[pg 117]CHAPTER VI.CARDENAS AND SAN JUAN.May 11.The Spanish batteries in Cardenas Harbour were silenced on May 11th, and at the same time there was a display of heroism, on the part of American sailors, such as has never been surpassed.A plan of action having been decided upon, theWilmingtonarrived at the blockading station from Key West on the morning of the eleventh. She found there, off Piedras Bay, the cruiserMachias, the torpedo-boatWinslow, and the revenue cutterHudson, which last carried two 6-pounders. Shortly after noon theWilmington,Winslow, andHudsonmoved into the inner harbour of Cardenas, and prepared to draw the fire of the Spanish batteries on the water-front. TheWilmingtontook a range of about twenty-five hundred yards.The Cardenas land defences consisted of a battery in a stone fortification on the mole or quay, a battery of field-pieces, and of infantry armed with long-range rifles. The gunboats were equipped with rapid-fire guns.Firing commenced at one o’clock, and when the Cardenas batteries were silenced at two in the afternoon,[pg 118]theWilmingtonhad sent 376 shells into them and the town. Her 4-inch guns had been fired 144 times. She had aimed 122 shots from her 6-pounders, and 110 from her 1-pounders, over six shots a minute.When theWilmingtonceased firing she had moved up to within one thousand yards range of the Spanish guns, and there were only six inches of water under her keel. TheWilmingtondraws nine feet of water forward and ten and a half feet aft. When the soundings showed that she was almost touching, her guns were in full play, and the Spaniards had missed a beautiful opportunity. The Spanish gunners must have miscalculated her distance and misjudged her draught, else they would have done more effective work at a range of two thousand yards.During the engagement, when the commander of theWinslowfound that he could not approach close enough to the Spanish gunboats to use his torpedo-tubes to any advantage, he remained under fire. At that time he could have got out of harm’s way by taking shelter to the leeward of theWilmington.Captain Todd, from his post of duty in the conning-tower of theWilmington, saw a Spanish shell, aimed for the torpedo-boat, do its deadly work. The shell struck the water, took an up-shoot, and exploded on the deck of theWinslow. There is little room for men anywhere on a torpedo boat, and if a shot strikes at all it is almost sure to hit a group. Such was the case in theWinslow. The exploding shell cost the lives of[pg 119]Ensign Bagley and four seamen; it also crippled the craft by wrecking her steam-steering gear. Later her captain and one of his crew were wounded by separate shots.THE TRAGEDY OF THE WINSLOW.THE TRAGEDY OF THE WINSLOW.Ensign Bagley was killed outright, two of the group of five died on the deck of the disabled torpedo-boat, and the other two died while being removed to theWilmington.The signal,“Many wounded,”went up from the staff of theWinslow, and Passed Assistant Surgeon Cook of theWilmingtonboarded the torpedo-boat.TheHudsontied up to theWinslowand towed her out of danger, escaping unscathed. The wounded men were tenderly cared for on the cruiser, and that night the revenue cutter steamed out of Cardenas Bay, bearing the dead and wounded to Key West.William O’Hearn, of Brooklyn, N. Y., one of theWinslow’screw, thus tells his story of the battle to a newspaper correspondent:“From the very beginning,”he said,“I think every man on the boat believed that we could not escape being sunk, and that is what would have happened had it not been for the bravery of the boys on theHudson, who worked for over an hour under the most terrific fire to get us out of range.”“Were you ordered to go in there?”he was asked.“Yes; just before we were fired upon the order was given from theWilmington.”“Was it a signal order?”[pg 120]“No; we were near enough to theWilmingtonso that they shouted it to us from the deck, through the megaphone.”“Do you remember the words of the commander who gave them?”“I don’t know who shouted the order; but the words as I remember them were,‘Mr. Bagley, go in and see what gunboats there are.’We started at once towards the Cardenas dock, and the firing began soon after.“The first thing I saw,”continued O’Hearn,“was a shot fired from a window or door in the second story of the storehouse just back of the dock where the Spanish gunboats were lying. A shell then went hissing over our heads. Then the firing began from the gunboat at the wharf, and from the shore. The effect of shell and heavy shot the first time a man is under fire is something terrible.“First you hear that awful buzzing or whizzing, and then something seems to strike you in the face and head. I noticed that at first the boys threw their hands to their heads every time a shell went over; but they soon came so fast and so close that it was a roaring, shrieking, crashing hell.“I am the water-tender, and my place is below, but everybody went on deck when the battle began. John Varvares, the oiler, John Denif and John Meek, the firemen, were on watch with me, and had they remained below they would not have been killed.[pg 121]“After the firing began I went below again to attend to the boiler, and a few minutes later a solid shot came crashing through the side of the boat and into the boiler, where it exploded and destroyed seventy of the tubes.“At first it stunned me. When the shell burst in the boiler it threw both the furnace doors open, and the fuse from the shell struck my feet. It was a terrible crash, and the boiler-room was filled with dust and steam. For several seconds I was partially stunned, and my ears rang so I could hear nothing. I went up on the deck to report to Captain Bernadou.“I saw him near the forecastle gun, limping about with a towel wound around his left leg. He was shouting, and the noise of all the guns was like continuous thunder.‘Captain,’I cried,‘the forward boiler is disabled. A shell has gone through it.’“‘Get out the hose,’he said, and turned to the gun again. I made my way to the boiler-room, in a few minutes went up on the deck again, and the fighting had grown hotter than ever. Several of the men were missing, and I looked around.“Lying all in a heap on the after-deck in the starboard quarter, near the after conning-tower, I saw five of our men where they had wilted down after the shell struck them. In other places were men lying groaning, or dragging themselves about, wounded and covered with blood. There were big red spots on the deck, which was strewn with fragments and splinters.[pg 122]“I went to where the five men were lying, and saw that all were not dead. John Meek could speak and move one hand slightly. I put my face down close to his.“‘Can I do anything for you, John?’I asked, and he replied,‘No, Jack, I am dying; good-bye,’and he asked me to grasp his hand.‘Go help the rest,’he whispered, gazing with fixed eyes toward where Captain Bernadou was still firing the forward gun. The next minute he was dead.“Ensign Bagley was lying on the deck nearly torn to pieces, and the bodies of the other three were on top of him. The coloured cook was a little apart from the others, mangled, and in a cramped position. We supposed he was dead, and covered him up the same as the others. Nearly half an hour after that we heard him calling, and saw that he was making a slight movement under the clothes. I went up to him, and he said:“‘Oh, boys, for God’s sake move me. I am lying over the boiler and burning up.’“The deck was very hot, and his flesh had been almost roasted. He complained that his neck was cramped, but did not seem to feel his terrible wound. We moved him into an easier position, and gave him some water.“‘Thank you, sir,’he said, and in five seconds he was dead.”Ensign Bagley had been fearfully wounded by a[pg 123]shot, which practically tore through his body. He sank over the rail, and was grasped by one of the enlisted men, named Reagan, who lifted him up and placed him on the deck.U. S. S. AMPHITRITE.U. S. S. AMPHITRITE.The young officer, realising that the wound was fatal, and that he had only a short time to live, allowed no murmur of complaint or cry of pain to escape him, but opened his eyes, stared at the sailor, and simply said:“Thank you, Reagan.”These were the last words he spoke.May 12.The forts of San Juan, the capital of Porto Rico, were bombarded by a portion of Rear-Admiral Sampson’s fleet on Thursday morning, May 12th. The vessels taking part in the action were the battle-shipsNew York,Iowa,Indiana, the cruisersDetroitandMontgomery, and the monitorsTerrorandAmphitrite.The engagement began at 5.15 and ended at 8.15A. M., resulting in a loss to the Americans of one killed and seven wounded, and the death of one from prostration by heat. The Spanish loss, as reported by cable to Madrid, was five killed and forty-three wounded.Admiral Sampson’s orders were to refrain from making any land attack so long as the batteries on shore did not attempt to molest his ships; but in case the Spaniards fired on his vessels, to destroy the offending fortifications.[pg 124]These orders were not issued until the Spanish fire at different Cuban ports became so irritating to the American bluejackets that discipline was, in a measure, threatened; but as soon as the men learned that they were no longer to remain passive targets for the Spaniards, but were to return any shots against them, all grumbling against inaction ceased.It was not Admiral Sampson’s original intention to attack San Juan. He was looking for bigger game than the poorly defended Porto Rican capital. His orders from the Navy Department were to find and capture or destroy the Spanish squadron that was en route from the Cape Verde Islands, and it was this business that took him into the neighbourhood of San Juan, he being desirous of learning if the Spanish squadron were there.The fleet arrived off San Juan before daybreak on Thursday. The tugWampatuckwas ordered to take soundings in the channel, and at once proceeded to do so. She was fully half a mile ahead of the fleet when she entered the channel, and those aboard of her kept the lead going at a lively rate.It is supposed that Admiral Sampson had no intention at that time of entering the harbour itself, his object, when he found that the Spanish squadron was not at San Juan, being to learn for future use exactly how much water there was in the channel, and if any attempt had been made to block the way.At all events, while theWampatuckwas engaged in[pg 125]this work she was seen by the sentries at the Morro, and a few minutes later was fired on.Then, and not until then, did Admiral Sampson determine to teach the Spaniards a lesson regarding the danger of firing on the American flag.“Quarters!”rang out aboard the war-ships almost before the report of the Morro gun had died away, the flag-ship having signalled for action.TheIowaopened the bombardment with her big 12-inch gun, the missile striking Morro Castle squarely, and knocking a great hole in the masonry.Then theIndianasent a 13-inch projectile from the forward turret, and one after the other, with but little loss of time, the remaining vessels of the fleet aided in the work of destruction.The French war-shipAdmiral Rigault de Genoaillywas at anchor in the harbour, and a shell exploded within a few hundred feet of where she lay, but worked no injury.The French officers thus reported the action:“The American gunners were generally accurate in their firing, while the marksmanship of the Spaniards was inferior. Some of the American shells, however, passed over the fortifications into the city, where they did terrible damage, crashing straight through rows of buildings before exploding, and there killing many citizens.“The fortifications were irreparably injured. Repeatedly masses of masonry were blown skyward by[pg 126]the shells from the American guns. Fragments from one shell struck the commandante’s residence, which was situated near the fortifications, damaging it terrifically.”Morro Castle was speedily silenced, and then the guns of the fleet were turned on the land-batteries and the fortifications near the government buildings.The inhabitants fled in terror from the city; the volunteers, panic-stricken, ran frantically in every direction, discharging their weapons at random, until they were a menace to all within possible range. The crashing of the falling buildings, the roar of the heavy guns, the shrieks of the terrified and groans of the wounded, formed a horrible accompaniment to the work of destruction.Three times the line of American ships passed from the entrance of the harbour to the extreme eastward battery, sending shot and shell into the crumbling forts. Clouds of dust showed where the missiles struck, but the smoke hung over everything. The shells screeching overhead and dropping around were the only signs that the Spaniards still stuck to their guns.At 7.45A. M.Admiral Sampson signalled,“Cease firing.”“Retire”was sounded on theIowa, and she headed from the shore.TheTerrorwas the last ship in the line, and, failing to see the signal, banged away alone for about half an[pg 127]hour, the concert of shore guns roaring at her and the water flying high around her from the exploding shells. But she possessed a charmed life, and reluctantly retired at 8.15.THE BOMBARDMENT OF SAN JUAN, PORTO RICO.THE BOMBARDMENT OF SAN JUAN, PORTO RICO.May 13.In the Spanish Cortes, Señor Molinas, deputy for Porto Rico, protested against the bombardment of San Juan without notice, as an infringement of international usage.To this General Correa, Minister of War, replied that the conduct of the Americans was“vandalism,”and that the government“will bring their outrageous action under the notice of the powers.”He echoed Señor Molinas’s eulogy of the bravery of the Spanish troops and marines, and promised that the government would send its thanks.An authority on international law thus comments upon the bombardment, in the columns of the New YorkSun:“There is nothing in the laws of war which requires notice of bombardment to be given to a fortified place, during the progress of war. When the Germans threatened to bombard Port au Prince, a few months ago, they gave a notice of a few hours, but in that case no state of war existed. Again, when Spain bombarded Valparaiso, in 1865, an hour’s interval was allowed between the blank charge that gave the notice, and the actual bombardment. But that interval was intended to allow Chili an opportunity to do the specific thing demanded, namely, to salute the Spanish[pg 128]flag, in atonement for a grievance. Besides, Valparaiso was wholly unfortified, and the guns were directed, not at military works, but at public buildings.“The case of San Juan was far different. Hostilities had been going on in Gulf waters for weeks, while, as Doctor Snow, the well-known authority on international law, says,‘In case of war, the very fact of a place being fortified is evidence that at any time it is liable to attack, and the non-combatants residing within its limits must be prepared for a contingency of this kind.’This is true, also, of the investment of fortified places by armies, where‘if the assault is made, no notice is given, as surprise is essential to success.’In the same spirit Halleck says that‘every besieged place is for a time a military garrison; its inhabitants are converted into soldiers by the necessities of self-defence.’“Turning to the official report of Admiral Sampson, we find him saying that, as soon as it was light enough, he began‘an attack upon the batteries defending the city. This attack lasted about three hours, and resulted in much damage to the batteries, and incidentally to a portion of the city adjacent to the batteries.’It is, therefore, clear that this latter damage was simply the result of the proximity of the defensive works to some of the dwellings. The same thing would occur in bombarding Havana. Can any one imagine that the Spaniards, if they suddenly appeared in New York Bay, would be obliged to give notice before opening fire on Fort Hamilton and Fort Wadsworth, for the reason that[pg 129]adjacent settlements would suffer from the fire? The advantage of suddenness in the attack upon a place, not only fortified, but forewarned by current events, cannot be renounced. Civilians dwelling near defensive works know what they risk in war.“In the Franco-German war of 1870 there were repeated instances, according to the authority already quoted, of deliberately firing on inhabited towns instead of on their fortifications, and‘there were cases, like that of Peronne, where the town was partially destroyed while the ramparts were nearly intact.’The ground taken was that which a military writer, General Le Blois, had advocated five years before, namely, that the pressure for surrender exercised by the people becomes greater on subjecting them to the loss of life and property.‘The governor is made responsible for all the disasters that occur; the people rise against him, and his own troops seek to compel him to an immediate capitulation.’At San Juan there was no attempt of this sort, the fire being concentrated upon the batteries, with the single view of destroying them. The likelihood that adjacent buildings and streets would suffer did not require previous notice of the bombardment, and, in fact, when the Germans opened fire on Paris without notification, and a protest was made on behalf of neutrals, Bismarck simply replied that no such notification was required by the laws of war.”[pg 130]CHAPTER VII.FROM ALL QUARTERS.May 11.A state of siege proclaimed throughout Spain. In a dozen cities or more continued rioting and sacking of warehouses. The seacoast between Cadiz and Malaga no longer lighted. The second division of the Spanish navy, consisting of the battle-shipPelayo, the armoured cruiserCarlos V., the protected cruiserAlphonso XIII., the converted cruisersRapidoandPatria, and several torpedo-boats, remain in Cadiz Harbour.May 12.The story of an attempt to land American troops in Cuba is thus told by one of the officers of the steamerGussie, which vessel left Tampa on the tenth.“In an effort to land Companies E and G of the first U. S. Infantry on the shore of Pinar del Rio this afternoon, with five hundred rifles, sixty thousand rounds of ammunition, and some food supplies for the insurgents, the first land fight of the war took place. Each side may claim a victory, for if the Spaniards frustrated the effort to connect with the insurgents, the Americans got decidedly the better of the battle, killing[pg 131]twelve or more of the enemy, and on their own part suffering not a wound.U. S. S. MIANTONOMAH.U. S. S. MIANTONOMAH.“After dark last evening the old-fashioned sidewheel steamerGussieof the Morgan line, with troops and cargo mentioned, was near the Cuban coast. At sunrise she fell in with the gunboatVicksburgon the blockade off Havana. Other blockading vessels came up also. The converted revenue cutterManning, Captain Munger, was detailed to convoy theGussie, and, three abreast, the steamers moved along the coast.“The Cuban guides on theGussietook their machetes to a grindstone on the hurricane-deck. Our soldiers gathered around to see them sharpen their long knives, but only one could be induced to test the edge of these barbarous instruments with his thumb.“By the ruined walls of an old stone house Spanish troops were gathered. Several shots were fired by the gunboatManning, and presently no troops were visible. It had been decided to land near here, but the depth of water was not favourable.“Just west of Port Cabanas Harbour theGussieanchored, theManningcovering the landing-place with her guns, and the torpedo-boatWaspcame up eager to assist. The first American soldier to step on the Cuban shore from this expedition was Lieutenant Crofton, Captain O’Connor with the first boatload having gone a longer route. A reef near the beach threw the men out, and they stumbled through the water up to their breasts. When they reached dry land they[pg 132]immediately went into the bush to form a picket-line. Two horses had been forced to swim ashore, when suddenly a rifle-shot, followed by continuous sharp firing, warned the men that the enemy had been in waiting.“The captain of the transport signalled the war-ships, and theManningfired into the woods beyond our picket-line. Shrapnel hissed through the air like hot iron plunged in water. TheWaspopened with her small guns. The cannonade began at 3.15 and lasted a quarter of an hour; then our pickets appeared, the ships circled around, and, being told by Captain O’Connor, who had come from shore with the clothing torn from one leg, where the Spaniards were, a hundred shots more were fired in that direction.“‘Anybody hurt, captain?’some one asked.“‘None of our men, but we shot twelve Spaniards,’he shouted back.“The soldiers on board theGussieheard the news without a word, but learning where the enemy were situated, gathered aft on the upper deck, and sent volleys toward the spot.