Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1898-06-24
SPAIN PUNISHED.
GRAPHIC ACCOUNT OF A GREAT
BATTLE.

Wreck and Ruin of Spanish Bat
tcrics at Santiago - Some Dc
molishcd Beyond Repair -
NulturcS Circle i'm the Air -
Spanish Gunncrs Would No
Stand the MercileSS Firc--DeS
pcratc Efforts to Rally.
\ careful inspection of the fortified
tions along the crest "f the hills de
Tending Santiago harbor since In,
. bombardmcnt on Thursday mOrnin!
the 10th, shows the American gunner.
spread wreck and ruin everywhere
Some OF the batteries were demolished
beyond repair. The vultures which
circlcd over the hills as thick a,
swallows around chimney for hour:
after the firing ceased furnished
grucsome evidence of the fatality
among the Spanish soldiers. Hun
drcds of troops could be seen from tho
ships digging in mounds of earth piled
by the explosion of the projcctilcs from
the heavy guns, for bodies, while their
heads were famed by the wings of the
black scavengers of the battleships
There were two spots, one on the east
and the other on the west OF the har-
Dor, which were denuded OF foliage
The hilltops seem literally blown
away. These marked the places where
the two hundred-pound charges OF
gun-cotton blown by the Vcsuvius
landed.
There was evident decentralization
among the Spanish troops during the
bOmbardment. Officers could be seen
with drawn swords, driving the men
to the guns, but even then they could
not be forced to stay as long as our
fire was directed at them. Fifteen
minutes night work of the Vesuvius
had shattered their nerves.
1t is believed by some that the 13-
inch projectile fired from the Texas,
which was reported to have exploded
the powder magazine i'll one of the
western batteries, did not fall in the
battery, but went beyond and blew up
one of the ships in the harbor.
a dramatic incident of the lombard
ment was the act of Spanish officer.
who bravely ran along the parapet
under 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 disappeared.
He could not have escaped death.
From the foretop of the Brooklyn,
$500 yards distant, the men in the
ground could be noticed, but minute
later dust and flying debris would
take their places, and when the smoke
raised away only a spot of red earth
could be seen-guns and gunners had
been swept away. 1t was the most
deadly and destructive bombardmcnt
of the war thus far. Scarcely q shot
from the big guns of the squadron
went astray. The aim of the gunners
was superb, and not only were the
forts annihilated, but 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 Notifications to indicate
that there had ever been any defenses
there. There were no casualties on
our fleet, though our ships held fixed
position. The half-stripped ships
gunners never worked with more en-
thusiasm. The words of Rear Adj
miral Sampson were:
"First silence the batteries on the
shore then continue firing until the
Notifications are reduced"
The order was exactly obeyed. 1t
was the first time that such instruc.
tions had been given, and the men
responded with 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 detail of the en-
gagement had been executed to the
letter, from the opening of the fire by
the New York to the last shot from the
Iowa. The Spaniards were evidently
surprised while strengthening their
Notifications.
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 Mt work erecting new
pieces. The earth seemed to rise in n
cloud, and when the 12-inch shells of
the Iowa and the 13-inch beauties of
the Oregon landed squarely and fairly,
a great shout went up from the ships.
The western squadron got into line
and began firing before the eastern
one did, and the effect of the shots
could be plainly seen. The Spanish
gunners at the batteries could be
noted, and quick fire was resumed,
but only for brief time did they with
stand the terrible assault of the fleet.