Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1898-06-09
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!: SIEGE OF SANTIAGO. /:
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American Forces Victorious
on Land and Sea.
FORTIFICATIONS IN RUINS.
Landing Of American Troops Effected
at Daquira.
REIGN OF TERROR IN SANTIAGO.
Panic Stricken Residents Flee From the
Doomed City-Fate of Cervera's Fleet
Is Sealed-Reina Mercedes Re.
ported Sunk.
FORTIFICATIONS IN RUINS.
.EIGN OF TERROR IN SANTIAGO.

bardment of the forts of Santiago de
Cuba, it appears from information OBJ
tanned here. lasted from S a. m. until
IL a. M, inflicting immense damage on
the fortifcations, which are riddled and
shattered by the American shells.
Ten of the American warships main
tanned a steady and carefully directed
fire against Moro castle, and the bat
teries at Punta Gorda, Socapa and Gin
coreales, in addition to bombarding the
Spanish feet in the harbor. The per.
centage of effective projectiles was very
large. The Spaniards admit that the
bombardment from the American feet
was most destructive. About 1,6O0
projectiles are said to have been fired
by the American warships and 1t
seems that the responsive fire from the
Spanish forts and ships was scarcely
felt at all by the Americans.
Santiago Forts In Ruins.
The Notifications near the entrance
of the harbor are described as being
riddled with heavy shot and shattered
by the explosion of the immense shells
fred by the American battleships The
Spanish batteries are understood to
have been virtually silenced and Ell
Moro and the Notifications at Socapa
and Punta Gorda are reported to have
been demolished by the three hours
uninterrupted hammering of the Ameri-
can fleet. The American attack is said
to have been especially directed against
Aguidores, small coast town little
to the east of the entrance of Santiago
bay. The idea of the American ad-
miral, it appears, was to land troops
and siege guns there, after reducing
the defenses of the place, and then
make close assault upon Santiago,
which, in view Of the present condi-
tion of its Notifications, may be ex-
pected to yield very soon after the be-
ginning of such an attack.
Heavy cannonading was opened upon
Aguidores at about midday yesterday
The latest advices received here from
Spanish sources do not indicate the
duration of the fire, but from the
information obtainable it cannot be
doubted that the result of Mondays s
fighting was extremely disastrous to
the Spanish defenses.
Insurgents Take Hand.
It is also understood that the Cuban
troops maintained throughout the
greater part of yesterday an attack by
land upon Santiago, and the Spanish
reports say the garrison lost heavily in
killed and wounded. The military
commander of Santiago de Cuba ac-
knowledged the following casualties
among the land forces: Colonel Ordo-
nez, Captain Sanchez, Lieutenant Yri-
zar, of the artillery, and Perez and Gar
cia, both Spanish officers, whose rank
is not mentioned
These officers were killed. The Span
iards also admit the loss of 2l infantry
soldiers severely wounded and say one
soldier was killed. But it is believed
the losses of the Spaniards were much
more heavy.
In the naval force the Spaniards say
that the officer who was second in com.
mand of the partly dismantled Spanish
cruiser Reina Mercedes and five sailors
and an ensign were killed. The Span.
ish sailors wounded, it is asserted, mum.
ber IL men.
The loss on the American side, the
Santiago reports say, is not known.
The Spaniards acknowledge that
great deal of damage was inflicted on
the Spanish cruiser Reina Mercedes and
they say MORO castle shows great, gap.
ing breaches in its walls.
Later in the day it appears landing
of American troops was effected near
Daquira, some distance east of Agui.
dores and near the railroad station con-
Meeting with Santiago de Cuba. Later,
an engagement took place between the
American force and a column of Span