Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1898-06-11
ASSAULT ON SANTIAGO.
Additional Details of the Battle
There on Monday.
DONS' BATTERIES IN RUINS.
AS Usual Their Artillery Practice was of
the Poorest Quality-The Cruiser Reina
Mercedes Is Almost Distinguishing of
the Spanlards Killed and Wounded.

June S.-The American fleet formed in
double column six miles off Morro
castle ut o'clock Monday morning
and steamed slowly 5000 yards off
shore, the Brooklyn leading, followed
by the Marblehead, Texas and Massa-
chusetts, and turned westward. The
second line, the New York leading,
with the New Orleans, Yankee, Iowa
and Oregon following, turned east
ward.
The Vixen and Suwanee We're far
out on the left flank watching the
rifemen on shore. The Dolphin and
Porter did similar duty on the right
flank. The line headed by the New
York attacked the new earthworks
near Morro castle. The Brooklyn
column took up station opposite the
Estrella and Catalina batteries and the
new earthworks along the shore.
The Spanish batteries remained
silent. 1t is doubtful whether the
Spaniards were able to determine the
character of the movement, owing to
the dense fog and heavy rain.
Suddenly the Iowa fired a sl2-inch
shell which struck the base of Estrella
battery and tore up the works. In
stantly firing began from both Rear
Admiral SIMPSONS and Commodore
Schley's columns, and torrent Of
shells from the ships fell upon the
Spanish works. The Spaniards re-
piled promptly, but their artillery
work was of a very poor quality, and
most of their shots went wide.
Previous to the bombardment, or
ders were issued to prevent firing on
MORO castle, as She American adj
miral had been informed that Lieut..
Hobson and the other prisoners of the
Merrimac are confined there. In spite
of this. however, several stray shots
damaged MORO castle somewhat.
The Brooklyn and Texas caused
| great havoc among the Spanish shore
| batteries, quickly silencing them.
While the larger ships were engaging
| the heavy batteries, the Suwanee and
Vixen closed with the small in-shore
battery opposite them, raining rapid
fire shots upon it and quickly placing
the battery out of the fight.
The Brooklyn closed to 800 yards
and then the destruction caused by
her guns and those of the Marblehead
and Texas was awful. In few min
utes the woodwork of Estrella fort
was burning and the battery was
| silenced, firing no more during the en-
| gagement. Eastward, the New York
and New Orleans silenced the Cavo
battery in quick order and then
shelled the earthworks located higher
| up.
| Shortly after nine the firing ceased,
the warships turning in order to per-
init the use of the port batteries. The
firing then became long reverberat-
ing crash of thunder and the shells
/ ha oh hnffnTipG with fer
rible effect Fire broke out in the
Catalina fort and siIenced the Span
ish guns.
Many of the earthworks were
knocked to pieces and the Estrella
and Catalina fortifcations were so
damaged that it is questionable
whether they will ever be able to re-
new any effective work during the
war.
New York, June s.-A special from
Cape Haytien, describing the bombard'
ment of Santiago de Cuba on Monday
saws that the forts about the harboI
are now n mass of ruins. The Morro
is a shapeless pile of ruined masonry
and dsmantled guns, and the Estrella
battery is utterly ruined. This result
the dispatch says, was the work of ter
American ironclads. Scarcely yart
of the coast escaped the deadly can
nonading. AT Port Aguadores, th'
| fort recently constructed by Col
OrdoneZ, the famous artillery expert
was blown to dust and Col. Ordone;
was badly wounded. Two other artil
lery officers were also wounded. Tw'
infantry lieutenants and 21 private
are reported fatally wounded.
Later in the day the American ship
moved closer toward the mouth of tn
barbor, where the old cruiser Rein
Mercedes had been discerned attempt
ing to place explosives about the hul
of the Merrimac to blow her to piece
= and clear the channel. A 13-inch shel
from the Oregon landed squared
abaft her pilot house and tore all he
upper works to shreds.
Her "second commodore" five of he
sailors and a marine were killed.
! second lieutenant of the Reina Mel
: cedes and 10 of her seamen were SCI
: iously wounded.
t A perfect shower of shell and she
= fell upon and around the old cruise
and she was so badly damaged tha
her crew abandoned her and sougt
Z the shore for safety.
About noon u landing party {
!, American marines near Daiquiri we
attacked by the Spanish infantry an
= squad of cavalry.
d The insurgents were posted in tn
!. neighborhood and with the aid of I'll
marines successfully took up pos
6 ton, holding it and later making 1t
base from which they operated. III
Spanish force was defeated with hea'
loss and driven back toward Santiag
leaving their wounded behind ther
= The Americans are now entrenche
near Daiquiri and are landing heaN
: guns, preparatory to moving the
o toward Santiago and laying siege
e the city. =,
$ 1t is further reported here that ii
d ! Cuban forces attacked Santiago
o Cuba by land, during the Amr.rlct
! bombardment, inflicting heavy loss
on the garrison.