North Atlantic Fleet Squadron Bulletin No. 19
Squadron Bulletin.
U. S. Flagship New York. Off Santiago de Cuba, Cuba.
FRIDAY, JULY 1, 1898.
THE Army had very serious work of it to-day, losing heavily in killed and wounded, officers particularly suffering. The total of killed and wounded is probably a thousand.1
A demonstration was made by a Michigan volunteer regiment toward Aguadores in the forenoon. The Navy was requested to assist, beginning at daylight, but the troops which came by rail to within a mile and a half of Aguadores, did not all arrive until about 9.20. The vicinity was shelled by the New York, the Suwanee and the Gloucester. There was no one in the old fort on which a Spanish flag has been so long displayed and a varying number of the enemy (16 to 20) were counted from time to time in the rifle-pits on the hill. These disappeared as firing began. A corner of the fort was knocked off and the flagstaff was knocked down by the Suwanee, which was allowed three shots in which to do it. The second shot tore the center from the flag and the third knocked down the staff. Desultory firing was kept up between the Spanish from the wood adjoining the rifle-pit, and about noon a small field-piece was brought down the gorge which fired four or five times. The New York, on observing this, enfiladed the gorge, firing several 8” shell and a number of 4”. No firing by the enemy was observed after this. It was reported that the troops had two men killed and several wounded. They returned to Sibouney about 12.30. The New York and Oregon fired a number of 8” shell over the hills in the direction of Santiago and the ships in the Bay, using a range of from 3 1/2 to 4 miles.
<The Newark carrying the broad pennant of Commodore Watson arrived <<off Santiago and reported to the Commander-in-Chief.2 The Vulcan and Harvard also arrived; the latter bringing 1,600 troops.>>3
Source Note: Printed, DNA, RG 313, Entry 56. This bulletin was produced on a printing press on New York (the flagship of RAdm. William T. Sampson’s North Atlantic fleet) and was distributed to the vessels. It is listed as number 19 in Squadron Bulletins, 37-38.
Footnote 1: For more information of the major military engagement of 1 July, see Cosmas, Army for Empire, 213-15.
Footnote 2: Commo. John C. Watson was reporting to take command of the Eastern Squadron. The Commander-in-Chief was RAdm. William T. Sampson.
Footnote 3: The section in the single angle bracket is a handwritten addition and the section in double brackets is from Squadron Bulletins, 38.
