Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-12-01


the WarshiP~-Vaated Them TO Go into
the Harbor. Regardless If They s-Nuvver
Game I:ack'-I;eIused TO Permit SimP-
! to Participate IN the Surrender
! Report of the Navy Commander.
| Washington. Dec. The navy de-
partmert yesterday made public 4 re-
| port from Admiral Sampson covering
| the operations Of the United States
! blookadius fleet of Santiago after the
| destruction OF CerVera's squadron AC-
rairai Sampson quotes dispatches from
| himself to Shafter stating that II is
| impossible to force an entrance to the
harbor until the mines have been re-
| r-Oved end that work could be accom-
plished only after the troops had taken
| the forts. ShGftcr replied that ne could
| not tell when nc could take the bat
tur.vs. II the. were As difficult as those
against which he Was pitted il would
take some time and great loss of life.
Says he: Il am at a loss to see why the
navy cannot work under q destructive
fire as well as the army. My loss yes
terday wac over 500 men. BY all means
keep up fire on everything in sight un-
til demolished. ] expect, however. with
time and sufficient men To capture the
forts along the bay
Sampson Was willing to Try.
An hour later on the same Cay. July >.
Shaftcr again appealed to Sampson to
Immediately force the harbor entrance.
so as 10 avoid future loss among his
men, already very heavy. He says:
You can operate with less loss than !
can" In reply on the same day Admir-
al Sampson pointed out that the chan
nel of the harbor was well strewn with
mines which would certainly result in
the sinking OF one or more of his ships
if he attempted 20 enter the harbor.
and that by sinking one the harbor
would lie Blocked against the entrance
Of The others. He had hoped that Shat
ter would take the batteries from the
+, ar. SO that he might drag for the tor
pcdoes. but Il it was Skaters earnest
desire that he should force the entrance
ne would prepare 10 undertake it. think
ing. however. that the position OF both
army and navy would Ice made more
difficult if they failed in the attempt.
says Shafter AIisapprehends.
Says Sampson: 1t is not SO much the
loss of men as il is the loss of ships
which have until now deferred me from
making direct attack upon the ships
within the port" After the battle with
Ccrvera's fleet Shafter rers wed his re
quest that Sampson force an entrance.
saving his present position had cost him
1000 men and he did not wish to lose
any more. Sampson in comment says
this shows q complete misapprehe-slGn
OF the circumstances. Sampson tells
how ne contemplated bringing up the
marine battalion from Guantanamo
and landing them at the foot Of MORO
to assist in assault or to take the west
battery. and doubted not the success Of
his plan. He arranged to visit Shafter
TO talk this over. but being i'll was
obliged 10 send Chief OF staff Captain
Chadwick.
Admiral Expresses Much sur rrise.
They reached an arrange ment to bonn
bard Santiago from the sea for TWEEN
ty-four hours with the heavy guns. and |
IL that failed to bring the enemy to
terms then 10 assault the Socara bat |
terry with the marines and CUhars and
force an entrance to the harbOr with
some of the smaller ships. Thus says
sampson. Il have been surprised TO SEQ |
published in the papers any statement
of refusal on my part to endeavor to |
force my way into the harbor. and can |
not understandable case the newspaper |
report be a truthful statement Of what |
was sent by hin-General SEafter send |
ing any reuort Of this kind