Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-05-18
Detailed Story Of the Bombardment
Of Porto Riean City.
ORDERS. ISSUED 10 TIE FLEET
Sampson Expected to Find Span
ish Warships in Harbor.
FORTS SECONDARY OBJECT

patch boat of the Associated Press, arriv-
Ell here this morning and brought the first
detailed account of the bombardment of
San Juan de Forto Rico by portion of the
feet under the command Of Rear Admiral
Sampson. on May IL 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 Isl
and fort was silenced and the San Carlos
battery was damaged.
No shots were aimed at the city, and it
is not known whether any damage was
done there. Spaniards at ST. Thomas claim
that a school house was struck and that
the master and his pupils were killed, but
this is not thought likely to be, the
ombardment took place early in the morn
ing, and the school children are not likely
to have been in the building at the time.
Plans Were Misleading.
The plans of the Notifications furnished
to the fleet We're very misleading. 1t was
known that the Spanish forts had recently
been strengthened with new guns; but 9TH
er facts developed which showed miscalcu-
lations were made by those who drew up
the plans. Refugees in St. Thomas told the
correspondents who touched there after the
engagement lHdl lIle tIOuSHl TIE
forts at San Juan were stronger than the
forts of Havana.
The United States fleet left Key West on
May to intercept and destroy" the Span
ish fleet which had left the Cape Verde Is
lands. This was the only information the
United States Navy Department and Ad-
miral Sampson had on the subject
Our warships proceeded slowly eastward,
and on May s were off Cape Haytien, Re-
public of Hayti. Attempts We're made there
to obtain information regarding the where
abouts of the Spaniards but definite
knowledge was obtained
Early in the morning of May - Rear
Admiral SIMPSONS ships approached San
Juan. the American consul at Cape Hay
tien having informed the admiral that he
had heard a report that thirteen Spanish
warships had been seen heading for Porto
Rico.
How City Is Situated.
The city OF San Juan is situa ted in a long
narrow pocket. A tongue of high land sep
arates it from the ocean. The entrance of
the harbor Is easily defended. and the same
can be said of the headlands of lofty Ca
bras Island. which lies in the throat of the
passage. These headlands have been fort-
fled by the Spaniards, but they did not
prove in any way dangerous to our war
ships. The town of 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 Castle fortifca-
lions and the battery of San Carlos, situat-
ed on a promontory at the east entrance
Of the harbor. Besides, they must pass the
Canuelo battery, on Cabras Island.
The attack on the forts was planned SO
that our warships could be in a position to
meet the Spanish vessels should they
emerge from the harbor
The following is the official plan of action
issued to the American fleet:
The squadron will pass near Salina':,
Point and then steer about east, to pass
just outside the reefs off Cabras Islands
The column is to be formed as follows:
Formation of the Column.
'The Iowa. flagship; Indiana, New York.
Amphitrite and Terror. The Detroit is to go
ahead of the Iowa, distant one thousand
yards; the Wampatuck to keep on the
1owa's starboard bow. distant five hun
dred yards. The Detroit and Wampatuck
to sound constantly after land is closed,
and to Immediately signal If ten fatho1us
or less is obtained, showing at night a red
light over the stern and at daytime a ed
flag aft.
The Montgomery to remain in the rear
CT the column. stopping outside of the fire
nom MORO and on the lookout for torpedo
boat destroyers. If Fort Canuelo fires she
Is 10 silence 1t. The Porter will take sta
tion under the cover of the Iowa, on thu,
port side, the Niagara to remain westward
off Salinas Point
"hle approaching. a sharp lookout Is
10 be Kept on the coast between Salinas
foint ana Cabras Island for torpedo boat
destroyers. When near Cabras Island, one
hai1 mile to one mile, the Detroit will ran
IDLY cross the mouth of the harbor and he
close Under MORO to the westward
screened from the fire of Morro's western
battery. If the old guns on the north side
OF MORO fire, she Is to silence them. These
two cruisers are to keep on the lookout.
especially for Spanish torpedo boat de.
stroyers coming out of the harbor.
Orders to the Porter.
Inc Porter, when the action begins, will
cross the harbor mouth behind the Iowa
ana get close under the cliff to the east
ward OF the Detroit and torpedo any Sna,-
ism cruiser trying to get out of the bar-
bor but she is not to attack destroyers
The Wampatuck will tow one of her
toats with Its mast slipped, flying a red
nag, ana having boats anchor on board
the tug so arranged that she can stop the
boat and anchor at the same time. She is
to anchor the boat in about ten fathoms
with Fort Canuelo and the western end of
Cabras Island in range
There will be two objects for attack the
batteries on the Moro and tn, men-of
war. If 1t is clear that Spanish vessels
are lying in port, fire is to be opened upon
them as soon as they are discernible. over
Cabras Island, the motions of the flagship
baing followed in this regard. If 1t should
become evid ent. however. that neutral men
of-war are in the line of fire, flag OF truce
will probably be sent in before the vessels
are opened on The Porter is to hold her
self in readiness for this service.
Avoid the Hospitals.
Care must be taken to avoid striking
the hospitals on Cabras Island. If it be-
comes necessary to silence the Moro hat
teries, portion of the fire will be directed
with this object. But the principal object
is to destroy the ships.
After passing the harbor mouth the Iowa
will turn little to starboard toward the
town and will then turn out with a STAR