“The pickets returned to the bush. Several crept along the beach, but the Spaniards had drawn back. It was decided that the soldiers should reëmbark on theGussie, and that the guides take the horses, seek the insurgents, and make a new appointment. They rode off to the westward, and disappeared around a point.[pg 133]“‘Say,’shouted a man from Company G after them,‘you forgot your grindstone.’”May 12.On Thursday morning, May 12th,thegunboatWilmingtonstood in close to the coast, off the town of Cardenas, with her crew at quarters.She had come for a specific purpose, which was to avenge theWinslow, and not until she was within range of the gunboats that had decoyed theWinslowdid she slacken speed. Then the masked battery, which had opened on the American boat with such deadly effect, was covered by theWilmington’sguns.There were no preliminaries. The war-vessel was there to teach the Spaniards of Cardenas a lesson, and set about the task without delay.The town is three miles distant from the gulf entrance to the harbour, therefore no time need be wasted in warning non-combatants, for they were in little or no danger.During two weeks troops had been gathering near about Cardenas to protect it against American invasion; masked batteries were being planted, earthworks thrown up, and blockhouses erected. There was no lack of targets.Carefully, precisely, as if at practice, theWilmingtonopened fire from her 4-inch guns, throwing shells here, there, everywhere; but more particularly in the direction of that masked battery which had trained its guns on theWinslow, and as the Spaniards, panic-stricken, hearing a death-knell in the sighing, whistling[pg 134]missiles, fled in mad terror, the gunboats’ machine guns were called into play.It is safe to assert that the one especial object of the American sailors’ vengeance was completely destroyed. Not a gun remained mounted, not a man was alive, save those whose wounds were mortal. The punishment was terrible, but complete.Until this moment the Spaniards at Cardenas had believed they might with impunity open fire on any craft flying the American flag; but now they began to understand that such sport was in the highest degree dangerous.During a full hour—and in that time nearly three hundred shells had been sent on errands of destruction—theWilmingtoncontinued her bombardment of the defences.When the work was completed two gunboats had been sunk so quickly that their crews had no more than sufficient time to escape. Two schooners were converted into wrecks at their moorings. One blockhouse was consumed by flames, and signal-stations, masked batteries, and forts were in ruins.While this lesson was in progress the Spaniards did their best to bring it to a close; but despite all efforts theWilmingtonwas unharmed. There was absolutely no evidence of conflict about her when she finally steamed away, save such as might have been read on the smoke-begrimed faces of the hard-worked but triumphant and satisfied crew.ADMIRAL SCHLEY.ADMIRAL SCHLEY.[pg 135]May 13.An English correspondent, cabling from Hongkong regarding the Spaniards in the Philippine Islands, made the following statement:“They are in a position to give the Americans a deal of trouble. There are twenty-five thousand Spanish soldiers in the garrison at Manila, and one hundred thousand volunteers enrolled. Scores of coasting steamers are imprisoned on the river Pasig, which is blocked at the mouth by some sunken schooners.“Mr. Wildman, the American consul here, tells me that, according to his despatches, a flag of truce is flying over Manila, and the people are allowed to proceed freely to and from the ships in the harbour.“The Americans are on duty night and day on the lookout for boats which endeavour to run the blockade with food supplies. The hospital is supported by the Americans. The Spaniards are boasting that their big battle-shipPelayois coming, and will demolish the Americans in ten minutes.”On the afternoon of May 13th the flying squadron, Commodore W. S. Schley commanding, set sail from Old Point Comfort, heading southeast. The following vessels comprised the fleet. The cruiserBrooklyn, the flag-ship, the battle-shipsMassachusettsandTexas, and the torpedo-boat destroyerScorpion. TheSterling, with 4,000 tons of coal, was the collier of the squadron. At eight o’clock in the evening theMinneapolisfollowed, and Captain Sigsbee of theSt. Paulreceived orders to get under way at midnight.[pg 136]May 14.Eleven steamers, chartered by the government as troop-ships, sailed from New York for Key West. At San Francisco, the cruiserCharleston, with supplies and reinforcements for Admiral Dewey’s fleet at Manila, had been made ready for sea.At Havana General Blanco had shown great energy in preparing for the expected siege by American forces. The city and forts were reported as being provisioned sufficiently for three or four months, and Havana was surrounded by entrenchments for a distance of thirty miles. The troops in the garrison numbered seventy thousand, and a like number were in the interior fighting the insurgents.The condition of the reconcentrados in Havana had grown steadily worse. The mortality increased among this wretched class, who had taken to begging morsels of food.Nobody in Havana except a few higher officers knew that the Spanish fleet was annihilated at Manila, and the story was believed that the Americans were beaten there.At Madrid in the Chamber of Deputies Señor Bores asked the government to inform the house of the condition of the Philippines. After the pacification of the islands, he said, outbreaks had occurred at Pansy and Cebu and even in Manila. Was this a new rebellion, he asked, or a continuation of the old one? If it was a continuation of the old rebellion, then General Prima de Rivera’s pacification of the islands had been a perfect fraud.[pg 137]General Correa, Minister of War, replied that the old insurrection was absolutely over. The present one, he said, arose from the incitements of the Americans.Señor Bores retorted that he had received a private letter from the Philippines, dated April 10th, prior to the arising of any fear of war with the United States, giving pessimistic accounts of the risings there, and passengers arriving by the steamerLeon III.had told similar stories. Now, he declared, the Spanish troops in the Philippines were in a terrible condition, being between two fires, the natives and the Americans. Señor Bores’s remarks created a profound sensation.The cruiserCharlestonwas reported as being ready to sail from San Francisco for Manila. Three hundred sailors and marines to reinforce Admiral Dewey’s fleet were to be sent on the cruiser.The U. S. S.Oregon,Marietta, andNictheroyarrived at Bahia, Brazil.The Spanish torpedo-boatTerror, of the Cape Verde fleet, reported as yet remaining at Port de France, Martinique.A press correspondent gives the following spirited account, under the date of May 14th, of a second attempt to entice the American blockading squadron within range of the Santa Clara battery guns:“Captain-General Blanco, two hours before sunset to-night, attempted to execute a ruse, which, if successful, would have cleared the front of Havana of six ships on that blockading station.[pg 138]“Unable to come out to do battle, he adopted the tactics of the spider, and cunningly planned to draw the prey into his net, but, though a clever and pretty scheme as an original proposition, it was practically a repetition of the trick by which the gunboatVicksburgand the little converted revenue cutterMorrillwere last week decoyed by a fishing-smack under the big Krupp guns of Santa Clara batteries.“Thanks to bad gunnery, both ships on that occasion managed to get out of range without being sunk, though some of the shells burst close aboard, and theVicksburg’sJacob’s-ladder was cut adrift.“Late this afternoon the ships on the Havana station were dumfounded to see two vessels steam out of Havana Harbour and head east. Dense smoke was streaming like black ribbons from their stacks, and a glance showed that they were under full head of steam.“By aid of glasses Commander Lilly of theMayflower, which was flying the pennant, made out the larger vessel of the two, which was two hundred feet long and about forty-five hundred tons displacement, to be the cruiserAlphonso XII., and the small one to be the gunboatLegaspi, both of which were known to be bottled up in Havana Harbour.“At first he supposed that they were taking advantage of the absence of the heavy fighting-ships, and were making a bona-fide run for the open sea.“As superior officer, he immediately signalled the other war-ships on the station, theVicksburg,Annapolis,[pg 139]Wasp,Tecumseh, andOsceola. The little squadron gave chase to the flying Spaniards, keeping up a running fire as they advanced. TheAlphonsoand her consort circled inshore about five miles below Havana, and headed back for Morro Castle.“Our gunboats and the vessels of the mosquito fleet did not follow them in. Commander Lilly saw that the wily Spanish ruse was to draw them in under the guns of the heavy batteries, where Spanish artillery officers could plot out the exact range with their telemeters. So the return was made in line ahead, parallel with the shore.“Commander Lilly had not been mistaken. As his ships came abreast of Santa Clara battery the big guns opened, and fired thirteen shells at a distance of about five miles. The range was badly judged, as more than half the missiles overshot the mark, and others fell short, some as much as a mile.“The bigAlphonsoand her convoy steamed swiftly from the dark shadow of the harbour’s mouth, and, turning sharply east, ran along the coast as though to slip through the cordon of blockade.“It was a bold trick and not at first transparent, although the folly of it created a suspicion.“The Spanish boats crowded on steam and stood along the coast as long as they dared, to give zest to the chase. TheMayflowersignalled her consorts,‘Close in and charge.’“Seeing that the bait had apparently taken, the[pg 140]Spaniards veered about, and, bringing their stern-chasers to bear on the Americans, doubled back for Morro.“Two of the shells from theVicksburgburst in the rigging of theAlphonso, and some of it came down, but it was, of course, impossible to know whether any fatalities occurred. The American fire was much more accurate than the Spanish, as every shell of the latter fell short of their pursuers.“The Spaniards were a mile off Morro, and our ships fully four miles out, when flame leaped from the batteries of the Santa Clara forts, and clouds of white smoke drifted up the coast. Half a minute later a dull, heavy roar of a great gun came like a deep diapason of an organ on high treble of smaller guns. It was from one of the 12-inch Krupp guns mounted there, and an 85-pound projectile plunged into the water half a mile inside of the American line, throwing up a tower of white spray. It ricochetted and struck again half a mile outside.“The mask was now off. Maddened by the failure of their plot, the Spaniards continued to fire at intervals of about ten minutes. In all, thirteen shots were fired, but not one struck within two hundred yards of our ships.“As soon as the battery opened, Commander Lilly signalled, and his fleet stood offshore. Captain McKensie, on the bridge of theVicksburg, watched the fall of the shells, but he considered it useless to waste[pg 141]ammunition at that distance. He appeased the desire of the men at the guns, however, by letting go a final broadside at the Spanish ships, in the chance hope of making them pay for their daring before they gained the harbour, but they steamed under Morro’s guns untouched, and, as they disappeared, discharged several guns.“Half a dozen shots were sent after them at that moment by theAnnapolis, which dropped inside the harbour, probably creating consternation among scores of boats on the water-front.”May 15.The Spanish cruisersMaria Teresa,Vizcaya,Almirante Oquendo, andCristobal Colon, and torpedo-boat destroyers, which arrived off the port of Curacoa, sailed at sunset on the 15th, after having purchased coal and provisions.The flying squadron under command of Commodore Schley arrived off Charleston, S. C.Admiral Sampson’s squadron passed Cape Haytien.All the members of the Spanish Cabinet have resigned.A report from Ponce, Porto Rico, under date of May 15th, describes the inhabitants of the island as living in constant fear of a renewal of the bombardment of San Juan by Admiral’s Sampson’s fleet. There are no submarine mines in the harbour of Ponce, and the generally unprotected condition of the place is a cause of much anxiety.May 16.Freeman Halstead, an American news[pg 142]paper correspondent, arrested at San Juan de Porto Rico, while in the act of making photographs of the fortifications. He was sentenced by a military tribunal to nine years’ imprisonment.In a general order issued at the War Department, the assignments to the different corps and other important commands were announced. The order is as follows:“The following assignments of general officers to command is hereby made by the President:“Maj.-Gen. Wesley Merritt, U. S. A., the Department of the Pacific.“Maj.-Gen. John R. Brooke, U. S. A., the first corps and the Department of the Gulf.“Maj.-Gen. W. M. Graham, U. S. Volunteers, the second corps, with headquarters at Falls Church, Va.“Maj.-Gen. James M. Wade, U. S. Volunteers, the third corps, reporting to Major-General Brooke, Chickamauga.“Maj.-Gen. John J. Coppinger, U. S. Volunteers, the fourth corps, Mobile, Ala.“Maj.-Gen. William R. Shafter, U. S. Volunteers, the fifth corps, Tampa, Fla.“Maj.-Gen. Elwell S. Otis, U. S. Volunteers, to report to Major-General Merritt, U. S. A., for duty with troops in the Department of the Pacific.“Maj.-Gen. James H. Wilson, U. S. Volunteers, the sixth corps, Chickamauga, reporting to Major-General Brooke.[pg 143]“Maj.-Gen. Fitzhugh Lee, U. S. Volunteers, the seventh corps, Tampa, Fla.“Maj.-Gen. Joseph H. Wheeler, U. S. Volunteers, the cavalry division, Tampa, Fla.”Orders were given by Admiral Sampson to Captain Goodrich of theSt. Louis, on May 15th, to take the fleet tender in tow and proceed to Santiago de Cuba to cut the cables at that point. The grappling implements were secured from the tugWampatuckon May 16th, and at elevenP. M.the expedition, in the small boats, left the cruiser for the entrance of Santiago. It was then perfectly dark and hazy, but the Santiago light was burning brightly. Moonrise was not until 3.45A. M.At threeA. M.on May 17th the expedition returned with part of one cable, but it had failed to find a second cable, which is close under the fort, and was protected by two patrol-boats. Then a start was made to cut the cable on the other side of the island. At sevenA. M.theSt. Louisfired her first gun at the forts protecting the entrance to Santiago Harbour, and after a little time the fire was returned by what must have been a 2-pounder.At eightA. M.theSt. Louiswas about two miles distant from the fort, which seemed to be unprovided with modern guns. After three hours grappling in over five hundred fathoms, the cable had not been found. At 12.15P. M.the guns of Morro Castle opened fire, followed by the shore battery on the southerly point, and also the west battery. TheSt.[pg 144]Louiskept up a constant fire from her bow guns, and soon succeeded in silencing the guns of Morro Castle, the Spaniards running in all directions.Most of the shots from the fort fell short of the ship. Shells from the mortar battery went over the cruiser and exploded in the water quite close to theSt. Louis. The mortar battery ceased at 12.56P. M., after a fusilade of forty-one minutes. After firing the cable was grappled, hauled on board, and cut.May 17.The Spanish squadron reported as yet remaining at Cadiz.The U. S. S.Wilmingtonhad a slight action with a Spanish gunboat off the Cuban coast, during which the latter was disabled.May 18.The U. S. cruiserCharlestonleft San Francisco for the Philippines with supplies for Commodore Dewey’s fleet.May 19.By cable from Madrid it was learned that the Spanish fleet had arrived at Santiago de Cuba.The cruiserCharleston, which sailed for Manila, returned to Mare Island navy yard with her condensers out of order.May 21.An order was despatched to San Francisco to prepare theMontereyfor a voyage to Manila, where she would join Commodore Dewey’s fleet. TheMontereyis probably the most formidable monitor in the world; technically described she is a barbed turret, low freeboard monitor of four thousand tons displacement, 256 feet long, fifty-nine feet beam, and[pg 145]fourteen feet six inches draught. She carries in two turrets, surrounded by barbettes, two 12-inch and two 10-inch guns, while on her superstructure, between the turrets, are mounted six 6-pounders, four 1-pounders, and two Gatlings. The turrets are seven and one-half and eight inches thick, and the surrounding barbettes are fourteen inches and eleven and one-half inches of steel.U. S. S. MONTEREY.U. S. S. MONTEREY.One of the most important prizes captured during the war was taken by the U. S. S.Minneapolisoff the eastern coast of Cuba. The craft was the Spanish brigSanta Maria de Lourdes, loaded with coal, ammunition, arms, and supplies for Admiral Cervera.Nearly four hundred men, with a pack-train and a large quantity of arms and ammunition, sailed for a point about twenty-five miles east of Havana, on the steamerFlorida. These men and their equipment constituted an expedition able to operate independently, and to defend itself against any body of Spanish troops which might oppose it.TheFloridareturned to Key West on the thirty-first, after having successfully landed the ammunition and men.May 22.The U. S. S.Charlestonagain left San Francisco, bound for Manila.May 25.The U. S. S.St. Paulcaptured the British steamerRestormel, loaded with coal, off Santiago de Cuba. The prize is a long, low tramp collier belonging to the Troy company of Cardiff, Wales. She[pg 146]left there on April 22d, the day before war was declared, with twenty-eight hundred tons of the finest grade of Cardiff coal consigned to a Spanish firm in San Juan de Porto Rico, where the Spanish fleet was supposed to make its first stop.“When we reached San Juan,”said the captain of theRestormel,“the consignees told me very curtly that the persons for whom the coal was destined were in Curacoa. At Porto Rico I learned that war had been declared. I began to suspect that the coal was going to Cervera’s fleet, but my Spanish consignees said it would be all right. They told me not to ask any questions, but to go to Curacoa as soon as possible. I did so, placing my cargo under orders.“The consignee at Curacoa was a Spanish officer. He said there had been another change of base, and that the coal was wanted at Santiago de Cuba. I tried to cable my owners for instructions, but found that the cables had been cut. Under the circumstances there was nothing for me to do but to go to Santiago. By this time I was pretty well convinced that the cargo was for Cervera. I suspected that coal had been made a contraband of war, so I wasn’t a bit surprised when theSt. Paulbrought us to, with a shot, three and a half miles from shore.”In the prize court it was decided to confiscate the coal, and release the steamer.The President issued a proclamation calling for seventy-five thousand men.[pg 147]Three troop-ships, laden with soldiers, sailed from San Francisco for Manila.May 26.The battle-shipOregon, which left San Francisco March 19th, arrived at Key West.May 27.The Spanish torpedo-boat destroyer arrived at San Juan de Porto Rico.May 28.From Commodore Dewey the following cablegram was received:“Cavite, May 25th, via Hongkong, May 27th.“Secretary Navy, Washington:—No change in the situation of the blockade. Is effective. It is impossible for the people of Manila to buy provisions, except rice.“The captain of theOlympia, Gridley, condemned by medical survey. Is ordered home. Leaves by Occidental and Oriental steamship from Hongkong the twenty-eighth. Commander Lamberton appointed commander of theOlympia.”May 29.Maj.-Gen. Wesley Merritt issued an order formally announcing that he had taken command of the Philippine forces and expeditions.May 31.United States troops board transports for Cuba.The beginning of June saw the opening of the first regular campaign of the war, and it is eminently proper the operations around and about Santiago de Cuba be told in a continuous narrative, rather than with any[pg 148]further attempt at giving the news from the various parts of the world in chronological order.Therefore such events, aside from the Santiago campaign, as are worthy a place in history, will be set down in regular sequence after certain deeds of the boys of ’98 have been related in such detail as is warranted by the heroism displayed.
