steel on shore. 1t is impossible to
judge the amount of damage done to
the buildings and forts. They APP
peared to be riddlcd with shot, but
the Spaniards were plucky. The after
turrett of the Amphitrite got out Of
order temporarily during the engage
ment, 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 to do much damage. The
Porter and Wampatuck also stayed
out of range. The smoke hung over
| CNCA lA1144S5, SpO1lluSe VIC GILL VI lA1C
gunners and making it impossible to
tell where our shots struck. The Of
ficers and men of all the ships be-
haved with GOODNESS and bravery.
The shots flew thick and fast over all
our ships. The men of the Iowa who
were hurt during the action We're in
jured by splinters thrown from an
eight-inch shell which came through
q boat into the superstructure and
scattered fragments in all directions.
The shots course was finally ended on
an irou plate an inch thick. Moro
battery, on the eastward arm Of the
harbOr, was the
Principal Ioint of attack.
Rear Admiral Sampson and Capt.
Evans We're on the lower bridge of the
Iowa and had narrow escape from
flying splinters, which injured three
men. The Iowa was hit eight times
but the shells made no impression OH
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 theG'
We're delivered. Clouds of durt
showed where the shells struck, but
the smoke hung over everything. The
shells screaching overhead and drop
ping around showed that the Span
iards still stuck to their guns.
At 8 o'clock in the morning all hands
We're called on the Iowa and a few
final touches in cleaning ship were
made and at 5 general quarters"
sounded. The men 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 life from
the fort, which stood boldly against
the sky on the eastern hills. hiding the
town. The Detroit steamed far to
the eastward, opposite Valtern. The
Iowa headed straight for the shore.
Suddenly her helm flew over. bringing
the starboard battery to the near
fortified tons. At SIG the Iowa's for
ward twelye-inch guns Numbered out
at the sleeping hills and for fourteen
minutes she poured
Starbonrd Bronlsidcs
on the coast Meanwhile the Indiana.
the New York and other ships repeat
ed the dose from the rear. The Iowa
turned and came back to the Wampa-
tuck's boat and again led the column.
the forts replying after concentrating
on the detroit, which was out 100
yards away from the batteries on the
eastward arm Of the harbOr. Thrice
the column passed from the entrance
Of the harbor to the extreme eastward
battery. Utter Indifference was shown
for the eneny's fire. The wounded
were quickly attended to. the blood
was washed away and everything pro-
/