The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1898-06-11
FORTS A MASS OF RUINS
COMMANDMENT OF SANTIAGO.
Massive Fortifications ut the Harbor
Entrance Laid Waste-spnnish
Losses Admitted to BE Heavy
Cruiser Reina Mercedes SunlSen-
American and Insurgent Forces
Defeat the Spaniards.

The forts of the harbor are now mass
of ruins. Scarcely yard of the coast
from Port Cabrera on the west to Aqua
dares on the east escaped the deadly can
nonading of the 10 American ironclads,
which passed back and forth discharging |
their heavy guns as they steamed along.
Later in the day the old cruiser Reina
Mercedes was discerned attempting to
clear the channel of the Merrimac wreck.
A l3-inch shell from the Oregon landed
squarely abaft her pilot house and tore
her upper works to shreds. Many OF her
officers and crew were killed and wound
ed, and the vessel so badly damaged that
Admiral Cervera ordered her abandoned.
About noon, says the dispatch, party
of American marines which landed near
Daiquiri was attacked by Spanish infan-
try and squadron of cavalry. With the
assistance of insurgents the marines de-
feated the Spanish with heavy loss.
The Americans are now entrenched near
Daiquiri and are landing heavy guns
There is panic at Santiago.
Madrid's OmciaI News.
Madrid, June THE following official
dispatch has been received from Havana:
Colonel Aldea, commanding Spanish
column, has had some sharp fighting with
Il body of rebels who are supporting the
landing of American forces near Santiago.
Two American warships protected the
landing party. The result of the opera
lions is not known. 1t is supposed the re-
newal of the bombardment of Santiago
,,,fo oil 10 1ist1.ap
the attention of the Spanish and enable
the landing to be effected without moles-
tation.
Near Santiago.
Cape Haitien, June - :55 a.. m. -
Fighting before and in the vicinity of
Santiago continued the greater part OF
Yesterday from AS a. m. until nearly IL.
Ten warships maintained a steady and
carefully directed fire against FL Moro
castle and the batteries at Punta Gorda,
Socapa and Cinnoremles, i'll addition to
bombarding the Spanish fleet in the har-
Dor. The percentage OF effective proJec-
tiles was very large
1t appears from the best information
obtainable from the cable station connect
ing this place with Santiago that immense
damage was inflicted on the enemy. The
Spaniards admit the bombardment from
the American fleet was most destructive
About 1900 projectiles are said to have
been fired by the Americans, ana 1t seems
the responsive fire from the Spanish forti
fications and ships was scarcely felt at all
The Notifications near the entrance tC
the harbor are described as being riddleo
Il, nv hn aN
plosion of the immense shells fired by the
American battleships. The Spanish bat
teIies are understood to have been vir
tually silenced, and FL Moro and the for
tifications at Socapa and Punta Gorda art
reported to have been demolished by thu
three hours uninterrupted hammering o
the fleet.
The American attack is next said t.
have been specially directed against Aqua
dares. a small town little to the east o
the entrance to Santiago bay The ide'
of the American admiral, it appears, wa
to land troops there after reducing tn
defenses of the place, and thence make
close assault upon Santiago, which, il
view of the present condition of the forti
fications, may De expected to yield yer.
soon after the beginning of such attack.
A heavy cannonade was opened upo
Aguadares about midday yesterday. Tn
latest advices received from SPANS
sources do not indicate the duration G
fire or whether the American siege gun
were actually landed at Aguadares, bu
from information obtainable it can not b
doubted that the net result of the bon
bardment was extensively disastrous
the Spanish.
1t is also understood here that Cuba
troops maintained throughout a create
part of yesterday an attack by land upo
Santiago, and Spanish reports say the ga
rison lost heavily in killed and wounded
The military commander of Santiag
acknowledged the loss of six Spanish of
GERS and many soldiers. He also admit
the severe loss of naval forces The los
on the American side, Santiago report
say, is not known. The Spaniards a
knowledge a great deal of damage WI
inflicted on the Spanish cruiser Rein
Mercedes and say MORO castle show
great gaping breaches in its walls.
Later in the day it appears the landir
of American troops was affected near Da
quiri, some distance east of Aguadar
and near the railroad station connectir
with Santiago. Later an engagement toe
place between the American forces and
column of Spanish troops sent against Il
landing party. Accounts of the battle o