Evening journal., 1898-05-09
UNDER THEIR GUNS.
'Yicksburg and Morrill, Fired
on In Havana Harbor.
SPANISH MARKSMANSHIP IMPROVES.
The Gunboats Damaged by the Fusillade.
Fell Into n Trap-Montgomery Said
to Have Engaged Spanish Cruis-
er-sampson or Haitien Coast.


craftsmanship on the part of the Span
ish gunners saved the Vicksburg and
the cutter Morrill, from destruction off
Havana Saturday. For over half an
hour they were under the fire of the
guns Of the Santa Clara water batter
les, but both escaped without material
injury. although shrapnel shells from
inch guns exploded all about them
and both now show the pitted scars Of
the Spanish bullets.
The willy Spaniards had arranged
neat trap to send a couple of our ships
to the bottom. They baited 1t as man
would bait a rat trap. A small schoon-
er was sent out from Havana harbor
shortly before daylight Saturday morn
ing to draw some of the Americans into
the ambuscade. The ruse worked like
charm. The Vicksburg and the Morrill,
in the heat Of the chase and in their
contempt for Spanish gunnery walked
straight into the trap that had been set
for them. Had the Spaniards possess
ed their souls in patience but five min
utes longer not even the bad gun prac-
tice would have saved our ships, and
this morning two more Of our vessels
would lie at the bottom. within two
lengths of the wreck Of the i'll starred
Maine.
IllQdl tNtulI6 lnE ' NANhHDuAB eAAAA NAl1
Morrill,, cruising to the west OF Morro
castle, were fired upon by the big guns
OF the Cojima batteries Two shots
were fired at the Vicksburg and one at
the Morrill,. Both fell short, and both
vessels, without returning the fire,
steamed out Of range. 1t would have
been folly to have done otherwise. But
Saturday morning the Spaniards had
better luck The schooner they had sent
out before daylight ran off TO the east-s
ward, hugging the shore with the wind
on her starboard quarter. About three
miles east Of the entrance Of the harbor
she came over on the port tack. A
light haze frnged the horizon, and she
was not discovered until three miles off
shore, when the Mayhower made her
out and signaled the Morrill, and Vicks-
burg.
Captain Smith Of the Morrill, and
Commander Lilly OF the Vicksburg i'm
mediately clapped on all steam and
started in pursuit. The schooner in
stantly put about and ran for MORO
castle before the wind on doing so she
would, according to the well conceived
Spanish plot lead the two American
warships directly under the guns of the
Santa Clara batteries. These works are
a short mile west of Moro and are a
There are two batteries. one at the
shore, which has been recently thrown
up Of sand and mortar with wide en-
.brasures for s inch guns, and the other
on the crest of the rocky eminence
which puts out into the waters Of the
gulf at the point. The upper battery
mounts modern 10 inch and u inch
Krupp guns behind a six foot stone par
apet, in front Of which are 20 feet of
earthwork and a beatling Of railroad
iron. This battery is considered the
most formidable of Havana's defenses
except Morro castle 1t is masked and
has not been absolutely located by the
American warships. 1t is probably due
70 the fact that the Spaniards did not
desire to expose its position that the
Vicksburg and Morrill, are now afioat
The Morrill, and Vicksburg were about
4 six miles from the schooner when the
chase began. They steamed after her
at full speed, the Morrill, leading until
within a mile and a half of the Santa
Clara batteries. Commander Smith of
the Vicksburg was the first 10 realize
the danger into which the reckless pur-
suit had led them. He concluded it was
time to haul off and sent a shot across
the bow Of the schooner. The Spanish
slxipper instantly brought his vessel
about but while she was still rolling in
the trough of the sea with her sails
fapping an inch shrapnel shell came
hurtliug through the air from the water
battery ~ miles away. 1t passed over
the Morrill, between the pilot house and
the smokestack and exploded less than
so feet on the port quarter The small
shot ratified against her side. 1t was a
close call. TWO more shots followed in
quick succession, both shrapneL one
) u. Al. s.,..f,. ssT a.rsfsar
filling the engine room with the smoke
of the exploding shell, and the other,
like the erst passed over and exploded
just beyond. The Spanish gunners had
the range and their time fuses were ac-
curately set.
The crews of both ships were at their
guns. Lieutenant Craig, who was in
charge of the bow inch rapid fire gun
of the Morrill,, asked for and obtained
permission to return the fire. At the
first. shot the Vicksburg, which was in
the wake of the Morrill,. slightly in
shore sheered off and passed to wind
ward under the MorrilIs stern.
In the meantime. Captain Smith also
put his helm to port and was none too
soon. for as the Morrill, stood off a solid
inch shot grazed her starboard quar-
ter and kicked up tons of water as il
struck a wave 100 yards beyond. Cap
tain Smith said afterward that this was
undoubtedly an 8 inch armor piercing
proiectile and that it would have passed
through the Morril's boilers had he not
changed her course in the nick Of time
All the guns of the water battery were
now at work. One of them cut the
Jacobs ladder of the Vicksburg adrift
and another carried away a portion OF
the rigging. AS the Morrill, and the
Vicksburg steamed away their aft guns
were used, but only few shots were
fired. The Morrill's inch gun was ele.
waited for 1900 yards and struck the
earthworks repeatedly. The Vicksbure
fired but three shots from her pound.
er. The Spaniards continued to fire
shot and shell for 20 minutes, but none
of the latter shots came within 1OI
yards. Some of them were 50 wild thai
they aroused the American 'jackies" tC
3eers. The Spaniards only ceased firing
when the Morrill, and Vicksburg were