The San Francisco call., 1898-05-14
Tons of Steel Sent Crashing Into th' Works During Two Bold Assaults
 by Our Ships.
Shells From the Enemys Batteries Make No Inn pression on the Armor Of Admiral Samp-
 sons Vessels

shell which came through boat in the superstructure and scattered fraements in all directions. The shots course was finally ended on an iron plate an inch thick. Merkle was struck in the arm and may lose it. All were hurt by splinters. A fire was started in the bow, but was quickly extinguished.
 Morro battery, on the eastern arm of the harbor, was the principal point of attack. Rear Admiral Sampson and Captain Evans were on the lower bridge of the Iowa and had narrow escape from flying splinters, Wnlch 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 the Indiana rumbled in the hills in shore five minutes after they were de- livered. Clouds of dust showed where the shells struck, but the smoke hung over everything. The shells screeching overhead and drop ping around showed that the Span iards still stuck to their guns.
 At 8 o'clock in the morning all hands were called on the Iowa, few final touches in clearing ship were made, and at 5 general quarters" sounded. The men were eager Tor the fight The tug Waumpatuck went ahead and anchored her small boat to the westward showing ten l fathoms, but there was not a sign or life from the fort, which stood boldly against the sky on the eastern hill. The Detroit steamed far to the east ward, opposite Valtern. The Iowa headed straight for the shore. Sud denly her helm flew over, bringing the starboard battery to bear on the Notifications. At 5:16 a. m. the Iowa,s forward twelve-inch guns thundered out at the sleeping hills, and for fourteen 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 Waumpatuck's s boat and again led the column, the fort replying fiercely, concentrating on the Detroit, which was about 7OC yards away, and 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 fol the enemy's fire. The wounded were quickly attended, the blood was washed away, and everything pro ceeded like target practice.
 At 7:45 a. m. Admiral Sampson signaled "cease firing" Retire was sounded on the Iowa, and sh' headed from the shore. The Terrol was the last ship in the line, and failing to see the signal, banged away alone for about half hour the concert of shore guns roaring a her and the water flying high arount her, from the exploded shells. Bu
 she possessed a charmed life, and re luctantly retired at 5:15.
 , As at Matanzas, the unsatisfactor. condition, the smoke and the dis tance prevented any important con
 clusions being drawn. The town
 San Juan must have suffered, al ,, though protected by the hills, as higl : shots must have reached it. N traces of the mbardment were dis
 cernible on the forts except smal fires, which were apparently extin . guished before the fleet left.