The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-19
BoMBARDMENT OF SAN JUAN.
sPANIARDs AGAIN PROVE THEM
SELVES POOR MARKsMEN.

to F1n0 the SpAnASh niSet Anere.
Made the Iowa His Flagship Dur
ing the Battle.
DOWNRIGHT. 1898, by the Associated Press.
On Board the Associated Press Dispatch
Boat Dauntiess, Key West, Fla, May 1S.-
The Dauntless, dispatch boat of the AS
ISOLATED Press, arrived here this morning
and brought the first detailed account of
the bombardment of San Juan de Porto
RICO by a portion of the fleet under the
command of Rear Admiral Sampson on
May II last.
The American warships sustained only
trivial injury, and lost only one man killed,
After the engagement the north end of
MORO Castle was in ruins, the Cabras Is
land fort was sllenced and the San Carlos
battery was damaged.
No shots were aimed at the city, and it
is not known whether any damage was
done there.
spaniards at St Thomas claim that
school house was struck and that the mas
ter and his pupils were killed, but this is
NOT believed to be true. as the lombard
ment took place early in the morning, and
been in the building at the time.
The plans of the Notifications furnished
to the fleet were very misleading. 1t was
known that the Spanish forts had recently
been strengthened with new guns; but
other facts developed which showed mis-
calculations were made by those who drew
UP the plans.
Refugees in st. Thomas told the CORE
spondents who touched there after the en-
gagement that the Spaniards thought the
forts at San Juan were stronger than the
forts of Havana.
The United States feet left Key Yves,
on May to Intercept and destroy the
Spanish fleet, which had left the Cape
Verde Islands. This was the only infor-
nation the navy department and Admiral
Sampson had on the subject
Our warships proceeded slowly east
ward, and on May g. were off Cape Hay
tien, Republic of Hayti. Attempts were
made there to obtain information regard
ing the whereabouts of the Spaniards, but
no definite knowledge was obtained
Early in the morning of May II, Rear
Admiral SIMPSONS ships approached San
Juan, the American consul at Cape Hay
ten having informed the admiral Of a re-
port that thirteen Spanish warships had
been seen heading for Porto Ric@
The city of San Juan is situated in a
long, narrow pocket tongue of high
land separates it from the ocean, The
entrance OF the harbor is easily defend
ed, and the same can be said of the head
lana OF lofty Cabras island. which lies IN
the throat of the passage. These head
lands have been fortified by the Spaniards
out they did not prove in any way dan
gerous to our warships
San Juan is on the ocean side Of the bay,
ana IN the rear of the town rise high hills
10 reach the city ships must pass the
Elorro Castle fortiications and the battery
OF san Carlos, situated on a promontory
at the east entrance of the harbor. Be
sides, they must pass the .CanueIo battery
on Cabras Island.
The attack on the forts was planned so
that our warships could be in a position to
meet the Spanish vessels should they
emerge from the harbor.
Admiral SIMPSONS order of attack di-
rected the Detroit and Wampatuck to
move ahead and continue sounding while
the fleet was near the shore. The line of
battle was as follows: The Iowa. fiagshps;
indiana, New. York, Amphitrite and Ter
ror.
Inc Montgomery was directed to remain
IN the rear of the column, stopping out
SIDE of the fire from MORO and on the
lookout for torpedo boat destroyers. If
Fort Canuelo fired she was to silence It.
-1here were two objects of attack, the
batteries on the Moro and the Spanish
meet, the principal point being to destroy
the ships.
Sharp watch was to be kept for torpedo
boat destroyers
The fleet assembled off San Juan about
O'Clock on Thursday last, and prepared
1or battle, stripping the decks and get
tnlg the guns, ammunition and appliances
Tor handling the wounded ready.
Rear Admiral Sampson had transferred
his flag to the Iowa and the attack on the
1ofts begun at 5:15 and lasted three hours
Although 1t was known at San Juan that
the American feet was near. the Span
lards apparently kept no lookout The SOL
diers IN the forts and the people in town
were tast asleep when our warshps APP
preached.
The plan of the admiral was Thoroughly
carried out The fleet steamed into the
har5or and opened tremendous fire on
the Qualifications. Three times the war
SHIPS made the circuit outlined in the Off
cial plans. The forts withstood the first
round, but the Montgomery from her sta
ton, near Fort CanueL Cabras Island,
"iOuShl complete destruction. With
glasses the officers of the Montgomery
could see the occupants of the fort jumping
over the walls and running away.
s-ffhe Detroit. which went nearest to Nor
70, mad to train her guns at a high angle.
Tier shots, directed at the north side of
the MORO cut deep burrows in the face of
the Qualifications
The Iowa. leading the fleet, diverted her
oeadiy missiles with great accuracy upon
Morros northern walls.
me rest of the fleet fired in order, first
on MORO and then Santa Carlos according
TO position.
On the second round. the Spanish gun
ners We're thoroughly awakened and stood
Dy their guns bravely, keeping up a fu-
rlous but aimless fire. From their firm
foundation and high elevation they had a
splendid opportunity to cripple our fleet,
but the Spanish gunners seemed to fire re-
CARELESS of aim, and as if only DESTROYS of
emptying their magazines.
From the Associated Press boat, we
could see the American shells fall among
me forts and among the troops of the gar
flson, raising clouds of dust and causing
HreS to break out