The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-11-09
AS TOLD BY
A AWARD
The Story of Santiago's
MORRO'S KEEPERS TALE
Translation Of Curious Account of
the Sea Fight by Eyewitness
Of il.

Albert +. Wright, one of Roosevelt
Rough Riders. and the first man of the
army to hoist the flag on Cuban soil,
who is on his way to Manila on board
the United States transport Port
stephens, now in this port. has in his
possession a curious translation Of the
report made to the Spanish Govern
ment by the lighthouse keeper at FL
MORO. Santiago de Cuba, concerning
the naval engagement between the
American and Spanish fleets.
This is a Spanish version of the af-
fair. and has never before been pub
lished in the English language. Wright
got hold Of copy of the report while
he was i'm Cuba with the Rough Rid
ers. He had translation made of it
by one Robert de Choudens.
The MORO lighthouse keeper, Luis
Lopez by name. prefaced his report
with an account OF the troops station
ed at MORO Castle and also went into
details concerning the sinking of the
Merrimac The following is an exact
copy Of the original report as trans
| Choudens Those familiar with the
story Of the fight off MORO Castle will
be- able TO detect various misstate-
ments made by the Spaniard in his
report:
Troops Stationed at MORO Castle-The
Troops stationed at MORO Castle number
Ell 225 soldiers. 100 OF these belonging TO
the Second Battalion of Cuba and l25 be-
tween artillerymen, guerrillas and from
1.-The Engineers Corps. The commander of
the fort was Don Antonio Ros. The Of
hcers under him were Lieut. Antonio
lQuintana, Captain Antonio Anton. three
Iucutenants more and a major and two
lHcutenants OF guerrillas. At the same
thine. as prisoners. we had I'm the Morrc
IL major OF guerrillas named Casteloi anc
Three captains OF same. The chief Of the
battery was Col. Ordonez and under hin
were two lieutenants, named respective
lly Aguirre and Sanchez. both of whom
were wounded In the first encounter
Iieut. Sanchez was afterwards sent u
lPunta Gorda battery with six artillery
linen and four marines from the cruise
Reina Mercedes. The Socapa battery wa
mcnned by two officers, one sergeant an
marines from the Reina Mercedes an
six artillerymen. on the 9Th OF June fou
lartiilerymen were killed in the Socap
, battery. one OF them disappearing $
OF him next day was a leg. There wer
present at the MORO two lieutenant
and four marines more from the Rein
Mercedes. who helped the lighthouse
keeper in the Signal Service. At the to-
pedo station on the beach were two OF
GERS and six marines from the Rein
Mercedes. to whom the movements
the American fleet were communicated Q
telephone from above.
Account Of the Fight.-On the 18th
May two steamers were sighted twelN
miles from shore or. better said, from II
Moro. one of which fired. one Of n
steamers was the San Luis. The Nor
was not able to answer the fire at u
time as the only mounted gun was M
ready for use The next day. the St
THE two steamers came to within w
miles from the MORO and appeared 10
taking up the cable One OF the heutei
ants OF infantry. who was on guard
the time I'm company with the Lighthouse
keepcr. asked him what he thought or u
steamers movements. After lookir
!. through his glasses. the lighthouse-keep'
replied that they were taking up the G.
BILE The officer reported same TO Mag
RIOS. who came to inspect for himself, ar
said: I'VE will fire on them, as those a.
the only orders I have" They could on
: Gro two rounds as after that the on
gun mounted became useless. The steam
ert answered with more than 100 round
m which were counted by Major Ros.
Some Of the shots damaged the sens
phore signal and one she'll entered II
u house occupied by Lieut.. Quintan
which. had n exploded. would have kill'
three officers who were there at Il
time All the troops got under cover. u
w only ones remaining being Major Ro
the lighthouse-keeper and one officer ar