Here is an Account of the naval action outside San Juan harbor on June 22nd, 1898 between the USS St Paul and the Spanish destroyer Terror.

Map Legend

1. At 0800 the St Paul is on blockade duty from west to east off of the port of San Juan.

2. At 0900 the St Paul stops just North of Fort San Cristobal, some 7500 yards out. During tis time, the Spanish are preparing their...

Steve in PR

After the action at Hormigueros, the Americans camped on the battlefield and received a ration of coffee, hardtack and blankets. There were no loud celebrations. They were exhausted.

The next morning, the scouts headed towards the city of Mayaguez, 4 miles distant and entered cautiously, only to find that the Spanish troops under Col. Soto, with no prospect of reinforcement, had fled the city for the mountains.

By 11 a.m., the main body of the troops had entered the city....

Steve in PR

After the taking of Yauco, the army was split. General Garretson was ordered to take 2000 troops and begin to march East towards Ponce, the 2nd largest city in Puerto Rico.

The Spanish Commander, Colonel Puig, had not destroyed the railroad or the telegraph in his retreat from Yauco so this would help the American supply train.



Col. Puig

Colonel Puig was ordered to march North...

Steve in PR

San German remains without Spanish defenders from the 28 of July, when Captain Espiñeira , garrison commander, retires with all his regular and voluntary men to Mayagüez. The town, without Spanish troops on the 31st of July, that night Captain Sugoring with 50 soldiers and Lugo Vina (in charge of several Puerto Ricans), take possession of the town naming new mayor. Sugoring retires on the following day, San German being left to its own defense according to witnesses.

On the 3rd of...

Steve in PR

The city of San Juan has 2 major forts, San Cristobal and El Morro. El Morro sits at the entrance to San Juan harbor and San Critobal sits facing the ocean to the east of El Morro. There are a couple lesser forts guarding passages into surrounding waters.



El Morro at the harbor entrance



San Cristobal...

Steve in PR