[pg 117]CHAPTER VI.CARDENAS AND SAN JUAN.May 11.The Spanish batteries in Cardenas Harbour were silenced on May 11th, and at the same time there was a display of heroism, on the part of American sailors, such as has never been surpassed.A plan of action having been decided upon, theWilmingtonarrived at the blockading station from Key West on the morning of the eleventh. She found there, off Piedras Bay, the cruiserMachias, the torpedo-boatWinslow, and the revenue cutterHudson, which last carried two 6-pounders. Shortly after noon theWilmington,Winslow, andHudsonmoved into the inner harbour of Cardenas, and prepared to draw the fire of the Spanish batteries on the water-front. TheWilmingtontook a range of about twenty-five hundred yards.The Cardenas land defences consisted of a battery in a stone fortification on the mole or quay, a battery of field-pieces, and of infantry armed with long-range rifles. The gunboats were equipped with rapid-fire guns.Firing commenced at one o’clock, and when the Cardenas batteries were silenced at two in the afternoon,[pg 118]theWilmingtonhad sent 376 shells into them and the town. Her 4-inch guns had been fired 144 times. She had aimed 122 shots from her 6-pounders, and 110 from her 1-pounders, over six shots a minute.When theWilmingtonceased firing she had moved up to within one thousand yards range of the Spanish guns, and there were only six inches of water under her keel. TheWilmingtondraws nine feet of water forward and ten and a half feet aft. When the soundings showed that she was almost touching, her guns were in full play, and the Spaniards had missed a beautiful opportunity. The Spanish gunners must have miscalculated her distance and misjudged her draught, else they would have done more effective work at a range of two thousand yards.During the engagement, when the commander of theWinslowfound that he could not approach close enough to the Spanish gunboats to use his torpedo-tubes to any advantage, he remained under fire. At that time he could have got out of harm’s way by taking shelter to the leeward of theWilmington.Captain Todd, from his post of duty in the conning-tower of theWilmington, saw a Spanish shell, aimed for the torpedo-boat, do its deadly work. The shell struck the water, took an up-shoot, and exploded on the deck of theWinslow. There is little room for men anywhere on a torpedo boat, and if a shot strikes at all it is almost sure to hit a group. Such was the case in theWinslow. The exploding shell cost the lives of[pg 119]Ensign Bagley and four seamen; it also crippled the craft by wrecking her steam-steering gear. Later her captain and one of his crew were wounded by separate shots.THE TRAGEDY OF THE WINSLOW.THE TRAGEDY OF THE WINSLOW.Ensign Bagley was killed outright, two of the group of five died on the deck of the disabled torpedo-boat, and the other two died while being removed to theWilmington.The signal,“Many wounded,”went up from the staff of theWinslow, and Passed Assistant Surgeon Cook of theWilmingtonboarded the torpedo-boat.TheHudsontied up to theWinslowand towed her out of danger, escaping unscathed. The wounded men were tenderly cared for on the cruiser, and that night the revenue cutter steamed out of Cardenas Bay, bearing the dead and wounded to Key West.William O’Hearn, of Brooklyn, N. Y., one of theWinslow’screw, thus tells his story of the battle to a newspaper correspondent:“From the very beginning,”he said,“I think every man on the boat believed that we could not escape being sunk, and that is what would have happened had it not been for the bravery of the boys on theHudson, who worked for over an hour under the most terrific fire to get us out of range.”“Were you ordered to go in there?”he was asked.“Yes; just before we were fired upon the order was given from theWilmington.”“Was it a signal order?”[pg 120]“No; we were near enough to theWilmingtonso that they shouted it to us from the deck, through the megaphone.”“Do you remember the words of the commander who gave them?”“I don’t know who shouted the order; but the words as I remember them were,‘Mr. Bagley, go in and see what gunboats there are.’We started at once towards the Cardenas dock, and the firing began soon after.“The first thing I saw,”continued O’Hearn,“was a shot fired from a window or door in the second story of the storehouse just back of the dock where the Spanish gunboats were lying. A shell then went hissing over our heads. Then the firing began from the gunboat at the wharf, and from the shore. The effect of shell and heavy shot the first time a man is under fire is something terrible.“First you hear that awful buzzing or whizzing, and then something seems to strike you in the face and head. I noticed that at first the boys threw their hands to their heads every time a shell went over; but they soon came so fast and so close that it was a roaring, shrieking, crashing hell.“I am the water-tender, and my place is below, but everybody went on deck when the battle began. John Varvares, the oiler, John Denif and John Meek, the firemen, were on watch with me, and had they remained below they would not have been killed.[pg 121]“After the firing began I went below again to attend to the boiler, and a few minutes later a solid shot came crashing through the side of the boat and into the boiler, where it exploded and destroyed seventy of the tubes.“At first it stunned me. When the shell burst in the boiler it threw both the furnace doors open, and the fuse from the shell struck my feet. It was a terrible crash, and the boiler-room was filled with dust and steam. For several seconds I was partially stunned, and my ears rang so I could hear nothing. I went up on the deck to report to Captain Bernadou.“I saw him near the forecastle gun, limping about with a towel wound around his left leg. He was shouting, and the noise of all the guns was like continuous thunder.‘Captain,’I cried,‘the forward boiler is disabled. A shell has gone through it.’“‘Get out the hose,’he said, and turned to the gun again. I made my way to the boiler-room, in a few minutes went up on the deck again, and the fighting had grown hotter than ever. Several of the men were missing, and I looked around.“Lying all in a heap on the after-deck in the starboard quarter, near the after conning-tower, I saw five of our men where they had wilted down after the shell struck them. In other places were men lying groaning, or dragging themselves about, wounded and covered with blood. There were big red spots on the deck, which was strewn with fragments and splinters.[pg 122]“I went to where the five men were lying, and saw that all were not dead. John Meek could speak and move one hand slightly. I put my face down close to his.“‘Can I do anything for you, John?’I asked, and he replied,‘No, Jack, I am dying; good-bye,’and he asked me to grasp his hand.‘Go help the rest,’he whispered, gazing with fixed eyes toward where Captain Bernadou was still firing the forward gun. The next minute he was dead.“Ensign Bagley was lying on the deck nearly torn to pieces, and the bodies of the other three were on top of him. The coloured cook was a little apart from the others, mangled, and in a cramped position. We supposed he was dead, and covered him up the same as the others. Nearly half an hour after that we heard him calling, and saw that he was making a slight movement under the clothes. I went up to him, and he said:“‘Oh, boys, for God’s sake move me. I am lying over the boiler and burning up.’“The deck was very hot, and his flesh had been almost roasted. He complained that his neck was cramped, but did not seem to feel his terrible wound. We moved him into an easier position, and gave him some water.“‘Thank you, sir,’he said, and in five seconds he was dead.”Ensign Bagley had been fearfully wounded by a[pg 123]shot, which practically tore through his body. He sank over the rail, and was grasped by one of the enlisted men, named Reagan, who lifted him up and placed him on the deck.U. S. S. AMPHITRITE.U. S. S. AMPHITRITE.The young officer, realising that the wound was fatal, and that he had only a short time to live, allowed no murmur of complaint or cry of pain to escape him, but opened his eyes, stared at the sailor, and simply said:“Thank you, Reagan.”These were the last words he spoke.May 12.The forts of San Juan, the capital of Porto Rico, were bombarded by a portion of Rear-Admiral Sampson’s fleet on Thursday morning, May 12th. The vessels taking part in the action were the battle-shipsNew York,Iowa,Indiana, the cruisersDetroitandMontgomery, and the monitorsTerrorandAmphitrite.The engagement began at 5.15 and ended at 8.15A. M., resulting in a loss to the Americans of one killed and seven wounded, and the death of one from prostration by heat. The Spanish loss, as reported by cable to Madrid, was five killed and forty-three wounded.Admiral Sampson’s orders were to refrain from making any land attack so long as the batteries on shore did not attempt to molest his ships; but in case the Spaniards fired on his vessels, to destroy the offending fortifications.[pg 124]These orders were not issued until the Spanish fire at different Cuban ports became so irritating to the American bluejackets that discipline was, in a measure, threatened; but as soon as the men learned that they were no longer to remain passive targets for the Spaniards, but were to return any shots against them, all grumbling against inaction ceased.It was not Admiral Sampson’s original intention to attack San Juan. He was looking for bigger game than the poorly defended Porto Rican capital. His orders from the Navy Department were to find and capture or destroy the Spanish squadron that was en route from the Cape Verde Islands, and it was this business that took him into the neighbourhood of San Juan, he being desirous of learning if the Spanish squadron were there.The fleet arrived off San Juan before daybreak on Thursday. The tugWampatuckwas ordered to take soundings in the channel, and at once proceeded to do so. She was fully half a mile ahead of the fleet when she entered the channel, and those aboard of her kept the lead going at a lively rate.It is supposed that Admiral Sampson had no intention at that time of entering the harbour itself, his object, when he found that the Spanish squadron was not at San Juan, being to learn for future use exactly how much water there was in the channel, and if any attempt had been made to block the way.At all events, while theWampatuckwas engaged in[pg 125]this work she was seen by the sentries at the Morro, and a few minutes later was fired on.Then, and not until then, did Admiral Sampson determine to teach the Spaniards a lesson regarding the danger of firing on the American flag.“Quarters!”rang out aboard the war-ships almost before the report of the Morro gun had died away, the flag-ship having signalled for action.TheIowaopened the bombardment with her big 12-inch gun, the missile striking Morro Castle squarely, and knocking a great hole in the masonry.Then theIndianasent a 13-inch projectile from the forward turret, and one after the other, with but little loss of time, the remaining vessels of the fleet aided in the work of destruction.The French war-shipAdmiral Rigault de Genoaillywas at anchor in the harbour, and a shell exploded within a few hundred feet of where she lay, but worked no injury.The French officers thus reported the action:“The American gunners were generally accurate in their firing, while the marksmanship of the Spaniards was inferior. Some of the American shells, however, passed over the fortifications into the city, where they did terrible damage, crashing straight through rows of buildings before exploding, and there killing many citizens.“The fortifications were irreparably injured. Repeatedly masses of masonry were blown skyward by[pg 126]the shells from the American guns. Fragments from one shell struck the commandante’s residence, which was situated near the fortifications, damaging it terrifically.”Morro Castle was speedily silenced, and then the guns of the fleet were turned on the land-batteries and the fortifications near the government buildings.The inhabitants fled in terror from the city; the volunteers, panic-stricken, ran frantically in every direction, discharging their weapons at random, until they were a menace to all within possible range. The crashing of the falling buildings, the roar of the heavy guns, the shrieks of the terrified and groans of the wounded, formed a horrible accompaniment to the work of destruction.Three times the line of American ships passed from the entrance of the harbour to the extreme eastward battery, sending shot and shell into the crumbling forts. Clouds of dust showed where the missiles struck, but the smoke hung over everything. The shells screeching overhead and dropping around were the only signs that the Spaniards still stuck to their guns.At 7.45A. M.Admiral Sampson signalled,“Cease firing.”“Retire”was sounded on theIowa, and she headed from the shore.TheTerrorwas the last ship in the line, and, failing to see the signal, banged away alone for about half an[pg 127]hour, the concert of shore guns roaring at her and the water flying high around her from the exploding shells. But she possessed a charmed life, and reluctantly retired at 8.15.THE BOMBARDMENT OF SAN JUAN, PORTO RICO.THE BOMBARDMENT OF SAN JUAN, PORTO RICO.May 13.In the Spanish Cortes, Señor Molinas, deputy for Porto Rico, protested against the bombardment of San Juan without notice, as an infringement of international usage.To this General Correa, Minister of War, replied that the conduct of the Americans was“vandalism,”and that the government“will bring their outrageous action under the notice of the powers.”He echoed Señor Molinas’s eulogy of the bravery of the Spanish troops and marines, and promised that the government would send its thanks.An authority on international law thus comments upon the bombardment, in the columns of the New YorkSun:“There is nothing in the laws of war which requires notice of bombardment to be given to a fortified place, during the progress of war. When the Germans threatened to bombard Port au Prince, a few months ago, they gave a notice of a few hours, but in that case no state of war existed. Again, when Spain bombarded Valparaiso, in 1865, an hour’s interval was allowed between the blank charge that gave the notice, and the actual bombardment. But that interval was intended to allow Chili an opportunity to do the specific thing demanded, namely, to salute the Spanish[pg 128]flag, in atonement for a grievance. Besides, Valparaiso was wholly unfortified, and the guns were directed, not at military works, but at public buildings.“The case of San Juan was far different. Hostilities had been going on in Gulf waters for weeks, while, as Doctor Snow, the well-known authority on international law, says,‘In case of war, the very fact of a place being fortified is evidence that at any time it is liable to attack, and the non-combatants residing within its limits must be prepared for a contingency of this kind.’This is true, also, of the investment of fortified places by armies, where‘if the assault is made, no notice is given, as surprise is essential to success.’In the same spirit Halleck says that‘every besieged place is for a time a military garrison; its inhabitants are converted into soldiers by the necessities of self-defence.’“Turning to the official report of Admiral Sampson, we find him saying that, as soon as it was light enough, he began‘an attack upon the batteries defending the city. This attack lasted about three hours, and resulted in much damage to the batteries, and incidentally to a portion of the city adjacent to the batteries.’It is, therefore, clear that this latter damage was simply the result of the proximity of the defensive works to some of the dwellings. The same thing would occur in bombarding Havana. Can any one imagine that the Spaniards, if they suddenly appeared in New York Bay, would be obliged to give notice before opening fire on Fort Hamilton and Fort Wadsworth, for the reason that[pg 129]adjacent settlements would suffer from the fire? The advantage of suddenness in the attack upon a place, not only fortified, but forewarned by current events, cannot be renounced. Civilians dwelling near defensive works know what they risk in war.“In the Franco-German war of 1870 there were repeated instances, according to the authority already quoted, of deliberately firing on inhabited towns instead of on their fortifications, and‘there were cases, like that of Peronne, where the town was partially destroyed while the ramparts were nearly intact.’The ground taken was that which a military writer, General Le Blois, had advocated five years before, namely, that the pressure for surrender exercised by the people becomes greater on subjecting them to the loss of life and property.‘The governor is made responsible for all the disasters that occur; the people rise against him, and his own troops seek to compel him to an immediate capitulation.’At San Juan there was no attempt of this sort, the fire being concentrated upon the batteries, with the single view of destroying them. The likelihood that adjacent buildings and streets would suffer did not require previous notice of the bombardment, and, in fact, when the Germans opened fire on Paris without notification, and a protest was made on behalf of neutrals, Bismarck simply replied that no such notification was required by the laws of war.”[pg 130]CHAPTER VII.FROM ALL QUARTERS.May 11.A state of siege proclaimed throughout Spain. In a dozen cities or more continued rioting and sacking of warehouses. The seacoast between Cadiz and Malaga no longer lighted. The second division of the Spanish navy, consisting of the battle-shipPelayo, the armoured cruiserCarlos V., the protected cruiserAlphonso XIII., the converted cruisersRapidoandPatria, and several torpedo-boats, remain in Cadiz Harbour.May 12.The story of an attempt to land American troops in Cuba is thus told by one of the officers of the steamerGussie, which vessel left Tampa on the tenth.“In an effort to land Companies E and G of the first U. S. Infantry on the shore of Pinar del Rio this afternoon, with five hundred rifles, sixty thousand rounds of ammunition, and some food supplies for the insurgents, the first land fight of the war took place. Each side may claim a victory, for if the Spaniards frustrated the effort to connect with the insurgents, the Americans got decidedly the better of the battle, killing[pg 131]twelve or more of the enemy, and on their own part suffering not a wound.U. S. S. MIANTONOMAH.U. S. S. MIANTONOMAH.“After dark last evening the old-fashioned sidewheel steamerGussieof the Morgan line, with troops and cargo mentioned, was near the Cuban coast. At sunrise she fell in with the gunboatVicksburgon the blockade off Havana. Other blockading vessels came up also. The converted revenue cutterManning, Captain Munger, was detailed to convoy theGussie, and, three abreast, the steamers moved along the coast.“The Cuban guides on theGussietook their machetes to a grindstone on the hurricane-deck. Our soldiers gathered around to see them sharpen their long knives, but only one could be induced to test the edge of these barbarous instruments with his thumb.“By the ruined walls of an old stone house Spanish troops were gathered. Several shots were fired by the gunboatManning, and presently no troops were visible. It had been decided to land near here, but the depth of water was not favourable.“Just west of Port Cabanas Harbour theGussieanchored, theManningcovering the landing-place with her guns, and the torpedo-boatWaspcame up eager to assist. The first American soldier to step on the Cuban shore from this expedition was Lieutenant Crofton, Captain O’Connor with the first boatload having gone a longer route. A reef near the beach threw the men out, and they stumbled through the water up to their breasts. When they reached dry land they[pg 132]immediately went into the bush to form a picket-line. Two horses had been forced to swim ashore, when suddenly a rifle-shot, followed by continuous sharp firing, warned the men that the enemy had been in waiting.“The captain of the transport signalled the war-ships, and theManningfired into the woods beyond our picket-line. Shrapnel hissed through the air like hot iron plunged in water. TheWaspopened with her small guns. The cannonade began at 3.15 and lasted a quarter of an hour; then our pickets appeared, the ships circled around, and, being told by Captain O’Connor, who had come from shore with the clothing torn from one leg, where the Spaniards were, a hundred shots more were fired in that direction.“‘Anybody hurt, captain?’some one asked.“‘None of our men, but we shot twelve Spaniards,’he shouted back.“The soldiers on board theGussieheard the news without a word, but learning where the enemy were situated, gathered aft on the upper deck, and sent volleys toward the spot.