Mexico weekly ledger., 1898-06-23
FLAG AT HALF-MAST.
Nero Castle Displays a Significant
Signal of Distress.
WORST BoNBARDaENr EVER KNOWN.
The Very Wood and Hills Shot Away By
the Fire from the American War
ships-Forts, Guns and Gun
ners Disappeared.

SS IVAN nm N
DISPATCH Boar DAuNTLEss, off Santi-
ago de Cuba, Saturday, June 10 tnoon).
via Kingston, Jamaica, Sunday, june
2G.-A careful inspection Of the forti-
fcations along the coast defending
Santiago harbor since the lombard
ment Thursday morning shows that
the American gunners spread wreck
and ruin everywhere. Some of the bat
-teries were demolished beyond re-
pair. :.
The svultures which circled on level
wings over the hills as thick as swal-
lows around q chimney for hours after
the firing ceased, furnished gruesome
evidence of the fatality among the
Spanish soldiers. Hundreds Of troops
could be seen from the ships digging
in mounds of earth piled up by the ex-
piosions Of the projectiles from the
heavy guns for bodies while their
heads were famed by the wings Of the
black scayengers of the battlefield.
There were two spots, one on the
| east and the other on the west of the
| harbor entrance, which were denuded
| of the foliage. The hilltops seem lit
| orally blown away. These marked
| the places where the 2O0-pound charges
| of gun cotton blown by h Vcsuvius
landed.
But the most omlnous token of death
flew from MORO castle. The saffron
flag of Spain was half-masted for sew
cral hours. The significance OF this Is
not known. It Is not customary TO
half-mast flags. but, possibly, some
Spanish leader was killed by the heavy
fire of our guns, though some officers
of the squadron believe that the flag
was half-masted as q notification to the
Americans that Lieut.. Hobson and his
brave men were dead. II such Is the
case they must have been wantonl5
murdered The Spanish might seek &c
lay their death to the b~ombardment,
but not @ shot from the American
ships struck tho fortress
Neither Admiral Sampson nor Com
modore Schley believe that Lieut.. Hob
son and his party have been killed.
We have IT prisoners taken at Guam
tanamo, including Q lieutenant, be
sides q number In the United States
for reprisals or exchange.
!, There was evident Decentralization
among the Spanish troops during
the bombardment. officers could b
seen, with drawn swords, driving
, the men to the guns, but even thel
' they could not be forced TO stay so lon
. as our guns were directed at them
. The Is minutes night work OF the We
. suvius had shattered their nerves
1t is believed by some that the IL
:. inch protectile fred from the Texas
which was reported to have explode
n the powder magazine in one Of tn
=. western batteries, did not fall In tn
battery. but went beyond n blew u
one Of the ships In the harbor.
A dramatic incident Of the bombart
h, ment was the act Of a Spanish Office
who bravely ran along the paraps
under q heavy fire encouraging h
men to stand by their guns. Shot an
:. she'll rained about him, and after OF
terrific explosion he was seen no NOR
:, and the parapet had disappeared. Z
could not have escaped death.
From the foretop Of the Brookly'
$500 yards distant, the men In ii
grounds could be noticed, but q mi
ute later dust and flying debris wou
!. take their places, and when the smol
cleared away only q spot OF red car
could be seen, gums and gunners HI
r, been swept away.
y, It was the most deadly bombardmel
&, of the war thus far. Scarcely a sh
y from the big guns of the squadrt
went astray. The aim OF d gunne
- was superb, and not only were {
coast forts annihilated. but the be
teries on Ceyo Smith. up the harbe
were destroyed. %
Had all tho ships used smokele
powder, as did the New Orleans, the
would remain no signs Of guns or for
- cations to indicate that there had ev
been eny defenses there.
There were no casualties In the fe'
although the ships held o fixed pc
ton. as II inviting the Spaniards to 4
upon them. The half-stripped shil
punners never worked with more {
ed thusiasm. Tho words Of Rear-Admil
Sampson we're .'First silence the b
= teries on shore and then continue
inr until the Notifications are
70 duced"
)o. This order was strictly obeysd.
i'll was the first time that such Instr
10. lions had been given out, and the N
he responded with o viii. In SO minu
iii the order was given to cease firing, q
the message went to each ship IF
the admiral swell done" and the
acers and men turned In for breekfe
b. Every detail Of the engagement b
he been executed to the letter, from
'or opening of FIRE by the New York to
X last shot from the Iowa The Sp
~ iards were evidently surprised WI
strengthening their Notifications. !
ew first shot Of the New York landed 1
ltn and fair on the top Of the hills to
M east, where the gunners were afret
ip- ut work erecting new pieces.
F. earth seemed to rise In q cloud,
when the 1a-inch shells Of the Iowa {
the 12-lnch beauties % the Oret
landed squarely and fairly @ gr
1er cheer went up from the ships.
Its The western squadron got into !
a and began firing before the eastern
on did. and the effect of the shot could
pbt plainly seen. The Spanish gunner
the batteries could be noted, ar
quick fire was returned; but only fe
Az brief time did they Withstand the
able assault Of the fleet
BLAND TO BE RENOMINATE,