Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-19
THE SANJUAN FIGHT.
DETAILED STORY OF LOMBARD
MENT OF PORTO nICAN FORTS.
AMERICAN FIRE DESTRUCTIVE
Aim Of the Spanish Astoundinsiy
Poor-sampson Expected Spanish
Fleet to Emerge from the Harbor--
Only One American Killed.

copyrighted, 1898, by the Associated
| Press)
ON BOARD THE Observation-Disclosures
DIsPATCH-BOAT DAUNTLESs, KEY
WEST. FLA. May ls.-The Dauntless,
| dispatch boat of the Associated Press
arrived here this morning, and brought
the first detailed account of the DOM
bardment OF San Juan de Porto RICO by
a portion OF the fleet under the COM
mand Of Rear-Admiral Sampson on May
| 18th last.
The American warships sustained only
trivial injury and lost only one man
! killed. After the engagement the north
| end of MORO Castle was in ruins, the
| Cabras Island fort was silenced, and the
| San Carlos battery was damaged. NO
shots were aimed at the city. and 1t Is
not known whether any damage was done
there. Spanlards at St. Thomas claim
that a schooI-house was struck and that
the master and his pupils were killed, but
this is not believed to be true, as the
bombardment took place early In the
morning, and the school children are not
likely to have been in the building at the
time.
The plans Of the Notifications furnished
to the fleet were very misleading. 1t was
known that the Spanish forts had re-
Gently been strengthened with new guns,
but other facts developed which showed
that miscalculations had been made by
those who drew up the plans. Refugees
in St Thomas told the correspondents
who touched there after the engagement
that the Spaniards thought the forts at
San Juan were stronger than the forts OF
Habana.
TO DESTROY SPANISH FLEET.
The United States fleet left Key West
on May Sd to intercept and destroy the
Spanish fleet. which had left the Cape
Verde Islands. This was the only infor-
nation the Navy Department and Adj
miral Sampson had on the subject.
Our warships proceeded slowly east
ward, and on May sth were off Cape
Haitien, republic of Haiti. Attempts
were made there TO obtain information
regarding the whereabouts OF the Span
iards, but no definite knowledge was OBJ
tanned.
Early i'm the morning of May 18th Rear
Admiral SIMPSONS ships approached san
Juan, the American Consul at Cape Hal
tien having informed the Admiral of
report that thirteen Spanish warships
had been seen heading for Porto Rico.
SITUATION OF CITY.
The city Of San Juan is situated in
long, narrow pocket. a tongue of high
land separates IL from the ocean. The
entrance of the harbor is easily defend
ed, and the same can be said of the
headlands of lofty Cabras Island, which
lies i'm the throat of the passage. These
headlands had been fortified by the Span
iards but they did not prove in any way
dangerous to our warships. San Juan Is
on the ocean side of the bay, and in the
rear OF the town rise high hills. To reach
the city ships must pass the MORO Cas-
tie Notifications and the battery OF San
Carlos, situated on a promontory at
the east entrance of the harbor. Be-
sides, they must pass the Canuelo bat
terry, on Cabras Island
The attack on the forts was planned so
that our warships could be in position
to meet the Spanish vessels should they
emerge from the harbor.
ORDER OF ATTACK.
Admiral SIMPSONS order of attack d.
rected the Detroit and Wampatuck to
move ahead and continue sounding, while
the fleet was near the shore. The line Of
battle was as follows: The Iowa, flag
ship; the Indiana, the New York, the
Amphitrite, and the Terror. The Mont
gomery was directed to remain in the
rear Of the column, stopping outside OF
the fire from MORO and on the lookout
for acknowledgements. If Fort
Canueo fired, she was to silence ii.
There were two objects of attack-the
batteries on MORO and the Spanish fleet
the principal point being to destroy the
ships. A sharp watch was TO be kept for
torpedo-boat destroyers
The fleet assembled off San Juan about
o'clock on Thursday last and prepared
for battle, stripping the decks and getting
the guns, ammunition, and appliances for
handling the wounded ready.
Rear-Admiral Sampson had transferred
his flag to the Iowa, and the attack on
the forts began at 515 and lasted three
hours.
NO SPANISH LOOKOUT.
Although it was known at San Juan
that the American fleet was near, the |
Spaniards apparently kept no lookout. |
The soldiers in the forts and the people |
in the town were fast asleep when our
warships approached.
The plan Of the Admiral was thorough |
ly carried out.
The fleet steamed into the harbor and |
opened tremendous fire on the fortifi-
cations. Three times the warshps made
the circuit outlined in the official plan.
The forts withstood the first round, but |
the Montgomery, from her station. near
Fort CanuelO, on Cabras Island, wrought
complete destruction. With glasses. the |
officers of the Montgomery could see the
occupants of the forts jumping over the |
walls and running away.
The Detroit, which went nearest TO !
Moro, had to train her guns at high |
angle. Her shots, directed at the north |
side of the Moro, cut deep burrows In |
the face Of the Notifications.
The Iowa, leading the feet, delivered |
her deadly missiles with great accuracy |
upon Morro's northern walls.
The rest of the fleet fired in order. first |
on MORO and then on San Carlos. ac- |
cording 10 position.
SPANISH walked UP.
On the second round the Spanish gun |
ners were thoroughly awakened. and |
stood by their guns brayely, Keeping up /
furious but aimless fire. From their |
firm foundation and high elevation they |
had a splendid opportunity to cripple our |
fleet. but the Spanish gunners seemed 10 |
fire regardless of aim, and as IL only de- /
sirous OF emptying their magazines.
From the Associated Press disDatch- |
boat we could see the American shells |
fan among the forts and among the |
troops OF the garrison. raising clouds of
dust and causing fires TO break out.
1t was hoped the Spanish fleet would |
emerge from the harbor as soon the
firing began and n feeling of daaD df.o.>