“The pickets returned to the bush. Several crept along the beach, but the Spaniards had drawn back. It was decided that the soldiers should reëmbark on theGussie, and that the guides take the horses, seek the insurgents, and make a new appointment. They rode off to the westward, and disappeared around a point.[pg 133]“‘Say,’shouted a man from Company G after them,‘you forgot your grindstone.’”May 12.On Thursday morning, May 12th,thegunboatWilmingtonstood in close to the coast, off the town of Cardenas, with her crew at quarters.She had come for a specific purpose, which was to avenge theWinslow, and not until she was within range of the gunboats that had decoyed theWinslowdid she slacken speed. Then the masked battery, which had opened on the American boat with such deadly effect, was covered by theWilmington’sguns.There were no preliminaries. The war-vessel was there to teach the Spaniards of Cardenas a lesson, and set about the task without delay.The town is three miles distant from the gulf entrance to the harbour, therefore no time need be wasted in warning non-combatants, for they were in little or no danger.During two weeks troops had been gathering near about Cardenas to protect it against American invasion; masked batteries were being planted, earthworks thrown up, and blockhouses erected. There was no lack of targets.Carefully, precisely, as if at practice, theWilmingtonopened fire from her 4-inch guns, throwing shells here, there, everywhere; but more particularly in the direction of that masked battery which had trained its guns on theWinslow, and as the Spaniards, panic-stricken, hearing a death-knell in the sighing, whistling[pg 134]missiles, fled in mad terror, the gunboats’ machine guns were called into play.It is safe to assert that the one especial object of the American sailors’ vengeance was completely destroyed. Not a gun remained mounted, not a man was alive, save those whose wounds were mortal. The punishment was terrible, but complete.Until this moment the Spaniards at Cardenas had believed they might with impunity open fire on any craft flying the American flag; but now they began to understand that such sport was in the highest degree dangerous.During a full hour—and in that time nearly three hundred shells had been sent on errands of destruction—theWilmingtoncontinued her bombardment of the defences.When the work was completed two gunboats had been sunk so quickly that their crews had no more than sufficient time to escape. Two schooners were converted into wrecks at their moorings. One blockhouse was consumed by flames, and signal-stations, masked batteries, and forts were in ruins.While this lesson was in progress the Spaniards did their best to bring it to a close; but despite all efforts theWilmingtonwas unharmed. There was absolutely no evidence of conflict about her when she finally steamed away, save such as might have been read on the smoke-begrimed faces of the hard-worked but triumphant and satisfied crew.ADMIRAL SCHLEY.ADMIRAL SCHLEY.[pg 135]May 13.An English correspondent, cabling from Hongkong regarding the Spaniards in the Philippine Islands, made the following statement:“They are in a position to give the Americans a deal of trouble. There are twenty-five thousand Spanish soldiers in the garrison at Manila, and one hundred thousand volunteers enrolled. Scores of coasting steamers are imprisoned on the river Pasig, which is blocked at the mouth by some sunken schooners.“Mr. Wildman, the American consul here, tells me that, according to his despatches, a flag of truce is flying over Manila, and the people are allowed to proceed freely to and from the ships in the harbour.“The Americans are on duty night and day on the lookout for boats which endeavour to run the blockade with food supplies. The hospital is supported by the Americans. The Spaniards are boasting that their big battle-shipPelayois coming, and will demolish the Americans in ten minutes.”On the afternoon of May 13th the flying squadron, Commodore W. S. Schley commanding, set sail from Old Point Comfort, heading southeast. The following vessels comprised the fleet. The cruiserBrooklyn, the flag-ship, the battle-shipsMassachusettsandTexas, and the torpedo-boat destroyerScorpion. TheSterling, with 4,000 tons of coal, was the collier of the squadron. At eight o’clock in the evening theMinneapolisfollowed, and Captain Sigsbee of theSt. Paulreceived orders to get under way at midnight.[pg 136]May 14.Eleven steamers, chartered by the government as troop-ships, sailed from New York for Key West. At San Francisco, the cruiserCharleston, with supplies and reinforcements for Admiral Dewey’s fleet at Manila, had been made ready for sea.At Havana General Blanco had shown great energy in preparing for the expected siege by American forces. The city and forts were reported as being provisioned sufficiently for three or four months, and Havana was surrounded by entrenchments for a distance of thirty miles. The troops in the garrison numbered seventy thousand, and a like number were in the interior fighting the insurgents.The condition of the reconcentrados in Havana had grown steadily worse. The mortality increased among this wretched class, who had taken to begging morsels of food.Nobody in Havana except a few higher officers knew that the Spanish fleet was annihilated at Manila, and the story was believed that the Americans were beaten there.At Madrid in the Chamber of Deputies Señor Bores asked the government to inform the house of the condition of the Philippines. After the pacification of the islands, he said, outbreaks had occurred at Pansy and Cebu and even in Manila. Was this a new rebellion, he asked, or a continuation of the old one? If it was a continuation of the old rebellion, then General Prima de Rivera’s pacification of the islands had been a perfect fraud.[pg 137]General Correa, Minister of War, replied that the old insurrection was absolutely over. The present one, he said, arose from the incitements of the Americans.Señor Bores retorted that he had received a private letter from the Philippines, dated April 10th, prior to the arising of any fear of war with the United States, giving pessimistic accounts of the risings there, and passengers arriving by the steamerLeon III.had told similar stories. Now, he declared, the Spanish troops in the Philippines were in a terrible condition, being between two fires, the natives and the Americans. Señor Bores’s remarks created a profound sensation.The cruiserCharlestonwas reported as being ready to sail from San Francisco for Manila. Three hundred sailors and marines to reinforce Admiral Dewey’s fleet were to be sent on the cruiser.The U. S. S.Oregon,Marietta, andNictheroyarrived at Bahia, Brazil.The Spanish torpedo-boatTerror, of the Cape Verde fleet, reported as yet remaining at Port de France, Martinique.A press correspondent gives the following spirited account, under the date of May 14th, of a second attempt to entice the American blockading squadron within range of the Santa Clara battery guns:“Captain-General Blanco, two hours before sunset to-night, attempted to execute a ruse, which, if successful, would have cleared the front of Havana of six ships on that blockading station.[pg 138]“Unable to come out to do battle, he adopted the tactics of the spider, and cunningly planned to draw the prey into his net, but, though a clever and pretty scheme as an original proposition, it was practically a repetition of the trick by which the gunboatVicksburgand the little converted revenue cutterMorrillwere last week decoyed by a fishing-smack under the big Krupp guns of Santa Clara batteries.“Thanks to bad gunnery, both ships on that occasion managed to get out of range without being sunk, though some of the shells burst close aboard, and theVicksburg’sJacob’s-ladder was cut adrift.“Late this afternoon the ships on the Havana station were dumfounded to see two vessels steam out of Havana Harbour and head east. Dense smoke was streaming like black ribbons from their stacks, and a glance showed that they were under full head of steam.“By aid of glasses Commander Lilly of theMayflower, which was flying the pennant, made out the larger vessel of the two, which was two hundred feet long and about forty-five hundred tons displacement, to be the cruiserAlphonso XII., and the small one to be the gunboatLegaspi, both of which were known to be bottled up in Havana Harbour.“At first he supposed that they were taking advantage of the absence of the heavy fighting-ships, and were making a bona-fide run for the open sea.“As superior officer, he immediately signalled the other war-ships on the station, theVicksburg,Annapolis,[pg 139]Wasp,Tecumseh, andOsceola. The little squadron gave chase to the flying Spaniards, keeping up a running fire as they advanced. TheAlphonsoand her consort circled inshore about five miles below Havana, and headed back for Morro Castle.“Our gunboats and the vessels of the mosquito fleet did not follow them in. Commander Lilly saw that the wily Spanish ruse was to draw them in under the guns of the heavy batteries, where Spanish artillery officers could plot out the exact range with their telemeters. So the return was made in line ahead, parallel with the shore.“Commander Lilly had not been mistaken. As his ships came abreast of Santa Clara battery the big guns opened, and fired thirteen shells at a distance of about five miles. The range was badly judged, as more than half the missiles overshot the mark, and others fell short, some as much as a mile.“The bigAlphonsoand her convoy steamed swiftly from the dark shadow of the harbour’s mouth, and, turning sharply east, ran along the coast as though to slip through the cordon of blockade.“It was a bold trick and not at first transparent, although the folly of it created a suspicion.“The Spanish boats crowded on steam and stood along the coast as long as they dared, to give zest to the chase. TheMayflowersignalled her consorts,‘Close in and charge.’“Seeing that the bait had apparently taken, the[pg 140]Spaniards veered about, and, bringing their stern-chasers to bear on the Americans, doubled back for Morro.“Two of the shells from theVicksburgburst in the rigging of theAlphonso, and some of it came down, but it was, of course, impossible to know whether any fatalities occurred. The American fire was much more accurate than the Spanish, as every shell of the latter fell short of their pursuers.“The Spaniards were a mile off Morro, and our ships fully four miles out, when flame leaped from the batteries of the Santa Clara forts, and clouds of white smoke drifted up the coast. Half a minute later a dull, heavy roar of a great gun came like a deep diapason of an organ on high treble of smaller guns. It was from one of the 12-inch Krupp guns mounted there, and an 85-pound projectile plunged into the water half a mile inside of the American line, throwing up a tower of white spray. It ricochetted and struck again half a mile outside.“The mask was now off. Maddened by the failure of their plot, the Spaniards continued to fire at intervals of about ten minutes. In all, thirteen shots were fired, but not one struck within two hundred yards of our ships.“As soon as the battery opened, Commander Lilly signalled, and his fleet stood offshore. Captain McKensie, on the bridge of theVicksburg, watched the fall of the shells, but he considered it useless to waste[pg 141]ammunition at that distance. He appeased the desire of the men at the guns, however, by letting go a final broadside at the Spanish ships, in the chance hope of making them pay for their daring before they gained the harbour, but they steamed under Morro’s guns untouched, and, as they disappeared, discharged several guns.“Half a dozen shots were sent after them at that moment by theAnnapolis, which dropped inside the harbour, probably creating consternation among scores of boats on the water-front.”May 15.The Spanish cruisersMaria Teresa,Vizcaya,Almirante Oquendo, andCristobal Colon, and torpedo-boat destroyers, which arrived off the port of Curacoa, sailed at sunset on the 15th, after having purchased coal and provisions.The flying squadron under command of Commodore Schley arrived off Charleston, S. C.Admiral Sampson’s squadron passed Cape Haytien.All the members of the Spanish Cabinet have resigned.A report from Ponce, Porto Rico, under date of May 15th, describes the inhabitants of the island as living in constant fear of a renewal of the bombardment of San Juan by Admiral’s Sampson’s fleet. There are no submarine mines in the harbour of Ponce, and the generally unprotected condition of the place is a cause of much anxiety.May 16.Freeman Halstead, an American news[pg 142]paper correspondent, arrested at San Juan de Porto Rico, while in the act of making photographs of the fortifications. He was sentenced by a military tribunal to nine years’ imprisonment.In a general order issued at the War Department, the assignments to the different corps and other important commands were announced. The order is as follows:“The following assignments of general officers to command is hereby made by the President:“Maj.-Gen. Wesley Merritt, U. S. A., the Department of the Pacific.“Maj.-Gen. John R. Brooke, U. S. A., the first corps and the Department of the Gulf.“Maj.-Gen. W. M. Graham, U. S. Volunteers, the second corps, with headquarters at Falls Church, Va.“Maj.-Gen. James M. Wade, U. S. Volunteers, the third corps, reporting to Major-General Brooke, Chickamauga.“Maj.-Gen. John J. Coppinger, U. S. Volunteers, the fourth corps, Mobile, Ala.“Maj.-Gen. William R. Shafter, U. S. Volunteers, the fifth corps, Tampa, Fla.“Maj.-Gen. Elwell S. Otis, U. S. Volunteers, to report to Major-General Merritt, U. S. A., for duty with troops in the Department of the Pacific.“Maj.-Gen. James H. Wilson, U. S. Volunteers, the sixth corps, Chickamauga, reporting to Major-General Brooke.[pg 143]“Maj.-Gen. Fitzhugh Lee, U. S. Volunteers, the seventh corps, Tampa, Fla.“Maj.-Gen. Joseph H. Wheeler, U. S. Volunteers, the cavalry division, Tampa, Fla.”Orders were given by Admiral Sampson to Captain Goodrich of theSt. Louis, on May 15th, to take the fleet tender in tow and proceed to Santiago de Cuba to cut the cables at that point. The grappling implements were secured from the tugWampatuckon May 16th, and at elevenP. M.the expedition, in the small boats, left the cruiser for the entrance of Santiago. It was then perfectly dark and hazy, but the Santiago light was burning brightly. Moonrise was not until 3.45A. M.At threeA. M.on May 17th the expedition returned with part of one cable, but it had failed to find a second cable, which is close under the fort, and was protected by two patrol-boats. Then a start was made to cut the cable on the other side of the island. At sevenA. M.theSt. Louisfired her first gun at the forts protecting the entrance to Santiago Harbour, and after a little time the fire was returned by what must have been a 2-pounder.At eightA. M.theSt. Louiswas about two miles distant from the fort, which seemed to be unprovided with modern guns. After three hours grappling in over five hundred fathoms, the cable had not been found. At 12.15P. M.the guns of Morro Castle opened fire, followed by the shore battery on the southerly point, and also the west battery. TheSt.[pg 144]Louiskept up a constant fire from her bow guns, and soon succeeded in silencing the guns of Morro Castle, the Spaniards running in all directions.Most of the shots from the fort fell short of the ship. Shells from the mortar battery went over the cruiser and exploded in the water quite close to theSt. Louis. The mortar battery ceased at 12.56P. M., after a fusilade of forty-one minutes. After firing the cable was grappled, hauled on board, and cut.May 17.The Spanish squadron reported as yet remaining at Cadiz.The U. S. S.Wilmingtonhad a slight action with a Spanish gunboat off the Cuban coast, during which the latter was disabled.May 18.The U. S. cruiserCharlestonleft San Francisco for the Philippines with supplies for Commodore Dewey’s fleet.May 19.By cable from Madrid it was learned that the Spanish fleet had arrived at Santiago de Cuba.The cruiserCharleston, which sailed for Manila, returned to Mare Island navy yard with her condensers out of order.May 21.An order was despatched to San Francisco to prepare theMontereyfor a voyage to Manila, where she would join Commodore Dewey’s fleet. TheMontereyis probably the most formidable monitor in the world; technically described she is a barbed turret, low freeboard monitor of four thousand tons displacement, 256 feet long, fifty-nine feet beam, and[pg 145]fourteen feet six inches draught. She carries in two turrets, surrounded by barbettes, two 12-inch and two 10-inch guns, while on her superstructure, between the turrets, are mounted six 6-pounders, four 1-pounders, and two Gatlings. The turrets are seven and one-half and eight inches thick, and the surrounding barbettes are fourteen inches and eleven and one-half inches of steel.U. S. S. MONTEREY.U. S. S. MONTEREY.One of the most important prizes captured during the war was taken by the U. S. S.Minneapolisoff the eastern coast of Cuba. The craft was the Spanish brigSanta Maria de Lourdes, loaded with coal, ammunition, arms, and supplies for Admiral Cervera.Nearly four hundred men, with a pack-train and a large quantity of arms and ammunition, sailed for a point about twenty-five miles east of Havana, on the steamerFlorida. These men and their equipment constituted an expedition able to operate independently, and to defend itself against any body of Spanish troops which might oppose it.TheFloridareturned to Key West on the thirty-first, after having successfully landed the ammunition and men.May 22.The U. S. S.Charlestonagain left San Francisco, bound for Manila.May 25.The U. S. S.St. Paulcaptured the British steamerRestormel, loaded with coal, off Santiago de Cuba. The prize is a long, low tramp collier belonging to the Troy company of Cardiff, Wales. She[pg 146]left there on April 22d, the day before war was declared, with twenty-eight hundred tons of the finest grade of Cardiff coal consigned to a Spanish firm in San Juan de Porto Rico, where the Spanish fleet was supposed to make its first stop.“When we reached San Juan,”said the captain of theRestormel,“the consignees told me very curtly that the persons for whom the coal was destined were in Curacoa. At Porto Rico I learned that war had been declared. I began to suspect that the coal was going to Cervera’s fleet, but my Spanish consignees said it would be all right. They told me not to ask any questions, but to go to Curacoa as soon as possible. I did so, placing my cargo under orders.“The consignee at Curacoa was a Spanish officer. He said there had been another change of base, and that the coal was wanted at Santiago de Cuba. I tried to cable my owners for instructions, but found that the cables had been cut. Under the circumstances there was nothing for me to do but to go to Santiago. By this time I was pretty well convinced that the cargo was for Cervera. I suspected that coal had been made a contraband of war, so I wasn’t a bit surprised when theSt. Paulbrought us to, with a shot, three and a half miles from shore.”In the prize court it was decided to confiscate the coal, and release the steamer.The President issued a proclamation calling for seventy-five thousand men.[pg 147]Three troop-ships, laden with soldiers, sailed from San Francisco for Manila.May 26.The battle-shipOregon, which left San Francisco March 19th, arrived at Key West.May 27.The Spanish torpedo-boat destroyer arrived at San Juan de Porto Rico.May 28.From Commodore Dewey the following cablegram was received:“Cavite, May 25th, via Hongkong, May 27th.“Secretary Navy, Washington:—No change in the situation of the blockade. Is effective. It is impossible for the people of Manila to buy provisions, except rice.“The captain of theOlympia, Gridley, condemned by medical survey. Is ordered home. Leaves by Occidental and Oriental steamship from Hongkong the twenty-eighth. Commander Lamberton appointed commander of theOlympia.”May 29.Maj.-Gen. Wesley Merritt issued an order formally announcing that he had taken command of the Philippine forces and expeditions.May 31.United States troops board transports for Cuba.The beginning of June saw the opening of the first regular campaign of the war, and it is eminently proper the operations around and about Santiago de Cuba be told in a continuous narrative, rather than with any[pg 148]further attempt at giving the news from the various parts of the world in chronological order.Therefore such events, aside from the Santiago campaign, as are worthy a place in history, will be set down in regular sequence after certain deeds of the boys of ’98 have been related in such detail as is warranted by the heroism displayed.
