Battle
With the blockade runner in sight, Yosemite began chase and opened fire on the vessel firing a shot. Antonio Lopez wasted no time and began to flee towards the protection of San Juan's Fort San Felipe del Morro and Fort El Cañuelo while Yosemite kept up its fire upon the vessel. As she was running for San Juan, the blockade runner became up on a reef, as the captain was quite unfamiliar with the waters in the area. [2] Unable to free his vessel and taking casualties, the captain of the Spanish vessel ordered his crew to abandon ship. As the American vessel closed in on her prey, the Spanish forts opened fire and Emory began zig-zagging in order to avoid taking their fire. [3]
In an effort to save the Antonio Lopez and its much needed cargo, the Spanish squadron, bottled up in the harbor, sortied out to rescue her. The Spanish gunboats General Concha and Ponce de Leon [nb 1] and the cruiser Isabel II rushed to the blockade runner's aid and attacked the approaching American cruiser. [2] As soon as the American vessel was in range, the forts opened fire. The Spanish cruiser's fire temporarily drove off Yosemite, but the American auxiliary cruiser soon returned and managed to force Isabell II and General Concha to the protection of the coastal forts while Ponce De Leon hid behind the burning Antonio Lopez. [4] Under the protection of the Spanish forts and vessels, the blockade runner was unapproachable by Yosemite and with the Spanish transport on fire and effectively neutralized she moved back to her blockading position. [5] Yosemite had done her job effectively though, and Antonio Lopez was stranded on the reefs and could not be dislodged, despite strenuous Spanish efforts to do so.
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