s. The first
line, as we saw from the after port, was composed of the "Brooklyn,"
"Texas," "Massachusetts," and "Marblehead." The line to which the
"Yankee" was attached, included, besides that vessel, the "New York,"
"Oregon," "Iowa," and "New Orleans." When within three thousand yards
from shore, the first line turned toward the west, leaving us to steam
in the opposite direction.

The batteries ashore could now be plainly distinguished. Morro Castle,
grim and defiant, seemed to ignore our coming, if the absence of life
was any proof. Lower down on the other side of the entrance where the
Estrella and Catalena batteries were located, there seemed to be more
activity. Men could also be seen running about in some new batteries a
little to the eastward of Morro Castle. It was evident to us at once
that the enemy had not anticipated an attack on such a rainy, windy day.

On swept the two lines of ships without firing a shot until they formed
a semicircle, with the heavier vessels directly facing the forts; then
the "New York" opened fire with one of her heavy guns, the "Iowa"
following immediately. At this moment, 7:45 a.m., the ships were
arranged as follows, counting from the right: "New York," "Yankee," "New
Orleans," "Massachusetts," "Oregon," "Iowa," "Indiana," "Texas,"
"Marblehead," and "Brooklyn." Guarding the extreme left were the "Vixen"
and "Suwanee," and doing similar duty on the other flank were the
"Dolphin" and "Porter."

The shot from the flagship was the signal for a general bombardment.
There was no settled order of firing, but each ship just "pitched in,"
to use a common expression, and banged away at the forts with every
available gun.

The scene on the gun deck of the "Yankee" was one never to be forgotten.
When the word to commence firing reached us, we sprang to the work at
once. Each crew paid strict attention to its own station, and the
routine of loading and firing went on with the regularity of clockwork.
A number of boxes of the fixed ammunition had been "whipped" up from
below while we were steaming into position, and there was no lack of
death-dealing food for the hungry maws of the battery.

Not much could be seen of the outside at first, as the task in hand
claimed our strict attention, but after a while an occasional glimpse
was obtained of the other ships and the forts. The heavy battleships,
the "Indiana," "Oregon," "Massachusetts," "Iowa," and "Texas," were lost
in the dense smoke