[pg 117]CHAPTER VI.CARDENAS AND SAN JUAN.May 11.The Spanish batteries in Cardenas Harbour were silenced on May 11th, and at the same time there was a display of heroism, on the part of American sailors, such as has never been surpassed.A plan of action having been decided upon, theWilmingtonarrived at the blockading station from Key West on the morning of the eleventh. She found there, off Piedras Bay, the cruiserMachias, the torpedo-boatWinslow, and the revenue cutterHudson, which last carried two 6-pounders. Shortly after noon theWilmington,Winslow, andHudsonmoved into the inner harbour of Cardenas, and prepared to draw the fire of the Spanish batteries on the water-front. TheWilmingtontook a range of about twenty-five hundred yards.The Cardenas land defences consisted of a battery in a stone fortification on the mole or quay, a battery of field-pieces, and of infantry armed with long-range rifles. The gunboats were equipped with rapid-fire guns.Firing commenced at one o’clock, and when the Cardenas batteries were silenced at two in the afternoon,[pg 118]theWilmingtonhad sent 376 shells into them and the town. Her 4-inch guns had been fired 144 times. She had aimed 122 shots from her 6-pounders, and 110 from her 1-pounders, over six shots a minute.When theWilmingtonceased firing she had moved up to within one thousand yards range of the Spanish guns, and there were only six inches of water under her keel. TheWilmingtondraws nine feet of water forward and ten and a half feet aft. When the soundings showed that she was almost touching, her guns were in full play, and the Spaniards had missed a beautiful opportunity. The Spanish gunners must have miscalculated her distance and misjudged her draught, else they would have done more effective work at a range of two thousand yards.During the engagement, when the commander of theWinslowfound that he could not approach close enough to the Spanish gunboats to use his torpedo-tubes to any advantage, he remained under fire. At that time he could have got out of harm’s way by taking shelter to the leeward of theWilmington.Captain Todd, from his post of duty in the conning-tower of theWilmington, saw a Spanish shell, aimed for the torpedo-boat, do its deadly work. The shell struck the water, took an up-shoot, and exploded on the deck of theWinslow. There is little room for men anywhere on a torpedo boat, and if a shot strikes at all it is almost sure to hit a group. Such was the case in theWinslow. The exploding shell cost the lives of[pg 119]Ensign Bagley and four seamen; it also crippled the craft by wrecking her steam-steering gear. Later her captain and one of his crew were wounded by separate shots.THE TRAGEDY OF THE WINSLOW.THE TRAGEDY OF THE WINSLOW.Ensign Bagley was killed outright, two of the group of five died on the deck of the disabled torpedo-boat, and the other two died while being removed to theWilmington.The signal,“Many wounded,”went up from the staff of theWinslow, and Passed Assistant Surgeon Cook of theWilmingtonboarded the torpedo-boat.TheHudsontied up to theWinslowand towed her out of danger, escaping unscathed. The wounded men were tenderly cared for on the cruiser, and that night the revenue cutter steamed out of Cardenas Bay, bearing the dead and wounded to Key West.William O’Hearn, of Brooklyn, N. Y., one of theWinslow’screw, thus tells his story of the battle to a newspaper correspondent:“From the very beginning,”he said,“I think every man on the boat believed that we could not escape being sunk, and that is what would have happened had it not been for the bravery of the boys on theHudson, who worked for over an hour under the most terrific fire to get us out of range.”“Were you ordered to go in there?”he was asked.“Yes; just before we were fired upon the order was given from theWilmington.”“Was it a signal order?”[pg 120]“No; we were near enough to theWilmingtonso that they shouted it to us from the deck, through the megaphone.”“Do you remember the words of the commander who gave them?”“I don’t know who shouted the order; but the words as I remember them were,‘Mr. Bagley, go in and see what gunboats there are.’We started at once towards the Cardenas dock, and the firing began soon after.“The first thing I saw,”continued O’Hearn,“was a shot fired from a window or door in the second story of the storehouse just back of the dock where the Spanish gunboats were lying. A shell then went hissing over our heads. Then the firing began from the gunboat at the wharf, and from the shore. The effect of shell and heavy shot the first time a man is under fire is something terrible.“First you hear that awful buzzing or whizzing, and then something seems to strike you in the face and head. I noticed that at first the boys threw their hands to their heads every time a shell went over; but they soon came so fast and so close that it was a roaring, shrieking, crashing hell.“I am the water-tender, and my place is below, but everybody went on deck when the battle began. John Varvares, the oiler, John Denif and John Meek, the firemen, were on watch with me, and had they remained below they would not have been killed.[pg 121]“After the firing began I went below again to attend to the boiler, and a few minutes later a solid shot came crashing through the side of the boat and into the boiler, where it exploded and destroyed seventy of the tubes.“At first it stunned me. When the shell burst in the boiler it threw both the furnace doors open, and the fuse from the shell struck my feet. It was a terrible crash, and the boiler-room was filled with dust and steam. For several seconds I was partially stunned, and my ears rang so I could hear nothing. I went up on the deck to report to Captain Bernadou.“I saw him near the forecastle gun, limping about with a towel wound around his left leg. He was shouting, and the noise of all the guns was like continuous thunder.‘Captain,’I cried,‘the forward boiler is disabled. A shell has gone through it.’“‘Get out the hose,’he said, and turned to the gun again. I made my way to the boiler-room, in a few minutes went up on the deck again, and the fighting had grown hotter than ever. Several of the men were missing, and I looked around.“Lying all in a heap on the after-deck in the starboard quarter, near the after conning-tower, I saw five of our men where they had wilted down after the shell struck them. In other places were men lying groaning, or dragging themselves about, wounded and covered with blood. There were big red spots on the deck, which was strewn with fragments and splinters.[pg 122]“I went to where the five men were lying, and saw that all were not dead. John Meek could speak and move one hand slightly. I put my face down close to his.“‘Can I do anything for you, John?’I asked, and he replied,‘No, Jack, I am dying; good-bye,’and he asked me to grasp his hand.‘Go help the rest,’he whispered, gazing with fixed eyes toward where Captain Bernadou was still firing the forward gun. The next minute he was dead.“Ensign Bagley was lying on the deck nearly torn to pieces, and the bodies of the other three were on top of him. The coloured cook was a little apart from the others, mangled, and in a cramped position. We supposed he was dead, and covered him up the same as the others. Nearly half an hour after that we heard him calling, and saw that he was making a slight movement under the clothes. I went up to him, and he said:“‘Oh, boys, for God’s sake move me. I am lying over the boiler and burning up.’“The deck was very hot, and his flesh had been almost roasted. He complained that his neck was cramped, but did not seem to feel his terrible wound. We moved him into an easier position, and gave him some water.“‘Thank you, sir,’he said, and in five seconds he was dead.”Ensign Bagley had been fearfully wounded by a[pg 123]shot, which practically tore through his body. He sank over the rail, and was grasped by one of the enlisted men, named Reagan, who lifted him up and placed him on the deck.U. S. S. AMPHITRITE.U. S. S. AMPHITRITE.The young officer, realising that the wound was fatal, and that he had only a short time to live, allowed no murmur of complaint or cry of pain to escape him, but opened his eyes, stared at the sailor, and simply said:“Thank you, Reagan.”These were the last words he spoke.May 12.The forts of San Juan, the capital of Porto Rico, were bombarded by a portion of Rear-Admiral Sampson’s fleet on Thursday morning, May 12th. The vessels taking part in the action were the battle-shipsNew York,Iowa,Indiana, the cruisersDetroitandMontgomery, and the monitorsTerrorandAmphitrite.The engagement began at 5.15 and ended at 8.15A. M., resulting in a loss to the Americans of one killed and seven wounded, and the death of one from prostration by heat. The Spanish loss, as reported by cable to Madrid, was five killed and forty-three wounded.Admiral Sampson’s orders were to refrain from making any land attack so long as the batteries on shore did not attempt to molest his ships; but in case the Spaniards fired on his vessels, to destroy the offending fortifications.[pg 124]These orders were not issued until the Spanish fire at different Cuban ports became so irritating to the American bluejackets that discipline was, in a measure, threatened; but as soon as the men learned that they were no longer to remain passive targets for the Spaniards, but were to return any shots against them, all grumbling against inaction ceased.It was not Admiral Sampson’s original intention to attack San Juan. He was looking for bigger game than the poorly defended Porto Rican capital. His orders from the Navy Department were to find and capture or destroy the Spanish squadron that was en route from the Cape Verde Islands, and it was this business that took him into the neighbourhood of San Juan, he being desirous of learning if the Spanish squadron were there.The fleet arrived off San Juan before daybreak on Thursday. The tugWampatuckwas ordered to take soundings in the channel, and at once proceeded to do so. She was fully half a mile ahead of the fleet when she entered the channel, and those aboard of her kept the lead going at a lively rate.It is supposed that Admiral Sampson had no intention at that time of entering the harbour itself, his object, when he found that the Spanish squadron was not at San Juan, being to learn for future use exactly how much water there was in the channel, and if any attempt had been made to block the way.At all events, while theWampatuckwas engaged in[pg 125]this work she was seen by the sentries at the Morro, and a few minutes later was fired on.Then, and not until then, did Admiral Sampson determine to teach the Spaniards a lesson regarding the danger of firing on the American flag.“Quarters!”rang out aboard the war-ships almost before the report of the Morro gun had died away, the flag-ship having signalled for action.TheIowaopened the bombardment with her big 12-inch gun, the missile striking Morro Castle squarely, and knocking a great hole in the masonry.Then theIndianasent a 13-inch projectile from the forward turret, and one after the other, with but little loss of time, the remaining vessels of the fleet aided in the work of destruction.The French war-shipAdmiral Rigault de Genoaillywas at anchor in the harbour, and a shell exploded within a few hundred feet of where she lay, but worked no injury.The French officers thus reported the action:“The American gunners were generally accurate in their firing, while the marksmanship of the Spaniards was inferior. Some of the American shells, however, passed over the fortifications into the city, where they did terrible damage, crashing straight through rows of buildings before exploding, and there killing many citizens.“The fortifications were irreparably injured. Repeatedly masses of masonry were blown skyward by[pg 126]the shells from the American guns. Fragments from one shell struck the commandante’s residence, which was situated near the fortifications, damaging it terrifically.”Morro Castle was speedily silenced, and then the guns of the fleet were turned on the land-batteries and the fortifications near the government buildings.The inhabitants fled in terror from the city; the volunteers, panic-stricken, ran frantically in every direction, discharging their weapons at random, until they were a menace to all within possible range. The crashing of the falling buildings, the roar of the heavy guns, the shrieks of the terrified and groans of the wounded, formed a horrible accompaniment to the work of destruction.Three times the line of American ships passed from the entrance of the harbour to the extreme eastward battery, sending shot and shell into the crumbling forts. Clouds of dust showed where the missiles struck, but the smoke hung over everything. The shells screeching overhead and dropping around were the only signs that the Spaniards still stuck to their guns.At 7.45A. M.Admiral Sampson signalled,“Cease firing.”“Retire”was sounded on theIowa, and she headed from the shore.TheTerrorwas the last ship in the line, and, failing to see the signal, banged away alone for about half an[pg 127]hour, the concert of shore guns roaring at her and the water flying high around her from the exploding shells. But she possessed a charmed life, and reluctantly retired at 8.15.THE BOMBARDMENT OF SAN JUAN, PORTO RICO.THE BOMBARDMENT OF SAN JUAN, PORTO RICO.May 13.In the Spanish Cortes, Señor Molinas, deputy for Porto Rico, protested against the bombardment of San Juan without notice, as an infringement of international usage.To this General Correa, Minister of War, replied that the conduct of the Americans was“vandalism,”and that the government“will bring their outrageous action under the notice of the powers.”He echoed Señor Molinas’s eulogy of the bravery of the Spanish troops and marines, and promised that the government would send its thanks.An authority on international law thus comments upon the bombardment, in the columns of the New YorkSun:“There is nothing in the laws of war which requires notice of bombardment to be given to a fortified place, during the progress of war. When the Germans threatened to bombard Port au Prince, a few months ago, they gave a notice of a few hours, but in that case no state of war existed. Again, when Spain bombarded Valparaiso, in 1865, an hour’s interval was allowed between the blank charge that gave the notice, and the actual bombardment. But that interval was intended to allow Chili an opportunity to do the specific thing demanded, namely, to salute the Spanish[pg 128]flag, in atonement for a grievance. Besides, Valparaiso was wholly unfortified, and the guns were directed, not at military works, but at public buildings.“The case of San Juan was far different. Hostilities had been going on in Gulf waters for weeks, while, as Doctor Snow, the well-known authority on international law, says,‘In case of war, the very fact of a place being fortified is evidence that at any time it is liable to attack, and the non-combatants residing within its limits must be prepared for a contingency of this kind.’This is true, also, of the investment of fortified places by armies, where‘if the assault is made, no notice is given, as surprise is essential to success.’In the same spirit Halleck says that‘every besieged place is for a time a military garrison; its inhabitants are converted into soldiers by the necessities of self-defence.’“Turning to the official report of Admiral Sampson, we find him saying that, as soon as it was light enough, he began‘an attack upon the batteries defending the city. This attack lasted about three hours, and resulted in much damage to the batteries, and incidentally to a portion of the city adjacent to the batteries.’It is, therefore, clear that this latter damage was simply the result of the proximity of the defensive works to some of the dwellings. The same thing would occur in bombarding Havana. Can any one imagine that the Spaniards, if they suddenly appeared in New York Bay, would be obliged to give notice before opening fire on Fort Hamilton and Fort Wadsworth, for the reason that[pg 129]adjacent settlements would suffer from the fire? The advantage of suddenness in the attack upon a place, not only fortified, but forewarned by current events, cannot be renounced. Civilians dwelling near defensive works know what they risk in war.“In the Franco-German war of 1870 there were repeated instances, according to the authority already quoted, of deliberately firing on inhabited towns instead of on their fortifications, and‘there were cases, like that of Peronne, where the town was partially destroyed while the ramparts were nearly intact.’The ground taken was that which a military writer, General Le Blois, had advocated five years before, namely, that the pressure for surrender exercised by the people becomes greater on subjecting them to the loss of life and property.‘The governor is made responsible for all the disasters that occur; the people rise against him, and his own troops seek to compel him to an immediate capitulation.’At San Juan there was no attempt of this sort, the fire being concentrated upon the batteries, with the single view of destroying them. The likelihood that adjacent buildings and streets would suffer did not require previous notice of the bombardment, and, in fact, when the Germans opened fire on Paris without notification, and a protest was made on behalf of neutrals, Bismarck simply replied that no such notification was required by the laws of war.”
May 11.The Spanish batteries in Cardenas Harbour were silenced on May 11th, and at the same time there was a display of heroism, on the part of American sailors, such as has never been surpassed.
A plan of action having been decided upon, theWilmingtonarrived at the blockading station from Key West on the morning of the eleventh. She found there, off Piedras Bay, the cruiserMachias, the torpedo-boatWinslow, and the revenue cutterHudson, which last carried two 6-pounders. Shortly after noon theWilmington,Winslow, andHudsonmoved into the inner harbour of Cardenas, and prepared to draw the fire of the Spanish batteries on the water-front. TheWilmingtontook a range of about twenty-five hundred yards.
The Cardenas land defences consisted of a battery in a stone fortification on the mole or quay, a battery of field-pieces, and of infantry armed with long-range rifles. The gunboats were equipped with rapid-fire guns.
Firing commenced at one o’clock, and when the Cardenas batteries were silenced at two in the afternoon,[pg 118]theWilmingtonhad sent 376 shells into them and the town. Her 4-inch guns had been fired 144 times. She had aimed 122 shots from her 6-pounders, and 110 from her 1-pounders, over six shots a minute.
When theWilmingtonceased firing she had moved up to within one thousand yards range of the Spanish guns, and there were only six inches of water under her keel. TheWilmingtondraws nine feet of water forward and ten and a half feet aft. When the soundings showed that she was almost touching, her guns were in full play, and the Spaniards had missed a beautiful opportunity. The Spanish gunners must have miscalculated her distance and misjudged her draught, else they would have done more effective work at a range of two thousand yards.
During the engagement, when the commander of theWinslowfound that he could not approach close enough to the Spanish gunboats to use his torpedo-tubes to any advantage, he remained under fire. At that time he could have got out of harm’s way by taking shelter to the leeward of theWilmington.
Captain Todd, from his post of duty in the conning-tower of theWilmington, saw a Spanish shell, aimed for the torpedo-boat, do its deadly work. The shell struck the water, took an up-shoot, and exploded on the deck of theWinslow. There is little room for men anywhere on a torpedo boat, and if a shot strikes at all it is almost sure to hit a group. Such was the case in theWinslow. The exploding shell cost the lives of[pg 119]Ensign Bagley and four seamen; it also crippled the craft by wrecking her steam-steering gear. Later her captain and one of his crew were wounded by separate shots.
THE TRAGEDY OF THE WINSLOW.THE TRAGEDY OF THE WINSLOW.
THE TRAGEDY OF THE WINSLOW.
Ensign Bagley was killed outright, two of the group of five died on the deck of the disabled torpedo-boat, and the other two died while being removed to theWilmington.
The signal,“Many wounded,”went up from the staff of theWinslow, and Passed Assistant Surgeon Cook of theWilmingtonboarded the torpedo-boat.
TheHudsontied up to theWinslowand towed her out of danger, escaping unscathed. The wounded men were tenderly cared for on the cruiser, and that night the revenue cutter steamed out of Cardenas Bay, bearing the dead and wounded to Key West.
William O’Hearn, of Brooklyn, N. Y., one of theWinslow’screw, thus tells his story of the battle to a newspaper correspondent:
“From the very beginning,”he said,“I think every man on the boat believed that we could not escape being sunk, and that is what would have happened had it not been for the bravery of the boys on theHudson, who worked for over an hour under the most terrific fire to get us out of range.”
“Were you ordered to go in there?”he was asked.
“Yes; just before we were fired upon the order was given from theWilmington.”
“Was it a signal order?”
“No; we were near enough to theWilmingtonso that they shouted it to us from the deck, through the megaphone.”
“Do you remember the words of the commander who gave them?”
“I don’t know who shouted the order; but the words as I remember them were,‘Mr. Bagley, go in and see what gunboats there are.’We started at once towards the Cardenas dock, and the firing began soon after.
“The first thing I saw,”continued O’Hearn,“was a shot fired from a window or door in the second story of the storehouse just back of the dock where the Spanish gunboats were lying. A shell then went hissing over our heads. Then the firing began from the gunboat at the wharf, and from the shore. The effect of shell and heavy shot the first time a man is under fire is something terrible.
