New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-06-14
ENEMY'S SHIPS SUNK
What Night Haze Happened IN
Real 1tfack on City.

The dark war clouds which have been hover
ing threateningy over Forts Hamilton and
Wadsworth for the last few days, broke with
vengeance yesterday afternoon, when the on
emy's formidable fighting squadron steamed
iauntiIv up through the Narrows and made a
desperate attempt to silence the big guns pro-
tectng New York Harbor Prepared for every
emergency. the garrison at the forts hurled pro-
jectes with deadly accuracy against the as
sailing fleet, and in less than two hours, eight
battleships. eight torpedo boat destroyers and a
lotilla Of torpedo boats had been sunk. while
two transport ships. filed with fighters armed
to the teeth, who planned TO overcome the fanI
forces. abandoned their task in dlsmay. not even
daring 10 poke their noses inside the fighting
zone. The only damage done TO the forts was
the Gripping of the guns of Battery Ayres, ar
Fort Wadsworth. which were temporarily put
out of commission by few well directed shots
from the twelve-inch guns Of the batteships
According TO the defenders. the victory
knocked 10 atoms the eneIny's theory that the
forts could be successfully attacked in broad
daylight.
Why. we didn't have 10 call out the infantry
to assist us" said the men behind the guns
They stood their posts waiting for orders
but the orders never came. There was no land
attack"
lacking column. two torpedo planters. two dis
trict commanders boats and one launch but in
theory, each torpedo planter represented four
battleshps of the first class. each distrCr COM
manders boat four torpedo boat destroyers.
and the launch q whole notilla Of torpedo boats
And the little e-pound guns that banged away
from their sides meant 10 correspond 10
the guns carried by war vessels OF the class
which they represented. To annihiIate this for
,i.JaI
sink each ship four times The result Of the
battle decided what IS known table
of possibilities" which holds that when "a ship
is within a radius of eight thousand Yards from
shore the chances are even that ont OF
every three shots viii hit.
FIRST REPORT or ATTACK.
II was just o'clock when word was received
al Fort Hamilton that fleet of war vessels had
been sighted off Sandy Hook Immediately the
call to arms was sounded and every man rushed
TO his post and stood under orders At POS the
stations We're opened. Then came the ominous
tidings that Sandy Hook had been taken and
the fleet steaming up the Narrows the hat
tleshps leading
Colonel Crawford. from his lookout i'm the
battle commanders station. gave orders for the
batteries to prepare for action. Battery No
was ordered 10 fire three shots at the leading
ship at 1900 yards and No. l AZ 5000 yards
No sooner had the ships crossed the danger
line than the cannonadng opened. Advancing
in line the enemy promptly returned the fire
and when at a distance of 5000 yards turned a
broadside both forts The mortar batteries
at Fort Hamilton made quick work of the first
battleship. and diverted its guns on the second.
From Batteries Ayres, Barry Dix and Richmond
on Fort Hamilton the big l2-inch and 1O-inch
guns hurled shells with awful accuracy. Ship
after ship went down. but in the heavy gun
play Ayres's batteries were silenced The rapid
fire batteries of Fort Hamilton played havoc
with the destroyers and torpedo Hottlla and
down they went.
Meantime word came of the approach Of the
soldiers in the torpedo boats off South Reach
Battery Ayers gunners, under command OF
Captain RayIapnd of the post, were ordered To
take small arms and advance TO the beach to
assist the infantry in defence, and the gunners
of Battery Richmond Captain Scott command
ing were ordered to leave their guns and as
sist, If relnforcements were necessary. But there
need of assistance. The enemy had been
overwhelmed, and the woud-be invaders
skunk away to a safe harbOr District Com
mander Colonel Harris declared the Krieg spiel
a end.
While the battle raging the fiercest there
was yet time for military courtesy. Up the bay
steamed the United States ship Aileen bearing
Adjutant General Nelson H. Henry and other
members of Governor HughesS military staff
with their wives and the members of the COM
mission appointed by the Governor to investigate
the status of the forts of New York Harbor
When the boat reached the dock the guns of the
forts doomed the Adjutant Generals salute, To
which The Alleen promptly responded. Adiutant
General Henry and those with him met at
the dock by Colonel David Austen, OF the 18TH
who escorted them about the Notifications. The
members of the eth, in line before the camps
at the southwest end of the reservation expect
ing at any minute to be ordered to their posts
We're reviewed by the Adiutaut General in his
tour of inspection. Major LydeCker, in charge
OF the 9TH at Fort Wadsworth, assisted in this
part of the ceremonies.
In the company with AdJutant General How
ard were Colonel Seldom f. Marvin, aior Fred
erick NJ. Crossett and Major +. T. Moore of the
Governors staff; Captain Herbert Barry. OF
Squadron \: Colonel Walter S. Schuyler u. s
a. and Captain Francis G. London, U. s. A.
members of the Governors military commission.
SEVENTH DID NO FIRING.
Although most of the work OF the defence In
the afternoon attack was done by the 18th Ar
tillery. the boys of the 9TH were edge to en-
ter the combat Seven important points were
under their protectiOn-the mine command at
the southwest corner of the reservation, where
all the mines stationed, in charge of Cap
tain Davis and Company E; the primary sta