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The 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.)
Sources:
The New York Times, various articles, May,
1898.
Chronology of Hispanic-American History:
From Pre-Columbian Times To The Present, Nicolás Kanellos, 1995.
Historical Dictionary of Puerto Rico and
the U.S. Virgin Islands, Kenneth R. Farr, 1973.
Bulletin
On April 29, 1998 the Associated Press
newswire reported that the bronze plaque from Guánica’s monument commemorating the
invasion of Puerto Rico by the United States 100 years ago was stolen, perhaps for
political reasons.
For more information
please contact:
La Casa de Puerto Rico
P.O. Box 81982
San Diego, CA 92138
(619) 685-2847
lacasa@inetworld.net
Email
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