The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-29
who GnIInntIy Captured All the Sta
tfons and Defenses of the Cape
and Spurwin Near Portland.
HIS VICTORY FOR NAUGHT
UNPiHEs DECIDED HE HAD No
RIGHT TO LAND MEN.
His Ships Put Out of Action Before
He Began FightinE-Cruiser OIym-
pia Slightly Damaged.

PORTLAND. Me-. Aug. 2S.-At noon to-
morrow the mimic war waged off this port
since midnight Tuesday. with all manner
of maneuvers by the navy. will come to an
end and the several thousand men hurried
TO the defense of the city will be withdrawn
from the harbor de.enses.
TO-day's movements consisted of a fierce
engagement during which a landing party
OF 1000 men. under Rear Admiral Coghlan.
captured all the stations and defenses of
the cape and Spurwin. These marines and
jackies landed almost at dawn and were
engaged until afternoon. when they re-
turned to the fleet. which had remained of
RichmonGs island all day. Rear Admiral
Coghlan believed he had achieved the
grandest victory of the navy. but at 3:40
Lieutenant Jordan, in command of the en-
gineer corps at the Two Lights. was in
formed by telephone the umpires had de-
cided that no landing was effected by the
invaders. as. the men and boats had been
put out of action before the landing was at
tempted. Therefore the capture of all the
points on the cape. including the signal,
searchlght and fire control stations at
Two Lights. the defenses at Silver Springs
and the searchlight at Pond Cove was void,
and they stand as IL no attempt had been
made at their capture. This left the i'm
mensc searchlights i'm action for q demon
stration tonight. Reports that the in
vaders were marching upon the forts and
the city prevailed. but if such had been the
Intention il was not carried out, the men
returning TO the ships at 3a5. The men
standins. at the intrenchments on Meeting
House hill, three miles from the city, were
reinforced By GO men from the forts in
anticipation of an assault from the invaders
or an attempt to march upon the city prop
er. The capture of this force would re-
Qulre more than 5000 invaders.
The following bulletin regarding the en-
Eagements at the cape was issued from
beadquarters: "rhe signal station at Two
Lights captured this morning. The
ultimate point of the attack is at Fort
Williams or Fort Preble probably the lat
ter on account of the peculiar range OF the
mortar batteries which command all the
other forts Major Duval has abandoned
his battery at Williams and IS with his
command I'm the trenches to protect his
rear from the enemy. who are now 2,J00
strong. The fleet is at anchor at Prouts
Neck. but it is expected will come 40 the
battery at the entrance OF the harbOr. Six
hundred men are being sent TO the trenches
at Preble and the trenches of Meeting
House hill. IL Will take six thousand OF
the enemy to overcome the force Four
destroyers which ran in close TO the Two
Lights and swept the shore with their
Iams and Levett and put out of action
Anticipating the engagement at the Two
Lights the landing force returned TO tie
shore and embarked for the ships at 3:45
y. At that time the ships were steam
ing up for the night movements. The de-
stroyer Worden. flying the white flag of
anchored OH TT. Preble.
\ boat was sent ashore bearing mes
eenger. who carried a message from Rear
Admiral Barker. commanding the fleet, 10
General Chaffee. commanding the Depart
:rcnt Of the East General Chanec WAS at
Ft i'rebIe soon after and received the. mes
Sage. He refused 20 divnlge its contents,
saying Ii Ia no way interested the public
An official message from the Olympia 70
the Kearsarge, Intercepted at the wireless
telegraph station at Fit Preble. and made
public Tonight. confirms the report of TIE
grounding for forty-fve minutes during the
war mancuvers OF .ldmiral Dewey's famous
flagship Olympia The message read: 1--WE
are on The rocks. Double bottom leaking
can get of without assistance" The Press
io,day d,a says, says shS ,u; struck Star ledge In
showed twenty-six feet but which
sounded only twenty-four. or two less than
the Oiympia's draught. The cruisers bot
tom was damaged. causing her to leak but
the water taken In was controlled by the
vessels dams and her injuries were not sc
serious but that she was able TO take part
in the maneuvers yesterday and to-day
Admiral Barker began his last demon
stration by night i'm the joint army and
navy war games shortly before midnight
4 part of the fleet appeared opposite the
Two Lights the cane from Richmohd
island and at 1880 was focused on Fort Nc
EinIey The firing OF small arms at Fort
I.evett distinguished at IL 40 and II
WAS reported that general quarters were
sounded there at 1890. The Fort Prebls
mortar batteries commenced firing at I:
o'clock and kept up constant roar Me-
Kinley and Williams about this time Joined
i'm the engagement. the purpose of which
was unknown at l O'Clock. The Panther
was the first vessel to appear around ths
cape and with another cruiser passed the
Two Lights. going i'm the direction of Half
way rock.