The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-20
Every Battery in the OIter HarbOr
Save Those at MORO Castle
Practically Silenced.
SMACK INTO 4 HORNETS NEST
NARROW ESCAPE OF CADETS pow
ELL AND HART ON LAUNCHES.
Ambushed in Little Bay West of San
tiago, Where the Shore swarn:s
with Spanish Soldiers.

Copyright. 1898. by the Associated Press)
ON BOARD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
DISPATCH BOAT DAUNTLESS. off San
| tiago de Cuba, Saturday, June Is noon),
via Kingston, Jamaica, Sunday, June 10
noon.)-A careful inspection of the fortifi-
cations along the crest of the hills defend
ing Santiago harbor since the bombardment
Thursday morning shows that the American
gunners spread wreck and ruin everywhere.
Some of the batteries were demolished be-
yond repair. The vultures which circled
on level wings over the hills as thick as
swallows around chimney for hours after
the firing ceased furnished gruesome evil
dence Of the fatality amoLg the Spanish
soldiers Hundreds of troops could be seen
from the ships digging in mounds of earth
piled UP by the explosions of the projectiles
from the heavy guns for bodies. while their
heads were famed by the wings of the
black scavengers 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
hill tops seem literally blown away. These
marked the places where the 200-pound
charges Of the gun cotton thrown by the
Vesuvius landed. But the most ominous
token OF death flew from Morro Castle. The
saffron flag of Spain was half-masted for
several hours. The significance of this is
not known. 1t is not customary to half
mast flags, but possibly some Spanish lead
er was killed by the heavy fire of our guns,
though some officers of the squadron be-
lieve that the flag was half-masted as a
notification to the Americans that Lieut..
Hobson and bis brave men were dead. If
such is the case they must have been wan
tonly murdered. The Spanish might seek
to lay their death to the bombardment. but
not a shot from the American ships struck
the fortress. Neither Admiral Sampson nor
Commodore Schley believe that Lieutenant
Hobson and his party have been killed. We
have seventeen prisoners taken at Guanta-
namo, including lieutenant, besides
number in the United States for reprisals
or exchange.
There was evident decentralization among
the Spanish troops during the lombard
ment. Officers could be seen, with drawn
swords, driving the men to the guns, but
even then they could not be forced to stay
so long as our guns were directed at them.
The fifteen-minutes-a might work of the
Vesuvius had shattered their nerves.
1t is believed by some that the thirteen
inch projectile fired from the Texas which
was reported to have exploded the powder
magazine in one of the western batteries
did not fall in the battery, but went be-
yond and blew up one of the ships in the
harbor. A dramatic incident of the bonn
bardment was the act of Spanish officer
who bravely ran along the parapet under
a heavy fire, encouraging his men to stand
by their guns. Shot and shell rained about
him and after one terrific explosion he
was seen no more and the parapet had dis
appeared. He could not have escaped death.
From the foretop of the Brooklyn, $500
yards distant, the men in the grounds could
be noticed, but minute later dust and
flying debris would take their places and
when the smoke cleared away, only spot
of red earth could be seen-guns and gun
ners had been swept away. 1t was the most
deadly and destructive bombardment of the
war thus far. Scarcely a shot from the big
guns of the squadron went astray The aim
of gunners superb and not only
were the coast forts annihilated, but the
batteries on Cayo Smith, up the harbor,
were destroyed. Had all the ships used
smokeless powder as did the New Orleans,
there would remain no signs of guns or
fortifications to indicate that there had ever
been any defenses there.
There were no casualties in the fleet, al
though the ships held fixed position, as
if inviting the spaniards to fire on them
The half-stripped ships gunners never
worked with more enthusiasm.
The words of Rear Admiral Sampson
were: First silence the batteries on the
shore and then continue firing until the
fortitications are reduced" This order was
strictly obeyed. 1t was the first time that
such instructions had been given and the
men responded with a will. In thirty-eight
minutes the order was given to cease firing
and the message went to each ship from
the admiral well done;" and the officers
and men turned in for breakfast Every de-
tail of the engagement had been executed
to the letter, from the opening of fire by
the New York to the last shot from the
Iowa. The Spaniards were evidently sur
prised while strengthening their fortifca-
tions. The first shot of the New York
landed full and fair on the top of the hills
to the east, where the gunners were already
at work erecting new pieces The earth
seemed to rise in a cloud and when the
twelve-inch shells of the Iowa and the thir-
teen-inch beauties of the Oregon landed
squarely and fairly, a great cheer went up
from the ships.
The western squadron got into line and
began firing before the eastern one and
the effect of the shots could be plainly
seen. The Spanish gunners at the batteries
could be noted and quick fire was re-f
turned, but only for a brief time did they
withstand the terrible assault of the fleet.