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A pressing want that only Sampson’s coming would relieve, and which bade fair to drive her to any extremity if it were not appeased. A Fateful Solution. Hosmer passed the day with a great pain at his heart. His hasty and violent passion of the morning had added another weight for his spirit to drag about, and which he could not cast off.
The first detachment of troops, including heavy and light artillery and the engineer corps, embarked for Santiago on the second of June. Four days later this force was landed at Aguadores, a few miles east of Santiago, under the cover of Admiral Sampson’s guns. June 6.
The city is grim and silent, but back of her yellow walls there will be plenty of determination to fight when the Americans fire. “Captain-General Macias has issued a proclamation, in the course of which he says: “‘Spain has not sued for peace, and I can drive off the American boats now as I did Sampson’s attempt before.’
Sampson’s fleet far outnumbered them at sea. They must either surrender with the town or take the forlorn hope of escape by flight. The latter was decided upon. On the morning of July 3 the lookout on the Brooklyn, Commodore Schley’s flag-ship, reported that a ship was coming out of the harbor.
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-ships New York, Iowa, Indiana, the cruisers Detroit and Montgomery, and the monitors Terror and Amphitrite.
On the hill, where the Spanish guns had withstood the missiles of the ordinary ships of war, tons of rock and soil leaped in air. The land was smitten as by an earthquake. “Terrible echoes rolled around through the shaken hills and mountains. Sampson’s ships, far out at sea, trembled with the awful shock. Dust rose to the clouds and hid the scene of destruction.
This was done and permission was granted to the steamer to enter and discharge her passengers and cargo, with the understanding that she would take on nothing there. Instructions for the fulfilment of such agreement were sent from Washington to Admiral Sampson’s squadron, and it was only learned after the capture was made that they were never delivered.
On this day the dynamite cruiser Vesuvius joined Admiral Sampson’s fleet, and the weary marines, holding their posts on shore against overwhelming odds, hoped that her arrival betokened the speedy coming of the soldiers who were so sadly needed. June 14.
A naval officer with the squadron summed up the situation in a communication to his friend at home: “Pending the execution of Admiral Sampson’s plan of campaign, our ships form a cordon about the entrance of Santiago Harbour to prevent the possible egress of the Spaniards, should Admiral Cervera be foolhardy enough to attempt to cut his way out.”
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.
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