The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-03

Of the hill, several miles north.
From the flagship there was signal by
vigorously wigged-wagged letter. and in a
few minutes later from a lump Of green at
the waters edge came an answer from the
army. This was the first cooperation for
offensive purposes between the army and
navy. The landing of the army at Baiquiri
and Altares was purely a naval affair.
With the flag in his hand the soldier ashore
looked like butterfly.
the signal made by Rear Admiral Sampson
to the army.
General Duf1eld is ahead with the
scouts" came the answer from the shore
to the flagship.
BY this time it was 6 o'clock, and the ad-
miral ran the flagshp's bow within three
mained almost as near during the forenoon,
and the daring way she was handled by
Captain Chadwick within sound of the
breakers made the Cuban pilot on board
stare with astonishment.
The Suwanee was in company with the
flagship, still closer inshore, and the
ro Castle From the southwark the Newark
came up and took a position to the west
ward. Her decks were black with 1000 or
more troops. She went alongside of the
flagship and was told to disembark the
troops at Altares.
A LONG TEDIOUS WAIT.
Duffield: When do you want US to COM
mence firing?"
In a little while white flag on shore
sent back the answer: when the rest of
the command arrives. Then I will signal
you
1t was a long and tedious wait for the
ships before the second fifty carloads of
troops came putting along from Altares.
At $50 the last of the soldiers 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 were
believed to be on the western bluff. Between
the bluffs runs a rocky gully leading into
Santiago city. On the extremity of the west
ern arm was an old castelated fort from
which Spanish flag was flying and on the
gulley, two stretches of red earth could cas-
lily be seen against the brush. These were
the rifle pits.
AT 10:15 signal flag ashore wig-wagged
to Admiral Sampson to commence firing,
and a minute later the New. York blazed
away at the rifle pits and the old fort The
Suwanee and Gloucester joined in the echoes
which rumbled around and filled the gully
All the stored-up thunder of the clouds
soon rose over the hills and the gully was
shut from view. Then the firing became
more deliberate.
OF our troops ashore in the brush moth
ing could be seen, but the ping ping of
the small arms Of the army 1oated out to
sea during the occasional lull in the firing
of the big guns which peppered the rifle pits
until clouds of red earth rose above them.
An eight-inch shell from the Newark
6TOnneH N Six o1d nd
of white dust and huge stones filled the air.
When the small shells hits it's battlements,
almost hidden by green creepers, fragments
of masonry came tumbling down. A shot
from the Suwanee hit the eastern parapet
and it crumbled away like a mummy ex-
posed to the air after long years. Amid
the smoke and debris the flagstaff was seen
to fall forward.
SHOOTING DOWN A FLAG.
''The flag has been shot down." shouted
the ships crews, but when the smoke
cleared away the emblem of Spain was seen
to be still flying and blazing brilliantly in
the sun, though the Flagstaff was bending
toward the earth. Apparently the fiagstaff
had been caught firmly in the wreckage of
the fort. A few more shots leveled the
and the old castle was pitiful
sight.
When the firing ceased Lieutenant Dele
hanty, of the Suwanee, was anxious to fin
ish his work, so he signaled to the New
York, asking permission to knock down the
Spanish flag.
Yes replied Admiral Sampson. IF
you can do it in three Shots
The Suwanee then lay about 1900 yards
from the old fort. She took her time.
Lieutenant Blue carefully aimed the four
inch gun and the crews of all the ships
watched the incident amid intense excite
ment When the smoke of the Suwanees
first shot cleared away only two red stream
ers of the flag were left. The shell had
gone through the center of the bunting. A
delighted yell broke from the crew of the
Suwanee.
Two or three minutes later the Suwanee
fred again and huge cloud of debris arose
from the base of the 1agstaff. For a few
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