Graham guardian., 1898-05-27
DEWEY'S VICTORY.
His War Cry Was: Remember the
Maine"
SPANISH FLEET DESTROYED
Two Hundred and Fifty spaniards Killed
and Six Hundred wounded-.Ameri-
cans Lost Neither Man or Ship.

~ Manila, Philippine Island, "
- Hong Kong).-Not one Spani
g dag flies in Manila Bay. Not ol
:. spanish warship floats, except
e our prize.
+ More than 200 Spanish dead al
. from 500 to 700 wounded attest IL
q accuracy of the American fire.
:. Commodore Dewey attacked tt
g spanish position at Cavite. Fl
&. swept five times along the line an
scored one of the most brilliar
successes in modern warfare.
That our loss is trifling adds t
the pleasure Of the victory withou
detracting from its value.
The number Of hits our vessel
received proved how brave an,
stubborn was the defense made b,
the Spanish forces.
Miraculous as 1t may appear, non,
of our men were killed, and only
eight were wounded. Those whC
were wounded suffered only sligh
injury.
Commodore Dewey arrived of
Manila Bay and decided to enter
the bay at once. With all us lights
out the squadron steamed into Boca
Grande, with the crews at the guns.
This was the order of the squadron
which was kept during the whole
time Of the first battle:
The flagship Olympia, the BaIti-
more, the Petrol, the Concord, the
Boston.
1t was just s o'clock, bright
moonlight night, but the flagship
passed Corregdier Island without a
sign being given that the Spaniards
were aware of its approach. Not
until the flagship was a mile be-
yond CorregIdor Was gun fired.
Then one heavy shot went scream.
ing over the Raleigh and olympia,
followed by second, which fell
farther astern.
The Raleigh, Concord and Bos.
ton replied, the Concord's shell ex.
ploding, apparently, exactly inside
the shore battery, which fred no
more.
Our squadron slowed down to
barely steerage way and the men
were allowed to sleep alongside
their guns.
Commodore Dewey had timed
our arrival so that we were within
five miles of the city of Manila at
day break. We then sighted the
Spanish squadron, Rear Admiral
hontejo commanding, of Cavite
pronounced Kaveetay, with accent
On "vee"), Here the Spaniards
had a well prepard navy-yard, call,
ed Cavite arsenal.
Admiral Montejo's flag was fly
ng on the 3500-tOn protected cruis-
or Reina Crlstina. The protected
cruiser Castillo, of 800 tons was
noored ahead, and astern to the
asrt and to seaward were the cruis-
,rs Don Juan de Austria, Don
Antonio de Ulloa, Isla de Cuba,
.sla de Luzson Quiros, Marquis de
)nero and General Lezox. These
hips and the flagship remained
lnder way during most of the ac-
ion.
With the United States flag fly.
ng at their mastheads, our ships
moved to attack in line ahead, with
speed Of eight knots, first passing
n front of Manila, where the ac-
ion was begun by three batteries
mounting guns powerful enough to
end shells over US at distance of
i've miles.
The Concord's guns doomed out
reply TO these batteries with two
hots. No more were fired, because
Commodore Dewey could not en-
age with these batteries without
ending death and destruction into
he crowded city.
AS we neared Cavite two very
ow werful submarine mines were ex.
loded ahead of the flagship. This
'as ut SIX minutes past 5 o'clock.
he Spaniards had evidently mis-.
ldged our position. Immense vol.
mes of water were thrown high in
be air, by these destroyers, but
0 harm was done to our ships.
Commodore Dewey had fought
nth FarrSgut al New Orleans and
lobiie Bay, where be had his arst
experience with torpedoes. Not
how many more mines
light 10 a head, he still kept on
7ithout faltering. No other mines
yere exploded, and it is believed !
hat the Spaniards had only these .
wo in place.
Only few minutes later shore
artery at Cavite Point sent over
he flagship q shot that nearly hit {
battery in Manila, but soon the
uns got better range and shells :
egan TO strike near us or to burst :
lose aboard, from both the shore
atteries and the Spanish vessels.
The men striped off all their
except their trousers.
AS the Olympia drew nearer to
ne Spanish fleet all was as silent
n board as if the ship had been