The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-07-05

rocks that rose perpendlcuIaflE dooNe'
shutting them off from the main BODY
Of the army, which is on the east side
OF the hill. several miles north.
SIGNALS BETWEEN FLEET AND
ARMY
From the quarter of the flagship
there was signal by vigorously
wig-wagged letter and a few minutes
later, from a clump OF green al the
waters edge came an answer from
the army. This was the first co-opera-
tion for offensive purposes between
the army and the navy. With the flag
in his hand the soldier ashore looked
like a butterfly.
Are you waiting for us to Begin
was the signal made by Rear Ad-
miral Sampson to the army.
General Duffield is ahead with the
scouts, came the answer from the
shore to the flagship.
BY this time it was o'clock and
the admiral ran the flagship's bow
within three-quarters Of a mile Of the
beach. She remained most as near
during the forenoon and the daring
way she was handled by Captain
Chadwick within sound of the break
ers made the Cuban pilot on board
stare with astonishment.
The SuWanee was in company with
the flagship, still closer in shore. and
the Gloucester was TO the westward,
near MORO castle. From the south
ward the Newark came up and took
a position to the westward. Her decks
were black with 1000 or more troops.
She went along side Of the flagship
and was told to dsembark the troops
a Altares.
Then Admiral Sampson signaled to
General Duffield: when do you want
US to commence firing?"
In a little while a white flag on
shore sent back the answer: When
the rest of the command arrives. Then
I will signal you
It was a long and tedious wait for
the ships before the second fifty car
loads of troops came putting along
from Altares.
BY $50 o'clock the last of the SOL
diers had left the open railroad
tracks, disappearing in the thick
brush that covered the eastern side
of Aguadores inlet The water in the
sponge tubs under the breeches of
the big guns was growing hot in the
burning sun. Ashore there was no
sign of the enemy. They We're be-
leved to be on the western bluff.
Between the bluffs runs a rocky
gully leading into Santiago city. On
the extremity of the western arm was
the Spanish flag was flying and on the
parapet on the eastern hill command
ing the gully, two stretches of red
earth could easily be seen against the
brush. These were the rifle pits.
THE FLEET BEGINS FIRING.
At 1915 o'clock a signal flag ashore
wig-wagged to Admiral Sampson to
commence firing, and a minute later
the New York's guns blazed away at
the rifle pits and at the old fort.
The Suwanee and the Gloucester
Joined in the echoes which 1umbled
around and filled the gully. All the
stored up thunder of the clouds SEEM
ed to have broken loose, and smoke
soon rose over the hills and the gully
was shut out from view. Then the
firing became more deliberate.
THE INFANTRY AT WORK.
Of our troops ashore in the brush
nothing could be seen, but the ping,
ping of the small arms Of the army
foated out to sea during the Occa-
sional lull in the firing of the big
guns which peppered the rifle pits
until clouds of red cath rose above
them.
LEVELING SPANISH FORTS.
An S-inch shell from the Newark
dropped in the massive old fort and
clouds of white dust and huge stones
filled the air. When the small shells
hit it's battlements, almost hidden by
green creepers, fragments of masonry
came tumbling down. A shot from
the Suwanee hit the eastern 0arapet
and it crumbled away like mummy
exposed to the air after long years.
Amid the smoke and debris the tag
staff was seen to fall forward. THE
; flag has been shot down." shouted the
ships crew. but when the smoke
cleared away the emblem of Spain
was seen to be still flying and blaZ-
ing brilliantly in the sun, though the
, flagstaff was bending toward the
earth Apparently the flagstaff had
been caught firmly in the Wreckage
of the fort.
| FINE SHOTS BY THE SUWANEE
A few more shots leveled the bat
Elements until the old castle was a
pitiful sight When the firing ceased
Lieutenant Delhanty, Of the Suwanee
was anxious to finish his work, so he
signalled to the New York asking
permission to knock down the Span
ish flag.
.'Yes,'' replied Admiral Sampson, iii
! you can do it in three shots" The
suwanee then lay about 1000 yards
from the old fort. She took her time
Lieutenant Blue carefully aimed the
4-inch gun and the crews of all the
ships watched the incident amid in
tense excitement. When the smoke
of the Suwanee's first shot cleared
! away, only two red streamers Of the
flag were left. The shells had gone
through the centre of the bunting. A
delighted yell broke from the crew OF
| the Suwanee. Two or three minutes
! later the Suwanee fired again. A huge
cloud of debris rose from the base OF
the fla agstaff. For a few seconds II
was impossible to tell what had beer
| the effect of the shot. Then it was
seen the shell had only added to the
ruin Of the fort.
The flagstaff seemed to have a
charmed existence and the Suwanee
had only one chance left. 1t seemed
hardly possible for her to achieve hel
object with the big gun at such a
distance and such a tiny target.
There was oreathless silence among
the watching crews. They crowded on
the ships decks and all eyes were or