Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1898-07-14

speeding to the eastward after the New
York. but the advance Of the Spanish
meet was so rapid that our men could not
wait for Admiral Sampson to get back.
Just as the Cristobal Colon was poking
her nose out into the open sea Commo-
dore Schley sent the Brooklyn madly
rushing to the westward to head of Ger
vera's flagship. He ordered the Massa-
chusetts and Oregon to follow after, at
the same time ordering the Indiana. Iowa
and Texas to. intercept the other vessels
Of the escaping fleet. Then began one Of
the greatest sea fights IN history.
Complete story of the Battle.
Admiral Sampson this morning set out
to dislodge the Spanish from their works
at Aguadores. where the Michigan troops
were repulsed on the line of the railway
Saturday morning, while they were
marching westward to seize the Moro
battery and blow up the FORT after the
fleet had driven the Spanish from tho
guns.
Our torpedo boats were not with the
fleet. and when Admiral Sampson left
the Moro the battleships and the cruiser
Brooklyn were grouped off the harhor
mouth.
1t is not known whether Admiral Ger
vera had blown up the Merrimac or
passed it in single column. His ship. the
Cristobal Colon, glided out OF the harhor
and shot to the westward, her two fun
nels and high black bulwarks showing
plainly against the green Of the hills
her pennant and the Spanish red and yell
low ensign flashing above.
In few seconds the American fleet was
in motion, the Indiana, which was clos
est. heading straight In shore to get close
range. The Spaniard opened fire with an
11-inch Hontcria and mighty fountains
Of water rose above the battleship and
nh rI,o1 ro11 20
bow.
The Indiana replied with her 13-inch
guns and moment later let go every
thing she could bring to bear. One of
the first shells fell on the Spanish cruis-
er's decks. Cervera was going past, and
the Indiana rounded to give him broad
side, and then as the Iowa and the Texas
opened on him. the doomed admiral
turned to the harbor mouth. where the
Ain irante OGCendo was just coming into
view.
At first one could scarcely believe his
eyes, but when the OQuendo appeared
and steamed swiftly westward into the
flag still flew, it flashed upon us that
there was to be
History-Making Indeed.
1t was a sublime spectacle of a desper-
ate admiral, who had decided 20 give bat
tie against Overwhelming odds in the open
water rather imam remain anu Ulo" up
his own ships in the harbor of the be-
leaguered city. Cervera's flag was hid
den for a time as he flew westward. his
port broadside emitting flashes and
tongues of flame, which marked his prog
ress. For the next five minutes he ran
gauntlet such as no ship had ever run In
history, and when his consorts were burn
ing, and he surrendered his ship, he still
had gun or two capable of action.
The Indiana fell on the Oquendo, paying
no heed to the Moro battery. whose gun
ners tried hard to protect the cruiser. as
she moved to the westward. The Iowa
let Cervera go on into the hands OF the
Oregon, Massachusetts, and Brooklyn and
then turned with the Texas to pound the
Oquendo.
Then every American ship was In action
and smoke shrouded the coast and blew
away lazily, revealing geysers about the
ships where the Spanish shells from the
cruisers and the Moro tore the water.
A ship emerged from the harbor. 1t
was the Vizcaya, coming at full speed,
smoke curling over her bow as she took
her course to the westward and brought
her bow guns into play.
Behind her came Spains two much
dreaded torpedo boat destroyers. perhaps
900 wards apart. The Iowa steamed for
time forward with the Oquendo and the
Indiana did the same with the Vizcaya,
hut as the fight thus moved westward, 1t
became clear that the Americans were
willing that the Spanish ships should run
far enough from MORO to lose the aid of
the guns there, and in twenty minutes
this was done. This was
A Bit of Strategy
which was developed under fire and
which was accepted at once by all the
Am erican ships without orders. In fact,
the smoke often made it impossible to
see the signals which Commodore Schley
mendous was the firing all along the
Both the Oquendo and the Vizcaya were
sometimes within a thousand yards of
the Indiana. The range varied, but, as
a rule, it was short and extremely dead
ly. Nevertheless. the high speed and
thick amor of their class stood the Span
ISL in good stead, as they followed in
the path Of honor marked out by Ad-
miral Cervera.
Three-Quarters of an hour after the &C
ton began it was evident that the Span
ish had many guns disabled and would
have to surrender. There were terrible
casualties on the enemy's ships.
AS the smoke cleared little one could
see the Spanish flagship, her port broad
side spouting smoke, still holding on to
the westward. The Texas and the Mas
sachusetts Joined the Indiana and the
Iowa. The Oquendo and the Vizcaya
Rugged the shore and steamed after
Cervera, pledged to go with him to de-
feat and death.
Shells burst on the decks of the Span
ish cruisers at short intervals. Often
.aey were on fire, but again and again
the men extinguished the flames and.
manned again and again the guns from
which they had been driven. The green
&C.; st on their starboard side smoked
with the shells which flew over them,
Crashing Sounds Heard