Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-06
MAYBE IT IS A VICTORY
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MAYBE ii Is A VlClOKI
Continued from First Page.)'
range station on which the mortars at Fort
Adams are sighted and fred, and these
were put out Of action for an hour. During
that time the battleships Kearsarge and
Alabama engaged Fort Wetherill, the cruis-
ers Olympia and Brooklyn hRmpered Fort
Greble In the west channel, while Massa-
chusetts and Indiana and the monitor Puri-
tan destroyed a signal station at the en-
trance of eakonet river. After two hours
Of fighting the feet drew of shore, where
1t assembled Just after sunset for what
looked like, at that time. a night attack.
The main portion Of the attack was at
Prices Neck, the object being to put that
station out of action before the mortar
batteries could be fired more than once or
twice. This would give the larger vessels
a chance to come up and engage the regular
batteries. The task was a hard one In any
case, but today 1t was doubly so, as the air
was like crystal and the Of the
fleet could be watched a great distance of
shor5. But under the rules admiral His-
ginson was Obliged to engage the Nara
gansett Bay forts Just as earnestly as he
had those in New London, Long island
sound and around New Bedford. He was
unfortunate. however. in choosing the clear
est day Of the week.
HlEginson Does Well.
Still, he went at It bravely and the whole
affair was we'll planned and carried through
with determination The fleet was all day
assembling about eight miles north. of
Block Island. and when all the vessels
had arrived there was q council Of war on
board the flagship. About "a o'clock the
largest ships Of the fleet separated into
four squadrona, and, leaving the tugs out
at sea. the attack was begun. The move
ment was spectacular and was witnessed
by a large number of the Newport colony,
as we'll as those at Narragansett pier. Mas
sachusetts was first in the lines toward
the east, followed by Indiana and Puritan.
Toward the west went Brooklyn and Olym-
pia, while straight into Prices Neck came
Montson cry, followed by Maynower and
Scorpion.
The attack then developed. Montgomery
was within two miles of Prices Neck before
IT began firing, at 2:25 o'clock, and it sue
ceeded in getting in thirty or forty shots
before the station obtained Its range, Six
teen imaginary shells from the mortar
battery at Fort Adams came tumbling
Town on 1t ten minutes later. Maynower
came into action at 2;4O and FIVE minutes
later the mortars were again fred.
Umpires to Decide.
It was a question for the umplres to
decide whether the fort was not demolished
by the rapid firing OF the guns on the ships
before the mortars were fired. Al any
event the ships kept right on and after a
furious cannonade by all the vessels, two
small boats put on from Montgomery and
started ashore. When about 1000 yards
on, two Calling guns. manned by Massa-
chusetts volunteers, sputtered a few hun
dred shot, but the tackles kept right on
and at S;45 the station was captured. Mas
sachusetts, Indiana and Puritan had gone
well up the seakonet river and put out
OF action a signal station on the western
point. Over to the Narrangansett shore
Brooklyn and Olympia were alone near the
beach, keeping up a continual FIRE on Fort
Greble. After Prices Neck station had
been captured, Kearsarge and Alabama
anne up almost to Brenton's reef lightshiI
) and shelied Forts Adams and Wetherill
slowly, but Fort Greble not at all. The
Jackies held Prices Neck for one hour
and then returned on board Montgomery
At 5 o'clock the entire fleet withdrew and
assembled about ten miles on short Just
: at sunset.
The training ship Newport, with a party
OF congressman on board, was In the thiel
, Of the tight, but took no part.
8 Come Again at Might.
The ships waited three hours after darl
r before again attempting an engagement
, with the defenses OF Narragansett Bay
They came in by way Of Point Judith ant
were discovered by the station at tina
\ point about $3.50. Three rockets In rapiS
I succession were sent up from Point Judith
{ but the ships did not come into view o
! Newport until Brooklyn. the leader. wa
discovered inside the line between Beaver
4 tail Light and Brenton Reef lightship.
d II was Immediately made the target o
three powerful searehlights, but Il wa
: well up in the harbor before the FIRST gui
a on shore was fred. Two ten-ineh disap
:, pearing guns In Fort Wetherill were tn
i, FIRST 10 speak. Brooklyn made no reply
n except to turn on its searchlight. which
: sent full In the eyes Of the gunners Of
4 Fort wetkerill. The cruiser was a mag
nihcent sight as It came up the haFboI
full in the light OF the four or FIVE search
lights, with its battlensgs flying from 1t
two masts. Immediately behind cam
Olympia, Admiral Dewey's old nag shiI
Admiral Higginson, on Kearsarge, iOilowe
Olympia; thea came Massachusetts, an
finally Alabama.
Gunners Have 90 Desert.
BY the time Brooklyn Was abreast For
wetherin the gunners on that fortineatio
had forsaken the big guns and taken u
the secondary battery.
Il was then that BrOoklyn's guns besa
to speak, This was at 10 O'clock and fC
half an hour aftsrward there was one cor
tinuous roar from both ships and fort
The nghting was at close quarters, so tina
nothing but rapid-nrs gans could b USE