The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1898-05-21
SAMPSON HITS THE
PUERTO RICO FORTS
Works al San Juan Are Destroyed
BY the Guns ofHis
Fleet.
THE RESPONSE is VERY FEEBLE
THE RESPONSE is VERY FEEBLE
Inhabitants and Consuls Take Re.
fuge in the In
terror.
THE WORKS cRuMBLED EASILY
spatn's Base of Supply Is Undoubt
cdiy by This Time ~ Part of
Territory Controlled by
Uncle Sam.

London, May 14.-livenins News
St. Thomas Special: San Juan, Porto
Rico. surrendered at q O'Clock e
terday evening.
Washington, May 14.-At 1880 this
morning the navy department. received
the following from Sampson, dated st.
Thomas, May 12:
"A portion of the squadron undermy
command reached San Juan this morn.
Ing u! day-breals, No armed vessels
were found in port. AS soon us sutfi-
GENTLY light 1 commenced an attack
upon the batteries defending the city,
This attack lasted about three hours
and resulted i'll much damage to the
batteries and incidentally to that por-
ton of the city adjacent to the batter
les. The batteries replied to our fleet
without material effect. One man
was killed on board the New York, and
several slightly wounded in the squad.
ron. No serious damage to any of the
ships resulted. Sampson"
SIMPSONS statement that he at
tackled with only a portion of the feet
is taken to indicate that he did not
find it expcdicnt to take the entire
squadron into the harbor, though it is
not believed he had separated the fleet.
The navy department were ut u loss
to know how his dispatch reached St
Thomas until reading the Associated
Press dispatch announcing the pres
ence of the Yale at st. Thomas.
Story OF the Battle.
On Board the Flagship Iowa, May 16.
The engagement began at 5:15 a. III.
and ended at SIS a. Ill. The enemy's
batteries were not silenccd. The town
in the rear of the Notifications prob
ably suffered.
The ships taking part in the action
were the Iowa, Indiana, New York,
Terror, Amphitrite, Detroit, Montgom-
cry, Wnmpatuck and Porter. The en-
emy's fire vas heavy, but wild and the
Iowa md 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 twice in front of the forts,
pouring tons of steel on shore. 1t is
impossible to judge the mount OF
damage done to the buildings and
forts. They appeared to be riddled
with shot; but the Spaniards were
plucky. The after turret of the Am
phitrite got out of order temporarily
during the engagement, 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 everything, spelling the aim
of the guns 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 over all our ships.
The men of the Iowa who were hurt
during the action were injured by
splinters caused by Ill S-inch shell,
which came through q boat into the
superstructure and scattered frng-
ments in all directions. The shots
course was finally ended on MI iron
plate an inch thick.
Merkle (Murtel) was struck In the arm
and may lose it. All were hurt by splinters
ana Il ire was StdTlel III tLe DOal, Jul WIS
quickly extinduished.
Morrow battery on the eastward arm OF
the harbor was the principal point of at
tack. Rear Admiral Sampson and Cap
tain Evans were on the lower bridge of the
low and had Il narrow escape from flying
splinters which injured three men. The
Iowa was hit eight times, but the shells
made no impression oil her armor. The
weather was fine. but the heavy swells
made accurate aim difficult.
The broadsides from the Iowa and Indi-
ana rumbled in the hills ashore for five
minutes after they were delivered. Clouds
of dust showed where the shells struck,
but shells screeching overhead and drop
ping around showed that the Spaniards
still stuck to their guns.
AT 3 o'clock in the morning all hands
We're called on the Iowa, Il few final
touches in clearing the ship were
made, and at 5 general quarters
were sounded. The men were eager
for the fight.
The tug Wampatuck went ahead and
anchored, her small boat to the west
ward showing ten fa1noms, but there
was not n sign of life from the forts
which stood boldly against the sky on
the eastern hills of the town.
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 forts
AT 5:16 a. nj. the Iowa's forward ie.