“First you hear that awful buzzing or whizzing, and then something seems to strike you in the face and head. I noticed that at first the boys threw their hands to their heads every time a shell went over; but they soon came so fast and so close that it was a roaring, shrieking, crashing hell.
“I am the water-tender, and my place is below, but everybody went on deck when the battle began. John Varvares, the oiler, John Denif and John Meek, the firemen, were on watch with me, and had they remained below they would not have been killed.
“After the firing began I went below again to attend to the boiler, and a few minutes later a solid shot came crashing through the side of the boat and into the boiler, where it exploded and destroyed seventy of the tubes.
“At first it stunned me. When the shell burst in the boiler it threw both the furnace doors open, and the fuse from the shell struck my feet. It was a terrible crash, and the boiler-room was filled with dust and steam. For several seconds I was partially stunned, and my ears rang so I could hear nothing. I went up on the deck to report to Captain Bernadou.
“I saw him near the forecastle gun, limping about with a towel wound around his left leg. He was shouting, and the noise of all the guns was like continuous thunder.‘Captain,’I cried,‘the forward boiler is disabled. A shell has gone through it.’
“‘Get out the hose,’he said, and turned to the gun again. I made my way to the boiler-room, in a few minutes went up on the deck again, and the fighting had grown hotter than ever. Several of the men were missing, and I looked around.
“Lying all in a heap on the after-deck in the starboard quarter, near the after conning-tower, I saw five of our men where they had wilted down after the shell struck them. In other places were men lying groaning, or dragging themselves about, wounded and covered with blood. There were big red spots on the deck, which was strewn with fragments and splinters.
“I went to where the five men were lying, and saw that all were not dead. John Meek could speak and move one hand slightly. I put my face down close to his.
“‘Can I do anything for you, John?’I asked, and he replied,‘No, Jack, I am dying; good-bye,’and he asked me to grasp his hand.‘Go help the rest,’he whispered, gazing with fixed eyes toward where Captain Bernadou was still firing the forward gun. The next minute he was dead.
“Ensign Bagley was lying on the deck nearly torn to pieces, and the bodies of the other three were on top of him. The coloured cook was a little apart from the others, mangled, and in a cramped position. We supposed he was dead, and covered him up the same as the others. Nearly half an hour after that we heard him calling, and saw that he was making a slight movement under the clothes. I went up to him, and he said:
“‘Oh, boys, for God’s sake move me. I am lying over the boiler and burning up.’
“The deck was very hot, and his flesh had been almost roasted. He complained that his neck was cramped, but did not seem to feel his terrible wound. We moved him into an easier position, and gave him some water.
“‘Thank you, sir,’he said, and in five seconds he was dead.”
Ensign Bagley had been fearfully wounded by a[pg 123]shot, which practically tore through his body. He sank over the rail, and was grasped by one of the enlisted men, named Reagan, who lifted him up and placed him on the deck.
U. S. S. AMPHITRITE.U. S. S. AMPHITRITE.
U. S. S. AMPHITRITE.
The young officer, realising that the wound was fatal, and that he had only a short time to live, allowed no murmur of complaint or cry of pain to escape him, but opened his eyes, stared at the sailor, and simply said:
“Thank you, Reagan.”
These were the last words he spoke.
May 12.The forts of San Juan, the capital of Porto Rico, were bombarded by a portion of Rear-Admiral Sampson’s fleet on Thursday morning, May 12th. The vessels taking part in the action were the battle-shipsNew York,Iowa,Indiana, the cruisersDetroitandMontgomery, and the monitorsTerrorandAmphitrite.
The engagement began at 5.15 and ended at 8.15A. M., resulting in a loss to the Americans of one killed and seven wounded, and the death of one from prostration by heat. The Spanish loss, as reported by cable to Madrid, was five killed and forty-three wounded.
Admiral Sampson’s orders were to refrain from making any land attack so long as the batteries on shore did not attempt to molest his ships; but in case the Spaniards fired on his vessels, to destroy the offending fortifications.
These orders were not issued until the Spanish fire at different Cuban ports became so irritating to the American bluejackets that discipline was, in a measure, threatened; but as soon as the men learned that they were no longer to remain passive targets for the Spaniards, but were to return any shots against them, all grumbling against inaction ceased.
It was not Admiral Sampson’s original intention to attack San Juan. He was looking for bigger game than the poorly defended Porto Rican capital. His orders from the Navy Department were to find and capture or destroy the Spanish squadron that was en route from the Cape Verde Islands, and it was this business that took him into the neighbourhood of San Juan, he being desirous of learning if the Spanish squadron were there.
The fleet arrived off San Juan before daybreak on Thursday. The tugWampatuckwas ordered to take soundings in the channel, and at once proceeded to do so. She was fully half a mile ahead of the fleet when she entered the channel, and those aboard of her kept the lead going at a lively rate.
It is supposed that Admiral Sampson had no intention at that time of entering the harbour itself, his object, when he found that the Spanish squadron was not at San Juan, being to learn for future use exactly how much water there was in the channel, and if any attempt had been made to block the way.
At all events, while theWampatuckwas engaged in[pg 125]this work she was seen by the sentries at the Morro, and a few minutes later was fired on.
Then, and not until then, did Admiral Sampson determine to teach the Spaniards a lesson regarding the danger of firing on the American flag.
“Quarters!”rang out aboard the war-ships almost before the report of the Morro gun had died away, the flag-ship having signalled for action.
TheIowaopened the bombardment with her big 12-inch gun, the missile striking Morro Castle squarely, and knocking a great hole in the masonry.
Then theIndianasent a 13-inch projectile from the forward turret, and one after the other, with but little loss of time, the remaining vessels of the fleet aided in the work of destruction.
The French war-shipAdmiral Rigault de Genoaillywas at anchor in the harbour, and a shell exploded within a few hundred feet of where she lay, but worked no injury.
The French officers thus reported the action:
“The American gunners were generally accurate in their firing, while the marksmanship of the Spaniards was inferior. Some of the American shells, however, passed over the fortifications into the city, where they did terrible damage, crashing straight through rows of buildings before exploding, and there killing many citizens.
“The fortifications were irreparably injured. Repeatedly masses of masonry were blown skyward by[pg 126]the shells from the American guns. Fragments from one shell struck the commandante’s residence, which was situated near the fortifications, damaging it terrifically.”
Morro Castle was speedily silenced, and then the guns of the fleet were turned on the land-batteries and the fortifications near the government buildings.
The inhabitants fled in terror from the city; the volunteers, panic-stricken, ran frantically in every direction, discharging their weapons at random, until they were a menace to all within possible range. The crashing of the falling buildings, the roar of the heavy guns, the shrieks of the terrified and groans of the wounded, formed a horrible accompaniment to the work of destruction.
Three times the line of American ships passed from the entrance of the harbour to the extreme eastward battery, sending shot and shell into the crumbling forts. Clouds of dust showed where the missiles struck, but the smoke hung over everything. The shells screeching overhead and dropping around were the only signs that the Spaniards still stuck to their guns.
At 7.45A. M.Admiral Sampson signalled,“Cease firing.”
“Retire”was sounded on theIowa, and she headed from the shore.
TheTerrorwas the last ship in the line, and, failing to see the signal, banged away alone for about half an[pg 127]hour, the concert of shore guns roaring at her and the water flying high around her from the exploding shells. But she possessed a charmed life, and reluctantly retired at 8.15.
THE BOMBARDMENT OF SAN JUAN, PORTO RICO.THE BOMBARDMENT OF SAN JUAN, PORTO RICO.
THE BOMBARDMENT OF SAN JUAN, PORTO RICO.
May 13.In the Spanish Cortes, Señor Molinas, deputy for Porto Rico, protested against the bombardment of San Juan without notice, as an infringement of international usage.
To this General Correa, Minister of War, replied that the conduct of the Americans was“vandalism,”and that the government“will bring their outrageous action under the notice of the powers.”He echoed Señor Molinas’s eulogy of the bravery of the Spanish troops and marines, and promised that the government would send its thanks.
An authority on international law thus comments upon the bombardment, in the columns of the New YorkSun:
“There is nothing in the laws of war which requires notice of bombardment to be given to a fortified place, during the progress of war. When the Germans threatened to bombard Port au Prince, a few months ago, they gave a notice of a few hours, but in that case no state of war existed. Again, when Spain bombarded Valparaiso, in 1865, an hour’s interval was allowed between the blank charge that gave the notice, and the actual bombardment. But that interval was intended to allow Chili an opportunity to do the specific thing demanded, namely, to salute the Spanish[pg 128]flag, in atonement for a grievance. Besides, Valparaiso was wholly unfortified, and the guns were directed, not at military works, but at public buildings.
“The case of San Juan was far different. Hostilities had been going on in Gulf waters for weeks, while, as Doctor Snow, the well-known authority on international law, says,‘In case of war, the very fact of a place being fortified is evidence that at any time it is liable to attack, and the non-combatants residing within its limits must be prepared for a contingency of this kind.’This is true, also, of the investment of fortified places by armies, where‘if the assault is made, no notice is given, as surprise is essential to success.’In the same spirit Halleck says that‘every besieged place is for a time a military garrison; its inhabitants are converted into soldiers by the necessities of self-defence.’
“Turning to the official report of Admiral Sampson, we find him saying that, as soon as it was light enough, he began‘an attack upon the batteries defending the city. This attack lasted about three hours, and resulted in much damage to the batteries, and incidentally to a portion of the city adjacent to the batteries.’It is, therefore, clear that this latter damage was simply the result of the proximity of the defensive works to some of the dwellings. The same thing would occur in bombarding Havana. Can any one imagine that the Spaniards, if they suddenly appeared in New York Bay, would be obliged to give notice before opening fire on Fort Hamilton and Fort Wadsworth, for the reason that[pg 129]adjacent settlements would suffer from the fire? The advantage of suddenness in the attack upon a place, not only fortified, but forewarned by current events, cannot be renounced. Civilians dwelling near defensive works know what they risk in war.
“In the Franco-German war of 1870 there were repeated instances, according to the authority already quoted, of deliberately firing on inhabited towns instead of on their fortifications, and‘there were cases, like that of Peronne, where the town was partially destroyed while the ramparts were nearly intact.’The ground taken was that which a military writer, General Le Blois, had advocated five years before, namely, that the pressure for surrender exercised by the people becomes greater on subjecting them to the loss of life and property.‘The governor is made responsible for all the disasters that occur; the people rise against him, and his own troops seek to compel him to an immediate capitulation.’At San Juan there was no attempt of this sort, the fire being concentrated upon the batteries, with the single view of destroying them. The likelihood that adjacent buildings and streets would suffer did not require previous notice of the bombardment, and, in fact, when the Germans opened fire on Paris without notification, and a protest was made on behalf of neutrals, Bismarck simply replied that no such notification was required by the laws of war.”
[pg 130]CHAPTER VII.FROM ALL QUARTERS.May 11.A state of siege proclaimed throughout Spain. In a dozen cities or more continued rioting and sacking of warehouses. The seacoast between Cadiz and Malaga no longer lighted. The second division of the Spanish navy, consisting of the battle-shipPelayo, the armoured cruiserCarlos V., the protected cruiserAlphonso XIII., the converted cruisersRapidoandPatria, and several torpedo-boats, remain in Cadiz Harbour.May 12.The story of an attempt to land American troops in Cuba is thus told by one of the officers of the steamerGussie, which vessel left Tampa on the tenth.“In an effort to land Companies E and G of the first U. S. Infantry on the shore of Pinar del Rio this afternoon, with five hundred rifles, sixty thousand rounds of ammunition, and some food supplies for the insurgents, the first land fight of the war took place. Each side may claim a victory, for if the Spaniards frustrated the effort to connect with the insurgents, the Americans got decidedly the better of the battle, killing[pg 131]twelve or more of the enemy, and on their own part suffering not a wound.U. S. S. MIANTONOMAH.U. S. S. MIANTONOMAH.“After dark last evening the old-fashioned sidewheel steamerGussieof the Morgan line, with troops and cargo mentioned, was near the Cuban coast. At sunrise she fell in with the gunboatVicksburgon the blockade off Havana. Other blockading vessels came up also. The converted revenue cutterManning, Captain Munger, was detailed to convoy theGussie, and, three abreast, the steamers moved along the coast.“The Cuban guides on theGussietook their machetes to a grindstone on the hurricane-deck. Our soldiers gathered around to see them sharpen their long knives, but only one could be induced to test the edge of these barbarous instruments with his thumb.“By the ruined walls of an old stone house Spanish troops were gathered. Several shots were fired by the gunboatManning, and presently no troops were visible. It had been decided to land near here, but the depth of water was not favourable.“Just west of Port Cabanas Harbour theGussieanchored, theManningcovering the landing-place with her guns, and the torpedo-boatWaspcame up eager to assist. The first American soldier to step on the Cuban shore from this expedition was Lieutenant Crofton, Captain O’Connor with the first boatload having gone a longer route. A reef near the beach threw the men out, and they stumbled through the water up to their breasts. When they reached dry land they[pg 132]immediately went into the bush to form a picket-line. Two horses had been forced to swim ashore, when suddenly a rifle-shot, followed by continuous sharp firing, warned the men that the enemy had been in waiting.“The captain of the transport signalled the war-ships, and theManningfired into the woods beyond our picket-line. Shrapnel hissed through the air like hot iron plunged in water. TheWaspopened with her small guns. The cannonade began at 3.15 and lasted a quarter of an hour; then our pickets appeared, the ships circled around, and, being told by Captain O’Connor, who had come from shore with the clothing torn from one leg, where the Spaniards were, a hundred shots more were fired in that direction.“‘Anybody hurt, captain?’some one asked.“‘None of our men, but we shot twelve Spaniards,’he shouted back.“The soldiers on board theGussieheard the news without a word, but learning where the enemy were situated, gathered aft on the upper deck, and sent volleys toward the spot.“The pickets returned to the bush. Several crept along the beach, but the Spaniards had drawn back. It was decided that the soldiers should reëmbark on theGussie, and that the guides take the horses, seek the insurgents, and make a new appointment. They rode off to the westward, and disappeared around a point.[pg 133]“‘Say,’shouted a man from Company G after them,‘you forgot your grindstone.’”May 12.On Thursday morning, May 12th,thegunboatWilmingtonstood in close to the coast, off the town of Cardenas, with her crew at quarters.She had come for a specific purpose, which was to avenge theWinslow, and not until she was within range of the gunboats that had decoyed theWinslowdid she slacken speed. Then the masked battery, which had opened on the American boat with such deadly effect, was covered by theWilmington’sguns.There were no preliminaries. The war-vessel was there to teach the Spaniards of Cardenas a lesson, and set about the task without delay.The town is three miles distant from the gulf entrance to the harbour, therefore no time need be wasted in warning non-combatants, for they were in little or no danger.During two weeks troops had been gathering near about Cardenas to protect it against American invasion; masked batteries were being planted, earthworks thrown up, and blockhouses erected. There was no lack of targets.Carefully, precisely, as if at practice, theWilmingtonopened fire from her 4-inch guns, throwing shells here, there, everywhere; but more particularly in the direction of that masked battery which had trained its guns on theWinslow, and as the Spaniards, panic-stricken, hearing a death-knell in the sighing, whistling[pg 134]missiles, fled in mad terror, the gunboats’ machine guns were called into play.It is safe to assert that the one especial object of the American sailors’ vengeance was completely destroyed. Not a gun remained mounted, not a man was alive, save those whose wounds were mortal. The punishment was terrible, but complete.Until this moment the Spaniards at Cardenas had believed they might with impunity open fire on any craft flying the American flag; but now they began to understand that such sport was in the highest degree dangerous.During a full hour—and in that time nearly three hundred shells had been sent on errands of destruction—theWilmingtoncontinued her bombardment of the defences.When the work was completed two gunboats had been sunk so quickly that their crews had no more than sufficient time to escape. Two schooners were converted into wrecks at their moorings. One blockhouse was consumed by flames, and signal-stations, masked batteries, and forts were in ruins.While this lesson was in progress the Spaniards did their best to bring it to a close; but despite all efforts theWilmingtonwas unharmed. There was absolutely no evidence of conflict about her when she finally steamed away, save such as might have been read on the smoke-begrimed faces of the hard-worked but triumphant and satisfied crew.ADMIRAL SCHLEY.ADMIRAL SCHLEY.[pg 135]May 13.An English correspondent, cabling from Hongkong regarding the Spaniards in the Philippine Islands, made the following statement:“They are in a position to give the Americans a deal of trouble. There are twenty-five thousand Spanish soldiers in the garrison at Manila, and one hundred thousand volunteers enrolled. Scores of coasting steamers are imprisoned on the river Pasig, which is blocked at the mouth by some sunken schooners.“Mr. Wildman, the American consul here, tells me that, according to his despatches, a flag of truce is flying over Manila, and the people are allowed to proceed freely to and from the ships in the harbour.“The Americans are on duty night and day on the lookout for boats which endeavour to run the blockade with food supplies. The hospital is supported by the Americans. The Spaniards are boasting that their big battle-shipPelayois coming, and will demolish the Americans in ten minutes.”On the afternoon of May 13th the flying squadron, Commodore W. S. Schley commanding, set sail from Old Point Comfort, heading southeast. The following vessels comprised the fleet. The cruiserBrooklyn, the flag-ship, the battle-shipsMassachusettsandTexas, and the torpedo-boat destroyerScorpion. TheSterling, with 4,000 tons of coal, was the collier of the squadron. At eight o’clock in the evening theMinneapolisfollowed, and Captain Sigsbee of theSt. Paulreceived orders to get under way at midnight.