Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-05-09
SHIPS UNDER FIRE
Vicksburg and Morrill, Have
a Close Call.
WERE LURED INTO A TRAP
Gnnners at the Forts Take Bad Aim and
Ndiss Their Marks, Else Two Men-of-
War Would Be Now Lying Near
the lll-starred Maine.

poor craftsmanship on the part of the
Spanish gunners saved the Vicksburg
and the cutter Morrill, from destruc-
ton off Havana yesterday morning.
For over half an hour they were un-
der the fire of the guns of the Santa
Clara water batteries but both escap-
ed without material injury. although
sharpnel shells from eight-inch guns
exploded all around them and both
now show the pitted scars of the Span
ish bullets. The wiley Spaniards had
arranged Il trap to send a couple of
our ships to the bottom. They baitcd
it as man would bait u trap. a
small schooner was sent out from Hl-
vana harbor shortly before daylight
yesterday morning to draw some OF
the Americans into the ambuscade
The ruse worked like charm. The
Vicksburg and the Morrill,, in the heat
of the chase and in their contempt for
Spanish gunnery, walked straight into
the trap that had been set for them.
Had the SpaniardS possessed their
souls in patience but five minutes
longer, not even the bad gun practice
would have saved our ships and this
morning two more of our vessels would
lie at the bottom, within two lengths
of the wreck of the il-starred Maine.
Friday evening the Vicksburg and
Morrill,, cruising to the west of Moro
Castle, We're fired upon by the big guns
of the Cojimar batteries.
Two Shots were fired at the Vicks-
burg and one at the Morrill,. but both
fell short and both vessels, without re-
turning the fire, steamed out Of range.
1t would have been folly to have done
otherwise.
But, yesterday morning the Span
iards had better luck. The schooner
rtaeV had sent out before daylight ran
off to the eastward, hugging the shore
with the wind on her starboard quar-
ter. About three miles east of the en-
trance OF the harbor she came over on
the port tack. A light haze fringed
the horizon and she was not discovered
until three miles Off the shore, when
the Mayflower saw her out and sig
nailed the Morrill, and Vicksburg.
Captain Smith, of the Morrill,, and
Immediately slapped on all steam and
started in pursuit. The schooner In
stantly put about and ran for MORO
Castle. On doing so she would, ac-
cording to we'll conceived Spanish plot,
lead the two American warships d.
rectly under the guns of the Santa
Clara batteries. These works are a
short mile west Of MORO and are a
part of the defenses of the harbor.
There are two batteries, one at the
shore which has recently been thrown
up of sand and mortar with wide en-
brasures for efght-inch guns, and the
other on the crest of the rocky emf
hence. which puts out into the water OF
the gulf at that point. The upper bat
terry mounts, modern 10 and 12-inch
krupp guns. behind a six foot stone
parapet in front of which are twenty
feet of earthwork and a betting of
railroad iron. This battery is consld-
cred most formidable of Havana's
defenses. except Moro Castle. 1t is
masked and has not been absolutely
located by the American ships. It Is
probably due to the fact that the
Spaniards did not desire to expose It's
position that the Vicksburg and Nor
rill are now afloat The vessels were
about six miles from the schooner
when the chase began. They steamed
after her at full speed, the morrill,
leading until within a mile and a half
Of the Santa Clara batteries. Com
mander Smith. of the Vicksburg was
the first to realize the danger into
which the reckless pursuit had led
them. He concluded 1t was time to
haul off and sent q shot across the bow
instantly brought his vessel about,
but while she was st!ll rolling in the
trough of the sea with her sails flap
ping. an eight-inch sharpnel shell
came hurting through tine air from the
water battery q mile and a half away.
It passed over the Morrill, between the
pilot house and the smoke stack and
exploded less than so feet on the port
quarter. The small shot ratified
against her side. 1t was a close call
Two more shots followed in quick sue
cession, both sharpnel. One burst close
under the starboard quarter. filing The
engine room with the smoke of the ex-
~ fhn I@fy \ a
the first, passed over and exploded Just
beyond. The Spanish gunners had the
range and their time fuses were accu-
rately set. The crews of both ships
were at their guns. Lieutenant Craig,
who was in charge of the bow four
inch rapd-fire gun Of the Morrill,. ask
ed for and obtained permission to re-
turn the fire. At the first shot the
Vicksburg. which was in the wake of
the Morrill, slightly in shore shereed
or and passed TO Wlndward under the
Morrilrs stern.
In the meantime Captain Smith pul
his helm hard to port and with the
morrill, stood off. A solid eight-inch
shot graZed her starboard quarters
and kicked up tons OF water as IL
struck the waves one hundred yards
away. Captain Smith said afterward
that 1t was Undoubtedly an eight-inch
armor-piercing projectile and that 1t
would nave passed through the Nor
rills boilers had he not changed her
course in the nick Of time. All the
guns OF the water battery We're now at
work. One of them cut the Jacobs
ladder of the Vicksburg adrift and an
other carried away a portion of the
rigging. AS the Morrill, and the Vicks-
burg steamed away their after guns
were used. but only few shots were
Tired The Morrilrs gun was elevated
for four thousand yards and struck
the earthwork repeatedly. The vicks-
burg fired but three shots from her
SIN Founders. The Spaniards contin-
ued to fire shot and shell for twenty
minutes. but the shots were ineffective
some Of them were SO wild that they
=. "uaeu the American Tackles to
jeers. The spaniards only ceased FIR
ing when the Morrill, and Vicksburg
weer completely out of range
II all the Spanish gunners had been
suffering from st-abismus their prac-
tice could not have been much worse.
The officers OF both the Merrill and
Vicksburs frankly admit their own
fecklessness caused the narrow escape
OF their vessels form destruction, They
are firmly convinced that the pursuit
or the schooner was neatly plannrd