Bombardment of San Juan

One hundred years ago on the morning of May 12, 1898, under the command of U.S. Admiral William T. Sampson, San Juan, Puerto Rico was bombarded by the United States military. Ten days earlier, on May 2nd, Lt. Henry H. Whitney was sent to Puerto Rico on a reconnaissance mission sponsored by the U.S. Army’s Bureau of Military Intelligence. On May 10, 1898, Spanish forces in the Fortress of San Cristóbal in San Juan had exchanged gunfire with the USS Yale, under the command of Capt. William Clinton Wise. These military actions were part of the United States’ early involvement in the Spanish-American War with colonial Spain.

During May 1898, The New York Times featured several front page articles on the bombardment of San Juan as well as plans for additional military actions by the United States against Puerto Rico, specifically, San Juan. Part of a dispatch Admiral Sampson sent to the Navy Department was quoted in the Times as follows: "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." The dispatch also stated that "No serious damage to any (American) ships was reported."

According to the Times, "the north end of Morro Castle was in ruins, the Cabras Island fort was silenced, and the San Carlos battery was damaged. Although the Americans suffered only two casualties and seven injuries, the Spanish Governor General of Puerto Rico issued a proclamation saying eight soldiers were killed and 34 wounded as a result of the bombardment of the forts at San Juan."

The refugees in San Juan were reportedly terrorized; and because the inhabitants feared the reappearance of the American fleet and a repetition of the bombardment, they fled to the country, out of range of the American guns.

At 7:45 AM, after three hours of fighting, Admiral Sampson signaled "cease firing" and withdrew his fleet. One of the ships, the monitor Terror, failed to understand the order and kept on bombing the Morro Castle for half an hour more, alone. Admiral Sampson later was quoted as saying, "I am satisfied with the morning’s work. I could have taken San Juan, but I have no force to hold it. I only wanted to administer punishment." A Times article entitled "San Juan Surrendered?" quoted The Evening News (from St. Thomas) as saying, "San Juan de Puerto Rico surrendered at 6 o’clock yesterday evening."

A May 20th article reported "The Spaniards at San Juan … will burn the city before they will surrender." Based on information from a Puerto Rican refugee who fled to the United States via St. Thomas, the Times also reported that "The whole island was under martial law and the people were simply groaning under it."

In its article, "To Move on Puerto Rico," the Times reported "that Puerto Rico and not Cuba is to be the first object of invasion by the combined land and naval forces of the United States." Over 30,000 troops were mobilized to Tampa, Florida in preparation for an invasion of either Cuba or Puerto Rico—the military did not wish to divulge their real objectives and plans.

Finally, on May 31st an article entitled "Troops Ordered to Invade Cuba," with a sub-headline of "An Invasion of Puerto Rico Not Improbable," pointed out that "the determination of the Administration to push the war …led to planning of the expedition to Puerto Rico, and that expedition has never been lost sight of. The greater healthfulness of the Island of Puerto Rico over Cuba and the smaller force to be encountered, together with the comparable lack of preparation on that island, have pointed to the probable quick success of any expedition sent to Puerto Rico."

It was just a short two months later, on July 25, 1898, that the next major event of the Spanish-American War involving Puerto Rico occurred, namely, the landing of American troops and the invasion of Puerto Rico at Guánica. (This event will be covered in the July issue of The Puerto Rican Connection.)

Source: http://houseofpuertorico.com/articles/LOPEZ3.HTM