[pg 136]May 14.Eleven steamers, chartered by the government as troop-ships, sailed from New York for Key West. At San Francisco, the cruiserCharleston, with supplies and reinforcements for Admiral Dewey’s fleet at Manila, had been made ready for sea.At Havana General Blanco had shown great energy in preparing for the expected siege by American forces. The city and forts were reported as being provisioned sufficiently for three or four months, and Havana was surrounded by entrenchments for a distance of thirty miles. The troops in the garrison numbered seventy thousand, and a like number were in the interior fighting the insurgents.The condition of the reconcentrados in Havana had grown steadily worse. The mortality increased among this wretched class, who had taken to begging morsels of food.Nobody in Havana except a few higher officers knew that the Spanish fleet was annihilated at Manila, and the story was believed that the Americans were beaten there.At Madrid in the Chamber of Deputies Señor Bores asked the government to inform the house of the condition of the Philippines. After the pacification of the islands, he said, outbreaks had occurred at Pansy and Cebu and even in Manila. Was this a new rebellion, he asked, or a continuation of the old one? If it was a continuation of the old rebellion, then General Prima de Rivera’s pacification of the islands had been a perfect fraud.[pg 137]General Correa, Minister of War, replied that the old insurrection was absolutely over. The present one, he said, arose from the incitements of the Americans.Señor Bores retorted that he had received a private letter from the Philippines, dated April 10th, prior to the arising of any fear of war with the United States, giving pessimistic accounts of the risings there, and passengers arriving by the steamerLeon III.had told similar stories. Now, he declared, the Spanish troops in the Philippines were in a terrible condition, being between two fires, the natives and the Americans. Señor Bores’s remarks created a profound sensation.The cruiserCharlestonwas reported as being ready to sail from San Francisco for Manila. Three hundred sailors and marines to reinforce Admiral Dewey’s fleet were to be sent on the cruiser.The U. S. S.Oregon,Marietta, andNictheroyarrived at Bahia, Brazil.The Spanish torpedo-boatTerror, of the Cape Verde fleet, reported as yet remaining at Port de France, Martinique.A press correspondent gives the following spirited account, under the date of May 14th, of a second attempt to entice the American blockading squadron within range of the Santa Clara battery guns:“Captain-General Blanco, two hours before sunset to-night, attempted to execute a ruse, which, if successful, would have cleared the front of Havana of six ships on that blockading station.[pg 138]“Unable to come out to do battle, he adopted the tactics of the spider, and cunningly planned to draw the prey into his net, but, though a clever and pretty scheme as an original proposition, it was practically a repetition of the trick by which the gunboatVicksburgand the little converted revenue cutterMorrillwere last week decoyed by a fishing-smack under the big Krupp guns of Santa Clara batteries.“Thanks to bad gunnery, both ships on that occasion managed to get out of range without being sunk, though some of the shells burst close aboard, and theVicksburg’sJacob’s-ladder was cut adrift.“Late this afternoon the ships on the Havana station were dumfounded to see two vessels steam out of Havana Harbour and head east. Dense smoke was streaming like black ribbons from their stacks, and a glance showed that they were under full head of steam.“By aid of glasses Commander Lilly of theMayflower, which was flying the pennant, made out the larger vessel of the two, which was two hundred feet long and about forty-five hundred tons displacement, to be the cruiserAlphonso XII., and the small one to be the gunboatLegaspi, both of which were known to be bottled up in Havana Harbour.“At first he supposed that they were taking advantage of the absence of the heavy fighting-ships, and were making a bona-fide run for the open sea.“As superior officer, he immediately signalled the other war-ships on the station, theVicksburg,Annapolis,[pg 139]Wasp,Tecumseh, andOsceola. The little squadron gave chase to the flying Spaniards, keeping up a running fire as they advanced. TheAlphonsoand her consort circled inshore about five miles below Havana, and headed back for Morro Castle.“Our gunboats and the vessels of the mosquito fleet did not follow them in. Commander Lilly saw that the wily Spanish ruse was to draw them in under the guns of the heavy batteries, where Spanish artillery officers could plot out the exact range with their telemeters. So the return was made in line ahead, parallel with the shore.“Commander Lilly had not been mistaken. As his ships came abreast of Santa Clara battery the big guns opened, and fired thirteen shells at a distance of about five miles. The range was badly judged, as more than half the missiles overshot the mark, and others fell short, some as much as a mile.“The bigAlphonsoand her convoy steamed swiftly from the dark shadow of the harbour’s mouth, and, turning sharply east, ran along the coast as though to slip through the cordon of blockade.“It was a bold trick and not at first transparent, although the folly of it created a suspicion.“The Spanish boats crowded on steam and stood along the coast as long as they dared, to give zest to the chase. TheMayflowersignalled her consorts,‘Close in and charge.’“Seeing that the bait had apparently taken, the[pg 140]Spaniards veered about, and, bringing their stern-chasers to bear on the Americans, doubled back for Morro.“Two of the shells from theVicksburgburst in the rigging of theAlphonso, and some of it came down, but it was, of course, impossible to know whether any fatalities occurred. The American fire was much more accurate than the Spanish, as every shell of the latter fell short of their pursuers.“The Spaniards were a mile off Morro, and our ships fully four miles out, when flame leaped from the batteries of the Santa Clara forts, and clouds of white smoke drifted up the coast. Half a minute later a dull, heavy roar of a great gun came like a deep diapason of an organ on high treble of smaller guns. It was from one of the 12-inch Krupp guns mounted there, and an 85-pound projectile plunged into the water half a mile inside of the American line, throwing up a tower of white spray. It ricochetted and struck again half a mile outside.“The mask was now off. Maddened by the failure of their plot, the Spaniards continued to fire at intervals of about ten minutes. In all, thirteen shots were fired, but not one struck within two hundred yards of our ships.“As soon as the battery opened, Commander Lilly signalled, and his fleet stood offshore. Captain McKensie, on the bridge of theVicksburg, watched the fall of the shells, but he considered it useless to waste[pg 141]ammunition at that distance. He appeased the desire of the men at the guns, however, by letting go a final broadside at the Spanish ships, in the chance hope of making them pay for their daring before they gained the harbour, but they steamed under Morro’s guns untouched, and, as they disappeared, discharged several guns.“Half a dozen shots were sent after them at that moment by theAnnapolis, which dropped inside the harbour, probably creating consternation among scores of boats on the water-front.”May 15.The Spanish cruisersMaria Teresa,Vizcaya,Almirante Oquendo, andCristobal Colon, and torpedo-boat destroyers, which arrived off the port of Curacoa, sailed at sunset on the 15th, after having purchased coal and provisions.The flying squadron under command of Commodore Schley arrived off Charleston, S. C.Admiral Sampson’s squadron passed Cape Haytien.All the members of the Spanish Cabinet have resigned.A report from Ponce, Porto Rico, under date of May 15th, describes the inhabitants of the island as living in constant fear of a renewal of the bombardment of San Juan by Admiral’s Sampson’s fleet. There are no submarine mines in the harbour of Ponce, and the generally unprotected condition of the place is a cause of much anxiety.May 16.Freeman Halstead, an American news[pg 142]paper correspondent, arrested at San Juan de Porto Rico, while in the act of making photographs of the fortifications. He was sentenced by a military tribunal to nine years’ imprisonment.In a general order issued at the War Department, the assignments to the different corps and other important commands were announced. The order is as follows:“The following assignments of general officers to command is hereby made by the President:“Maj.-Gen. Wesley Merritt, U. S. A., the Department of the Pacific.“Maj.-Gen. John R. Brooke, U. S. A., the first corps and the Department of the Gulf.“Maj.-Gen. W. M. Graham, U. S. Volunteers, the second corps, with headquarters at Falls Church, Va.“Maj.-Gen. James M. Wade, U. S. Volunteers, the third corps, reporting to Major-General Brooke, Chickamauga.“Maj.-Gen. John J. Coppinger, U. S. Volunteers, the fourth corps, Mobile, Ala.“Maj.-Gen. William R. Shafter, U. S. Volunteers, the fifth corps, Tampa, Fla.“Maj.-Gen. Elwell S. Otis, U. S. Volunteers, to report to Major-General Merritt, U. S. A., for duty with troops in the Department of the Pacific.“Maj.-Gen. James H. Wilson, U. S. Volunteers, the sixth corps, Chickamauga, reporting to Major-General Brooke.[pg 143]“Maj.-Gen. Fitzhugh Lee, U. S. Volunteers, the seventh corps, Tampa, Fla.“Maj.-Gen. Joseph H. Wheeler, U. S. Volunteers, the cavalry division, Tampa, Fla.”Orders were given by Admiral Sampson to Captain Goodrich of theSt. Louis, on May 15th, to take the fleet tender in tow and proceed to Santiago de Cuba to cut the cables at that point. The grappling implements were secured from the tugWampatuckon May 16th, and at elevenP. M.the expedition, in the small boats, left the cruiser for the entrance of Santiago. It was then perfectly dark and hazy, but the Santiago light was burning brightly. Moonrise was not until 3.45A. M.At threeA. M.on May 17th the expedition returned with part of one cable, but it had failed to find a second cable, which is close under the fort, and was protected by two patrol-boats. Then a start was made to cut the cable on the other side of the island. At sevenA. M.theSt. Louisfired her first gun at the forts protecting the entrance to Santiago Harbour, and after a little time the fire was returned by what must have been a 2-pounder.At eightA. M.theSt. Louiswas about two miles distant from the fort, which seemed to be unprovided with modern guns. After three hours grappling in over five hundred fathoms, the cable had not been found. At 12.15P. M.the guns of Morro Castle opened fire, followed by the shore battery on the southerly point, and also the west battery. TheSt.[pg 144]Louiskept up a constant fire from her bow guns, and soon succeeded in silencing the guns of Morro Castle, the Spaniards running in all directions.Most of the shots from the fort fell short of the ship. Shells from the mortar battery went over the cruiser and exploded in the water quite close to theSt. Louis. The mortar battery ceased at 12.56P. M., after a fusilade of forty-one minutes. After firing the cable was grappled, hauled on board, and cut.May 17.The Spanish squadron reported as yet remaining at Cadiz.The U. S. S.Wilmingtonhad a slight action with a Spanish gunboat off the Cuban coast, during which the latter was disabled.May 18.The U. S. cruiserCharlestonleft San Francisco for the Philippines with supplies for Commodore Dewey’s fleet.May 19.By cable from Madrid it was learned that the Spanish fleet had arrived at Santiago de Cuba.The cruiserCharleston, which sailed for Manila, returned to Mare Island navy yard with her condensers out of order.May 21.An order was despatched to San Francisco to prepare theMontereyfor a voyage to Manila, where she would join Commodore Dewey’s fleet. TheMontereyis probably the most formidable monitor in the world; technically described she is a barbed turret, low freeboard monitor of four thousand tons displacement, 256 feet long, fifty-nine feet beam, and[pg 145]fourteen feet six inches draught. She carries in two turrets, surrounded by barbettes, two 12-inch and two 10-inch guns, while on her superstructure, between the turrets, are mounted six 6-pounders, four 1-pounders, and two Gatlings. The turrets are seven and one-half and eight inches thick, and the surrounding barbettes are fourteen inches and eleven and one-half inches of steel.U. S. S. MONTEREY.U. S. S. MONTEREY.One of the most important prizes captured during the war was taken by the U. S. S.Minneapolisoff the eastern coast of Cuba. The craft was the Spanish brigSanta Maria de Lourdes, loaded with coal, ammunition, arms, and supplies for Admiral Cervera.Nearly four hundred men, with a pack-train and a large quantity of arms and ammunition, sailed for a point about twenty-five miles east of Havana, on the steamerFlorida. These men and their equipment constituted an expedition able to operate independently, and to defend itself against any body of Spanish troops which might oppose it.TheFloridareturned to Key West on the thirty-first, after having successfully landed the ammunition and men.May 22.The U. S. S.Charlestonagain left San Francisco, bound for Manila.May 25.The U. S. S.St. Paulcaptured the British steamerRestormel, loaded with coal, off Santiago de Cuba. The prize is a long, low tramp collier belonging to the Troy company of Cardiff, Wales. She[pg 146]left there on April 22d, the day before war was declared, with twenty-eight hundred tons of the finest grade of Cardiff coal consigned to a Spanish firm in San Juan de Porto Rico, where the Spanish fleet was supposed to make its first stop.“When we reached San Juan,”said the captain of theRestormel,“the consignees told me very curtly that the persons for whom the coal was destined were in Curacoa. At Porto Rico I learned that war had been declared. I began to suspect that the coal was going to Cervera’s fleet, but my Spanish consignees said it would be all right. They told me not to ask any questions, but to go to Curacoa as soon as possible. I did so, placing my cargo under orders.“The consignee at Curacoa was a Spanish officer. He said there had been another change of base, and that the coal was wanted at Santiago de Cuba. I tried to cable my owners for instructions, but found that the cables had been cut. Under the circumstances there was nothing for me to do but to go to Santiago. By this time I was pretty well convinced that the cargo was for Cervera. I suspected that coal had been made a contraband of war, so I wasn’t a bit surprised when theSt. Paulbrought us to, with a shot, three and a half miles from shore.”In the prize court it was decided to confiscate the coal, and release the steamer.The President issued a proclamation calling for seventy-five thousand men.[pg 147]Three troop-ships, laden with soldiers, sailed from San Francisco for Manila.May 26.The battle-shipOregon, which left San Francisco March 19th, arrived at Key West.May 27.The Spanish torpedo-boat destroyer arrived at San Juan de Porto Rico.May 28.From Commodore Dewey the following cablegram was received:“Cavite, May 25th, via Hongkong, May 27th.“Secretary Navy, Washington:—No change in the situation of the blockade. Is effective. It is impossible for the people of Manila to buy provisions, except rice.“The captain of theOlympia, Gridley, condemned by medical survey. Is ordered home. Leaves by Occidental and Oriental steamship from Hongkong the twenty-eighth. Commander Lamberton appointed commander of theOlympia.”May 29.Maj.-Gen. Wesley Merritt issued an order formally announcing that he had taken command of the Philippine forces and expeditions.May 31.United States troops board transports for Cuba.The beginning of June saw the opening of the first regular campaign of the war, and it is eminently proper the operations around and about Santiago de Cuba be told in a continuous narrative, rather than with any[pg 148]further attempt at giving the news from the various parts of the world in chronological order.Therefore such events, aside from the Santiago campaign, as are worthy a place in history, will be set down in regular sequence after certain deeds of the boys of ’98 have been related in such detail as is warranted by the heroism displayed.
May 11.A state of siege proclaimed throughout Spain. In a dozen cities or more continued rioting and sacking of warehouses. The seacoast between Cadiz and Malaga no longer lighted. The second division of the Spanish navy, consisting of the battle-shipPelayo, the armoured cruiserCarlos V., the protected cruiserAlphonso XIII., the converted cruisersRapidoandPatria, and several torpedo-boats, remain in Cadiz Harbour.
May 12.The story of an attempt to land American troops in Cuba is thus told by one of the officers of the steamerGussie, which vessel left Tampa on the tenth.
“In an effort to land Companies E and G of the first U. S. Infantry on the shore of Pinar del Rio this afternoon, with five hundred rifles, sixty thousand rounds of ammunition, and some food supplies for the insurgents, the first land fight of the war took place. Each side may claim a victory, for if the Spaniards frustrated the effort to connect with the insurgents, the Americans got decidedly the better of the battle, killing[pg 131]twelve or more of the enemy, and on their own part suffering not a wound.
U. S. S. MIANTONOMAH.U. S. S. MIANTONOMAH.
U. S. S. MIANTONOMAH.
“After dark last evening the old-fashioned sidewheel steamerGussieof the Morgan line, with troops and cargo mentioned, was near the Cuban coast. At sunrise she fell in with the gunboatVicksburgon the blockade off Havana. Other blockading vessels came up also. The converted revenue cutterManning, Captain Munger, was detailed to convoy theGussie, and, three abreast, the steamers moved along the coast.
“The Cuban guides on theGussietook their machetes to a grindstone on the hurricane-deck. Our soldiers gathered around to see them sharpen their long knives, but only one could be induced to test the edge of these barbarous instruments with his thumb.
“By the ruined walls of an old stone house Spanish troops were gathered. Several shots were fired by the gunboatManning, and presently no troops were visible. It had been decided to land near here, but the depth of water was not favourable.
“Just west of Port Cabanas Harbour theGussieanchored, theManningcovering the landing-place with her guns, and the torpedo-boatWaspcame up eager to assist. The first American soldier to step on the Cuban shore from this expedition was Lieutenant Crofton, Captain O’Connor with the first boatload having gone a longer route. A reef near the beach threw the men out, and they stumbled through the water up to their breasts. When they reached dry land they[pg 132]immediately went into the bush to form a picket-line. Two horses had been forced to swim ashore, when suddenly a rifle-shot, followed by continuous sharp firing, warned the men that the enemy had been in waiting.
“The captain of the transport signalled the war-ships, and theManningfired into the woods beyond our picket-line. Shrapnel hissed through the air like hot iron plunged in water. TheWaspopened with her small guns. The cannonade began at 3.15 and lasted a quarter of an hour; then our pickets appeared, the ships circled around, and, being told by Captain O’Connor, who had come from shore with the clothing torn from one leg, where the Spaniards were, a hundred shots more were fired in that direction.
“‘Anybody hurt, captain?’some one asked.
“‘None of our men, but we shot twelve Spaniards,’he shouted back.
“The soldiers on board theGussieheard the news without a word, but learning where the enemy were situated, gathered aft on the upper deck, and sent volleys toward the spot.
“The pickets returned to the bush. Several crept along the beach, but the Spaniards had drawn back. It was decided that the soldiers should reëmbark on theGussie, and that the guides take the horses, seek the insurgents, and make a new appointment. They rode off to the westward, and disappeared around a point.
“‘Say,’shouted a man from Company G after them,‘you forgot your grindstone.’”
May 12.On Thursday morning, May 12th,thegunboatWilmingtonstood in close to the coast, off the town of Cardenas, with her crew at quarters.
She had come for a specific purpose, which was to avenge theWinslow, and not until she was within range of the gunboats that had decoyed theWinslowdid she slacken speed. Then the masked battery, which had opened on the American boat with such deadly effect, was covered by theWilmington’sguns.
There were no preliminaries. The war-vessel was there to teach the Spaniards of Cardenas a lesson, and set about the task without delay.
The town is three miles distant from the gulf entrance to the harbour, therefore no time need be wasted in warning non-combatants, for they were in little or no danger.
During two weeks troops had been gathering near about Cardenas to protect it against American invasion; masked batteries were being planted, earthworks thrown up, and blockhouses erected. There was no lack of targets.
