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.
[Illustration: 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-ships _New
York_, _Iowa_, _Indiana_, the cruisers _Detroit_ and _Montgomery_, and the
monitors _Terror_ and _Amphitrite_.
The engagement began at 5.15 and ended at 8.15 A. 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 tug
_Wampatuck_ was 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
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