The morning call., 1893-10-15

each. The execution was successful.
though we received heavy fire from the
HOtspur's bow guns, which took effect on
the turrets and killed several men,.
The DreadDaught then wore round and
brought all four of her 3S-tOn guns to bear
on US. with terrible effect The air was
filled with fragments of steel and shells,
and our stanch vessel shook like a leaf
under the successive shocks. Meanwhile
the HOtspur had made two attempts to
ram US, but without success, and she was
soon in bad plight. Her bow was all
stove in from the effect of our 13-inch
pieces, ana lucky shot from an S-inch
gun penetrated to her boiler-room and did
such damage as to render her utterly uD-
manageable. She stopped firing and began
to drift away, and at last was completely
swallowed UP in the gathering darkness.
As night came on we turned our search
lights toward the enemy and continued
the fray.
The searchlight played here and there
with strong, steady white glare. the red
fame spouted from the guns mouths. the
white smoke rose in billowy clouds to the
inky blackness above, the deafenng boom
OF the cannon, the cries and groans of
wounded and dying and the sulphuEous
smell OF gunpowder, all were part Of that
awful naval duel at night
Every moment our situation grew more
grave. Three guns were already disabled.
115 officers and men were dead or dying,
and the good ship was leaking from sew
eral large rents below the water line.
The conning-t0wer had been struck
by two shells at the same time
and nearly demolished. One turrett was
untenable and the deck was running
blood. At about 9:15 P. NJ. a she'll burst
IN one of the barbettes. killing and wound
ing twenty men. There were barely enough
men 10 work what guns were left, and
l decided to close with the BritUD and
make last desperate struggle. They
brought all the guns to bear on US that
they possibly could as we crept up along
side. and thirty more men succumbed to
the merclless hail which beat upon our
now almost defens seless decks.
We poured in one volley and were about
to board when a great volume OF smoke
shot up. Then came long ripping, grind
ing crash, fash of light so bright as TO
dazzle and blind US. The Dreadnanght
parted in the middle and sunk In a great
whirlpool. while steel, wood, human heads,
legs and arms rained on our decks. Great
waves caused the Oregon to shlver and
shake as If she were as startled as the men,
who were stupefed for a moment al the
suddenDess of the explosion.
There was no time TO be lost, however,
either In huTrahing over the victory or
searching for such unfortunate enemies as
might have survived the disaster Our
ship was rapidly filling with water and our
attention was turned TO getting ashore, as
the Oregon could not possibly live more
than four or five hours.
At3 O'Clock in the morning of the h OF
May we managed to reach our old anchor
age in the harbor of Monterey. The
shores were crowded with people who had
witnessed the fight, and who, as the bat
tered, war-worn old Oregon steamed slowly
into the harbOr, with the tattered REM
nants OF the glorious stars and stripes fly
ing proudly at the masthead, filled the air
with resounding cheers and the forts
doomed forth a welcome.
Barely had we reached the shore in the
boats when the man-of-war sank out of
sight like an old war-horse who, having re-
ceiyed his death wound, yet carries his
master safely through the fight and then
dies without murmur. Such is the story
of the last fight of the Oregon, in which l
had the honor to be her commander, and
the memory of which l shall carry 10 the
grave.