Carefully, precisely, as if at practice, theWilmingtonopened fire from her 4-inch guns, throwing shells here, there, everywhere; but more particularly in the direction of that masked battery which had trained its guns on theWinslow, and as the Spaniards, panic-stricken, hearing a death-knell in the sighing, whistling[pg 134]missiles, fled in mad terror, the gunboats’ machine guns were called into play.
It is safe to assert that the one especial object of the American sailors’ vengeance was completely destroyed. Not a gun remained mounted, not a man was alive, save those whose wounds were mortal. The punishment was terrible, but complete.
Until this moment the Spaniards at Cardenas had believed they might with impunity open fire on any craft flying the American flag; but now they began to understand that such sport was in the highest degree dangerous.
During a full hour—and in that time nearly three hundred shells had been sent on errands of destruction—theWilmingtoncontinued her bombardment of the defences.
When the work was completed two gunboats had been sunk so quickly that their crews had no more than sufficient time to escape. Two schooners were converted into wrecks at their moorings. One blockhouse was consumed by flames, and signal-stations, masked batteries, and forts were in ruins.
While this lesson was in progress the Spaniards did their best to bring it to a close; but despite all efforts theWilmingtonwas unharmed. There was absolutely no evidence of conflict about her when she finally steamed away, save such as might have been read on the smoke-begrimed faces of the hard-worked but triumphant and satisfied crew.
ADMIRAL SCHLEY.ADMIRAL SCHLEY.
ADMIRAL SCHLEY.
May 13.An English correspondent, cabling from Hongkong regarding the Spaniards in the Philippine Islands, made the following statement:
“They are in a position to give the Americans a deal of trouble. There are twenty-five thousand Spanish soldiers in the garrison at Manila, and one hundred thousand volunteers enrolled. Scores of coasting steamers are imprisoned on the river Pasig, which is blocked at the mouth by some sunken schooners.
“Mr. Wildman, the American consul here, tells me that, according to his despatches, a flag of truce is flying over Manila, and the people are allowed to proceed freely to and from the ships in the harbour.
“The Americans are on duty night and day on the lookout for boats which endeavour to run the blockade with food supplies. The hospital is supported by the Americans. The Spaniards are boasting that their big battle-shipPelayois coming, and will demolish the Americans in ten minutes.”
On the afternoon of May 13th the flying squadron, Commodore W. S. Schley commanding, set sail from Old Point Comfort, heading southeast. The following vessels comprised the fleet. The cruiserBrooklyn, the flag-ship, the battle-shipsMassachusettsandTexas, and the torpedo-boat destroyerScorpion. TheSterling, with 4,000 tons of coal, was the collier of the squadron. At eight o’clock in the evening theMinneapolisfollowed, and Captain Sigsbee of theSt. Paulreceived orders to get under way at midnight.
May 14.Eleven steamers, chartered by the government as troop-ships, sailed from New York for Key West. At San Francisco, the cruiserCharleston, with supplies and reinforcements for Admiral Dewey’s fleet at Manila, had been made ready for sea.
At Havana General Blanco had shown great energy in preparing for the expected siege by American forces. The city and forts were reported as being provisioned sufficiently for three or four months, and Havana was surrounded by entrenchments for a distance of thirty miles. The troops in the garrison numbered seventy thousand, and a like number were in the interior fighting the insurgents.
The condition of the reconcentrados in Havana had grown steadily worse. The mortality increased among this wretched class, who had taken to begging morsels of food.
Nobody in Havana except a few higher officers knew that the Spanish fleet was annihilated at Manila, and the story was believed that the Americans were beaten there.
At Madrid in the Chamber of Deputies Señor Bores asked the government to inform the house of the condition of the Philippines. After the pacification of the islands, he said, outbreaks had occurred at Pansy and Cebu and even in Manila. Was this a new rebellion, he asked, or a continuation of the old one? If it was a continuation of the old rebellion, then General Prima de Rivera’s pacification of the islands had been a perfect fraud.[pg 137]General Correa, Minister of War, replied that the old insurrection was absolutely over. The present one, he said, arose from the incitements of the Americans.
Señor Bores retorted that he had received a private letter from the Philippines, dated April 10th, prior to the arising of any fear of war with the United States, giving pessimistic accounts of the risings there, and passengers arriving by the steamerLeon III.had told similar stories. Now, he declared, the Spanish troops in the Philippines were in a terrible condition, being between two fires, the natives and the Americans. Señor Bores’s remarks created a profound sensation.
The cruiserCharlestonwas reported as being ready to sail from San Francisco for Manila. Three hundred sailors and marines to reinforce Admiral Dewey’s fleet were to be sent on the cruiser.
The U. S. S.Oregon,Marietta, andNictheroyarrived at Bahia, Brazil.
The Spanish torpedo-boatTerror, of the Cape Verde fleet, reported as yet remaining at Port de France, Martinique.
A press correspondent gives the following spirited account, under the date of May 14th, of a second attempt to entice the American blockading squadron within range of the Santa Clara battery guns:
“Captain-General Blanco, two hours before sunset to-night, attempted to execute a ruse, which, if successful, would have cleared the front of Havana of six ships on that blockading station.
“Unable to come out to do battle, he adopted the tactics of the spider, and cunningly planned to draw the prey into his net, but, though a clever and pretty scheme as an original proposition, it was practically a repetition of the trick by which the gunboatVicksburgand the little converted revenue cutterMorrillwere last week decoyed by a fishing-smack under the big Krupp guns of Santa Clara batteries.
“Thanks to bad gunnery, both ships on that occasion managed to get out of range without being sunk, though some of the shells burst close aboard, and theVicksburg’sJacob’s-ladder was cut adrift.
“Late this afternoon the ships on the Havana station were dumfounded to see two vessels steam out of Havana Harbour and head east. Dense smoke was streaming like black ribbons from their stacks, and a glance showed that they were under full head of steam.
“By aid of glasses Commander Lilly of theMayflower, which was flying the pennant, made out the larger vessel of the two, which was two hundred feet long and about forty-five hundred tons displacement, to be the cruiserAlphonso XII., and the small one to be the gunboatLegaspi, both of which were known to be bottled up in Havana Harbour.
“At first he supposed that they were taking advantage of the absence of the heavy fighting-ships, and were making a bona-fide run for the open sea.
“As superior officer, he immediately signalled the other war-ships on the station, theVicksburg,Annapolis,[pg 139]Wasp,Tecumseh, andOsceola. The little squadron gave chase to the flying Spaniards, keeping up a running fire as they advanced. TheAlphonsoand her consort circled inshore about five miles below Havana, and headed back for Morro Castle.
“Our gunboats and the vessels of the mosquito fleet did not follow them in. Commander Lilly saw that the wily Spanish ruse was to draw them in under the guns of the heavy batteries, where Spanish artillery officers could plot out the exact range with their telemeters. So the return was made in line ahead, parallel with the shore.
“Commander Lilly had not been mistaken. As his ships came abreast of Santa Clara battery the big guns opened, and fired thirteen shells at a distance of about five miles. The range was badly judged, as more than half the missiles overshot the mark, and others fell short, some as much as a mile.
“The bigAlphonsoand her convoy steamed swiftly from the dark shadow of the harbour’s mouth, and, turning sharply east, ran along the coast as though to slip through the cordon of blockade.
“It was a bold trick and not at first transparent, although the folly of it created a suspicion.
“The Spanish boats crowded on steam and stood along the coast as long as they dared, to give zest to the chase. TheMayflowersignalled her consorts,‘Close in and charge.’
“Seeing that the bait had apparently taken, the[pg 140]Spaniards veered about, and, bringing their stern-chasers to bear on the Americans, doubled back for Morro.
“Two of the shells from theVicksburgburst in the rigging of theAlphonso, and some of it came down, but it was, of course, impossible to know whether any fatalities occurred. The American fire was much more accurate than the Spanish, as every shell of the latter fell short of their pursuers.
“The Spaniards were a mile off Morro, and our ships fully four miles out, when flame leaped from the batteries of the Santa Clara forts, and clouds of white smoke drifted up the coast. Half a minute later a dull, heavy roar of a great gun came like a deep diapason of an organ on high treble of smaller guns. It was from one of the 12-inch Krupp guns mounted there, and an 85-pound projectile plunged into the water half a mile inside of the American line, throwing up a tower of white spray. It ricochetted and struck again half a mile outside.
“The mask was now off. Maddened by the failure of their plot, the Spaniards continued to fire at intervals of about ten minutes. In all, thirteen shots were fired, but not one struck within two hundred yards of our ships.
“As soon as the battery opened, Commander Lilly signalled, and his fleet stood offshore. Captain McKensie, on the bridge of theVicksburg, watched the fall of the shells, but he considered it useless to waste[pg 141]ammunition at that distance. He appeased the desire of the men at the guns, however, by letting go a final broadside at the Spanish ships, in the chance hope of making them pay for their daring before they gained the harbour, but they steamed under Morro’s guns untouched, and, as they disappeared, discharged several guns.
“Half a dozen shots were sent after them at that moment by theAnnapolis, which dropped inside the harbour, probably creating consternation among scores of boats on the water-front.”
May 15.The Spanish cruisersMaria Teresa,Vizcaya,Almirante Oquendo, andCristobal Colon, and torpedo-boat destroyers, which arrived off the port of Curacoa, sailed at sunset on the 15th, after having purchased coal and provisions.
The flying squadron under command of Commodore Schley arrived off Charleston, S. C.
Admiral Sampson’s squadron passed Cape Haytien.
All the members of the Spanish Cabinet have resigned.
A report from Ponce, Porto Rico, under date of May 15th, describes the inhabitants of the island as living in constant fear of a renewal of the bombardment of San Juan by Admiral’s Sampson’s fleet. There are no submarine mines in the harbour of Ponce, and the generally unprotected condition of the place is a cause of much anxiety.
May 16.Freeman Halstead, an American news[pg 142]paper correspondent, arrested at San Juan de Porto Rico, while in the act of making photographs of the fortifications. He was sentenced by a military tribunal to nine years’ imprisonment.
In a general order issued at the War Department, the assignments to the different corps and other important commands were announced. The order is as follows:
“The following assignments of general officers to command is hereby made by the President:
“Maj.-Gen. Wesley Merritt, U. S. A., the Department of the Pacific.
“Maj.-Gen. John R. Brooke, U. S. A., the first corps and the Department of the Gulf.
“Maj.-Gen. W. M. Graham, U. S. Volunteers, the second corps, with headquarters at Falls Church, Va.
“Maj.-Gen. James M. Wade, U. S. Volunteers, the third corps, reporting to Major-General Brooke, Chickamauga.
“Maj.-Gen. John J. Coppinger, U. S. Volunteers, the fourth corps, Mobile, Ala.
“Maj.-Gen. William R. Shafter, U. S. Volunteers, the fifth corps, Tampa, Fla.
“Maj.-Gen. Elwell S. Otis, U. S. Volunteers, to report to Major-General Merritt, U. S. A., for duty with troops in the Department of the Pacific.
“Maj.-Gen. James H. Wilson, U. S. Volunteers, the sixth corps, Chickamauga, reporting to Major-General Brooke.
“Maj.-Gen. Fitzhugh Lee, U. S. Volunteers, the seventh corps, Tampa, Fla.
“Maj.-Gen. Joseph H. Wheeler, U. S. Volunteers, the cavalry division, Tampa, Fla.”
Orders were given by Admiral Sampson to Captain Goodrich of theSt. Louis, on May 15th, to take the fleet tender in tow and proceed to Santiago de Cuba to cut the cables at that point. The grappling implements were secured from the tugWampatuckon May 16th, and at elevenP. M.the expedition, in the small boats, left the cruiser for the entrance of Santiago. It was then perfectly dark and hazy, but the Santiago light was burning brightly. Moonrise was not until 3.45A. M.At threeA. M.on May 17th the expedition returned with part of one cable, but it had failed to find a second cable, which is close under the fort, and was protected by two patrol-boats. Then a start was made to cut the cable on the other side of the island. At sevenA. M.theSt. Louisfired her first gun at the forts protecting the entrance to Santiago Harbour, and after a little time the fire was returned by what must have been a 2-pounder.
At eightA. M.theSt. Louiswas about two miles distant from the fort, which seemed to be unprovided with modern guns. After three hours grappling in over five hundred fathoms, the cable had not been found. At 12.15P. M.the guns of Morro Castle opened fire, followed by the shore battery on the southerly point, and also the west battery. TheSt.[pg 144]Louiskept up a constant fire from her bow guns, and soon succeeded in silencing the guns of Morro Castle, the Spaniards running in all directions.
Most of the shots from the fort fell short of the ship. Shells from the mortar battery went over the cruiser and exploded in the water quite close to theSt. Louis. The mortar battery ceased at 12.56P. M., after a fusilade of forty-one minutes. After firing the cable was grappled, hauled on board, and cut.
May 17.The Spanish squadron reported as yet remaining at Cadiz.
The U. S. S.Wilmingtonhad a slight action with a Spanish gunboat off the Cuban coast, during which the latter was disabled.
May 18.The U. S. cruiserCharlestonleft San Francisco for the Philippines with supplies for Commodore Dewey’s fleet.
May 19.By cable from Madrid it was learned that the Spanish fleet had arrived at Santiago de Cuba.
The cruiserCharleston, which sailed for Manila, returned to Mare Island navy yard with her condensers out of order.
May 21.An order was despatched to San Francisco to prepare theMontereyfor a voyage to Manila, where she would join Commodore Dewey’s fleet. TheMontereyis probably the most formidable monitor in the world; technically described she is a barbed turret, low freeboard monitor of four thousand tons displacement, 256 feet long, fifty-nine feet beam, and[pg 145]fourteen feet six inches draught. She carries in two turrets, surrounded by barbettes, two 12-inch and two 10-inch guns, while on her superstructure, between the turrets, are mounted six 6-pounders, four 1-pounders, and two Gatlings. The turrets are seven and one-half and eight inches thick, and the surrounding barbettes are fourteen inches and eleven and one-half inches of steel.
U. S. S. MONTEREY.U. S. S. MONTEREY.
U. S. S. MONTEREY.
One of the most important prizes captured during the war was taken by the U. S. S.Minneapolisoff the eastern coast of Cuba. The craft was the Spanish brigSanta Maria de Lourdes, loaded with coal, ammunition, arms, and supplies for Admiral Cervera.
Nearly four hundred men, with a pack-train and a large quantity of arms and ammunition, sailed for a point about twenty-five miles east of Havana, on the steamerFlorida. These men and their equipment constituted an expedition able to operate independently, and to defend itself against any body of Spanish troops which might oppose it.
TheFloridareturned to Key West on the thirty-first, after having successfully landed the ammunition and men.
May 22.The U. S. S.Charlestonagain left San Francisco, bound for Manila.
May 25.The U. S. S.St. Paulcaptured the British steamerRestormel, loaded with coal, off Santiago de Cuba. The prize is a long, low tramp collier belonging to the Troy company of Cardiff, Wales. She[pg 146]left there on April 22d, the day before war was declared, with twenty-eight hundred tons of the finest grade of Cardiff coal consigned to a Spanish firm in San Juan de Porto Rico, where the Spanish fleet was supposed to make its first stop.
“When we reached San Juan,”said the captain of theRestormel,“the consignees told me very curtly that the persons for whom the coal was destined were in Curacoa. At Porto Rico I learned that war had been declared. I began to suspect that the coal was going to Cervera’s fleet, but my Spanish consignees said it would be all right. They told me not to ask any questions, but to go to Curacoa as soon as possible. I did so, placing my cargo under orders.
“The consignee at Curacoa was a Spanish officer. He said there had been another change of base, and that the coal was wanted at Santiago de Cuba. I tried to cable my owners for instructions, but found that the cables had been cut. Under the circumstances there was nothing for me to do but to go to Santiago. By this time I was pretty well convinced that the cargo was for Cervera. I suspected that coal had been made a contraband of war, so I wasn’t a bit surprised when theSt. Paulbrought us to, with a shot, three and a half miles from shore.”
In the prize court it was decided to confiscate the coal, and release the steamer.
The President issued a proclamation calling for seventy-five thousand men.
Three troop-ships, laden with soldiers, sailed from San Francisco for Manila.
May 26.The battle-shipOregon, which left San Francisco March 19th, arrived at Key West.
May 27.The Spanish torpedo-boat destroyer arrived at San Juan de Porto Rico.
May 28.From Commodore Dewey the following cablegram was received:
“Cavite, May 25th, via Hongkong, May 27th.“Secretary Navy, Washington:—No change in the situation of the blockade. Is effective. It is impossible for the people of Manila to buy provisions, except rice.“The captain of theOlympia, Gridley, condemned by medical survey. Is ordered home. Leaves by Occidental and Oriental steamship from Hongkong the twenty-eighth. Commander Lamberton appointed commander of theOlympia.”
“Cavite, May 25th, via Hongkong, May 27th.“Secretary Navy, Washington:—No change in the situation of the blockade. Is effective. It is impossible for the people of Manila to buy provisions, except rice.“The captain of theOlympia, Gridley, condemned by medical survey. Is ordered home. Leaves by Occidental and Oriental steamship from Hongkong the twenty-eighth. Commander Lamberton appointed commander of theOlympia.”
“Cavite, May 25th, via Hongkong, May 27th.
“Secretary Navy, Washington:—No change in the situation of the blockade. Is effective. It is impossible for the people of Manila to buy provisions, except rice.
“The captain of theOlympia, Gridley, condemned by medical survey. Is ordered home. Leaves by Occidental and Oriental steamship from Hongkong the twenty-eighth. Commander Lamberton appointed commander of theOlympia.”
May 29.Maj.-Gen. Wesley Merritt issued an order formally announcing that he had taken command of the Philippine forces and expeditions.
May 31.United States troops board transports for Cuba.
The beginning of June saw the opening of the first regular campaign of the war, and it is eminently proper the operations around and about Santiago de Cuba be told in a continuous narrative, rather than with any[pg 148]further attempt at giving the news from the various parts of the world in chronological order.
Therefore such events, aside from the Santiago campaign, as are worthy a place in history, will be set down in regular sequence after certain deeds of the boys of ’98 have been related in such detail as is warranted by the heroism displayed.