Waterbury Democrat., 1902-09-03

,ineSS.
that brought into action every gun
aboard ship to the best advantage.
Still, had the action been real, army
men declare the ships would have been
put out of business on the first attempt
to pass Fort Wright. This would have
made it impossible for the ships nto
have come in close enough to escape
the salvoes from the mortar batteries
In the maneuvers this morning the
ships made an unsuccessful endeavor
to score this point, but their action was
anticipated and prevented.
| Colonel Davis was OF the opinion
that landing would be attempted, as
the movement Of the ships so indicated,
but had troops in position to resist
landing
information received at headauar-
ters report:
| From time of return Of feet to Block
Island morning of Sept 2, after pass
ing over mine fields near GARDENERS
Point, nothing of moment occurred
lduring the day. The position OF the
lenemy's feet was reported hourly
1 About A d. IN. the Alabama, Kearsarge
Massachusetts,, Indiana and Mayhow
er were sighted, apparently at anchor,
eight miles due south of Fishers Is
land, where they remained until r.
m. The balance Of fleet was reported
at New Harbor, Block Island, where
Olympia arrived from vicinity of Mar
tha's Vineyard at 6 D. IN. About p.
m. the commander Of Narragansett dis
trict was Informed by telegraph that
all battleships of enemy were account
ed for in New London district and
was warned that the light draught
ships of enemy could be expected Id
his district and probably in Buzzard' $
Bay with view of attacking Fort Rod
man.
Nothing of moment occurred during
the night The battTeships were un-
der constant observation, their moves
ments and location being REPORTED FREE
| quently. The enemy recOnnoItered
Montauk Point about b. M. presum-s
ably with view of locating signal stas
'ttibn. tssssetss H So tt
A Shortly after 10 O'clock three ships
Tor enemy were reported three miles
southaof Point Judith going east, pre-
Isumably towards Buzzard's Bay.
4 Nothing of moment occurred in
either district until daylight.
At $40, Sept 3, the Alabama, Kear-
sarge, Massachusetts and Indiana
were reported moving on Fort Wright
at $500 yards range, and were at once
engaged by all guns OF fort, assisted by
| Fort Niche, the fire commander of
which latter fort claimed putting the
Kearsarge and Indiana out OF action
The ships continued to approach Fort
Wright, getting well within the lowest
range at which the mortars can be
used, being subject to a murderous
fire Of all large calibre rapid fire and
small calibre guns The fleet passed
along the front of fort through the
Race in column, rounding into Fishers
Island to take batteries in reverse.
AtT.4O a. m. the fire commander ait
Fort Wright claims destruction Of all
four battleships which had been con-
/ tinually under fire of fort since 5:3O a.
m. The fleet was then passing In COLI
lumn to southwark in direction of its
| base.
At 7:2O a. M. the commanding officer
at Fort Rodman reported the Puritan
north Of Nashawena Island. the Brook
llyn and two other ships of enemy Off
Round Hill Point, about $500 yards
from fort He expects to be engaged
at any moment.
j, Cuttyhunk, via Pasque Island, Mass,
Sept 3.--A feet of eight warships was
sighted this morning moving from the
westward towards New Bedford
Among them were the Olympia, the
Gloucester, the Brooklyn, cruiser not
identified the Mayhower and the tugs
Leyden and Nina. The fleet was west
OF Cuttyhunk at 8 o'clock and the Pur-
| itan had joined the other vessels.
| New Bedford Mass Sept 3,9 a. M
Four warships which could not be
identified from the shore, owing to
the haze appeared off Fort Rodman
early this morning and at once opened
| fire. The fertilization speedily replied
to the bombardment
! Fishers Island, N. r., Sept 3,-The
signal station on Prospect Mount was
| put out of action at o'clock this
morning by ships of Admiral Higgin-
sons fleet which fired several times
In that direction. Col Davis commands
ing the district who was at his post
in the station went out of action with
it,
Cuttyhunk, via Pasque Island Mass.
Sept 3.-The feet worked it's way up
towards Buzzard's Bay, and when Off
the eastern approach to New Bedford,
opened fire. This was about S:15
O'Clock The guns from the fortifica-
tions responded promptly.
At $50 the war vessels were Off
Dumping light in Buzzard's Bay and
the next move was problematical.
Whether they We're repulsed or the at
tack on Fort Rodman was simply
a feint to develop the strength OF the
batteries Is not entirely clear to those
on shore.
New Bedford, Mass, Sep 3.-The
firing became desultory after about an
hour, and then ceased. The warships
did not retire, however, and a pitched
battle was expected to follow as the
fleet below the city in the direction
of the Elizabeth group, apparently
was forming for a decisive encounters :