New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-16
HAD CLEARED FOR ACTION.
THE CUSHING AND THE GWlN "EhH
READY TO ATTACK SPANISH BOATS
or, x-Uvx.c <DDINED
WHEN PEACE NEWS ARRIVED.

Yay West Aug ITO the torpedo-boat
Cushing commanded by Lieutenant Albert
Gleaves. will doubtless go the distinction Oh
h.,,rs nod the last naval engagement OF the
Spanish American War At the very H'oli'e"'
The orders for raising the blockade reached the
Cushing she was making into Cardehas Day
for thrco Spanish gunboats. intent on sinki"s
them. They were the Ligerc. the Aer'a an"
the Antonio Lopez
After some brief service at the very ope"."-
Of the war the Cushing's machinery was ciS,
abIed. and although she was entirely repair"
within six weeks. she was Kept mere u''''
week ago much to the chagrin or Lieutenant
Gleayes and despite his urgent appears i"l
active service Eventually. Commodore ho"'''
allowed the Cushing 10 go to the piocKa"e' az"
on August she went over to Sasua Id N'"'
with orders to stop the inside trafnc IN wv
shallow water behind tho keys, where tho gun
boats could rot enter.
Reaching Cardenas the next day, sne was
,,i,cd hv tho torpedo boat Mckee. under Lieu
tenant Kneppes and both proceeded 10 9as""
LEARNING that there we're two gunboats in that
harbor. the Cushing and the Mckee cIeareu '''
action and went in to sec II any steamers were
anchored inside AS they got under way the
converted yacht viking. with the senior oficer
~ that hlockadng station on board, came up
and halted the two torpedo boats. when were
ohl,c.d n return and anchor under the light
house.
CAPTURED SIX SMALL BOATS.
That night however. the Viking ief'' an"
Lieutenant Gleaves. being then the RANKING oi
ncor. took the Cushing and tho Mckee across
the shoals To the Boca Cristo Channel, ana 'he'e
canturcd six small cargo boats Of about ioO'
Lei a anchor
been aba ndoned by their crows. This was done
in fuI view of the gunboats. which. from 4
distance of two miles contented themselves
with firing on the torpedo boats without coming
out. The shots were not returned.
The sloops not being worth towing to Key
West were burned the next day. on AuSuS'
s the Siren arrived with the torpedo-boats G"lh
end Roc.rs and assumed command of the BLOCK
aiding al that port
Tho Cushing again asked permission to go III
and engage the gunboats but was again re-
fused and was ordered. with the Gwin' 10 var
denas TO prevent inland traffic between 'ha'
place and Santa Clara. They lett the he''
morning. and. after chasing and holding up the
hospital ship Solace. the American schoohe'
Dcllle. the Hangrove and the schooner Anna H.
Krausc. any Of which 1t vas hoped might oiier
FIGHT they put into Cardenas Bay last 1hufs-
day
Hero the two-masted schooner Triun1pho was
sighted at anchor on the east side Oh HiJo
Key about mile distant. The torpedo boats
could not enter the shallow water. so a cutting
out expedition. composed OF boat from each
OF the torpedo boats. both commanded by cadet
David Boyd Of the Cushing. who is a survivor
OF the Maine. was sent in.
BURNED A SPANISH SCHOONER
As they approached the schooner her crew
abandoned her She was anchored on A lee
shore. and n fresh wind made 1t Impossible TO
get her off so Cadet Boyd. acting under orders
set fire 10 and destroyed her
on Friday the dauntess little fighters again
went Into the bay. further 10 the westward
and found a few sloops standing out all tho
other vessels having scurried back toward the
town The Gwin gave chase 10 one s!oop. ana
after firing many shells hove her 70. The Cush-
Ing was meanwhile chasing second vessel, but
the latter had too big a lead. aud. abandoning
the pursuit the Gushing vert 70 tn" OWNS as
sstance. Tho latter's prize had six Spanlards
on board and the two torpedo boats were about
10 tow her out when the three Spanish gun
boats which wrecked the WINSTON were seen
getting under way.
4 good fight was promised and 10 save time
tho soop was abandoned the SpanIards on
board OF her showerng blessings on their mag
unanimous captors The decks ~ the torpedo
boats cleared for action. and. although the
contest would have been an unequal one. the
Spanish boats carrying stronger batteries all
was ready for the daring attempt when the
auxiliary yacht Stranger appeared with the
news that peace had been restored and the
blockade raised and the boats were ordered inn
medately back to Key West.