Rocky Ford enterprise., 1898-05-12


The Spnniarls seemed encouraged to
fire faster, knowing exactly our dis
tnnce, while we had to guess theirs.
Their ship and shore guns were max
Ing things hot for us. The piercing
scream of shot was varied often by
the bursting of time fuse shells, frag-
ments of which would lash the water
like schrapnel or cut our hull or rig
ging.
Few shots were fired from our ship,
yet still the flagship steamed for the
center of the Spanish line, and rs our
other ships were astern, the Olympia
received most of the Spanish attention.
Owing to our deep draught, Commo-
dore Dewey felt constrained to change
his course ut n distance Of 1000 yards
and run parallel to the Spanish col
umn.
"Open with all guns" he said, and
the ship brought her port broadside
bearing. The roar of nll the fingship's
five-lnch rapid firing guns was fol-
lowed by deep diapason Of her tur-
ret eIght-inchers.
Soon all our vessels We're equally
haru at work and we could see that
our shells were making Cavite harbor
hotter for the Spaniards than they
Protected by their shore batteries
and made safe from close attack by
shallow water. the Spnniards were In
n strong position. They put up gal
liant fight. The Spanish ships were
sailing back and forth behind the Cas-
tilla and their fire, too, was hot.
One shot struck the Baltimore and
passed clean through her, fortunately
hitting no one. Another ripped up her
main deck, disabled six-inch gun and
exploded n box Of three-pOunder am
munition, wounding eight men.
The Olympic. was struck abreast the
gun in the ward room by n shell,
which burst outside, doing little dam
age.
The signal halyards were cut from
Lieutenant Brumby's hand on the aft
er bridge. A shell entered the Boston's
port quarter and burst In Ensign Dod-
ridges stateroom, starting n hot fire,
and fire was also caused by shell
which burst in the port hammock net
ting. Both these fires were quickly put
out.
After having made four runs nlons
the Spanish line, finding the chart In
correct, Lieutenant Calkins. the Olym-
pia's navigator, told the commodore
nearer to the enemy with the lead GO
ing to watch the depth of water. The
flagship started over the course for
the fifth time. running within 1000
yards of the Spanish vessels.
At this range even siX-pOundcrs were
effective. and the storm of shells
poured upon the unfortunate Spanish
began to show marked results. Three
of the enemy's vessels were seen
burning and their fire slackened.
On finishing this run Commodore
Dewey decided to give the men break
fast, as they had been at the guns
two hours with only one cup of coffee.
The vessels Withdrew out Of range Of
the enemy's guns and remained there
until II o'clock, when the battle was
renewed.
The Spaniards replied very slowly,
and the commodore signaled the Kal-
eIgh, the Boston, the Concord and the
Petrol to go into the inner harbor and
destroy all the enemy's ships.
BY her light draught the little Petrol
wns enabled to move within 1000
yards. Her firing. swift, but accurate,
commanded everything still flying the
Spanish flag.
Other ships were also doing their
whole duty, and soon not one red and
yellow ensign remained nloft except
on the coast. The Spanish flagship
and the Castillo had long been burn
ing fiercely, and the last vessel to be
abandoned was the Don Antonio dc
Ulloa, which lurched over and sank.
Then the Spanish flag on the arsenal
staff was hauled down and ut half
past 70 o'clock n white flag was hoist
ed there. Signal was made to the Pc
trel to destroy all the vessels In the
inner harbor and Lieutenant Hughes,
with an armed boats crew, set fire to
the Don Juan de Austria, Marques
Duero, the Isla de Cuba and the Cor
REQ. The large transport Manila anu
many tug boats and small craft fell
into our hands.
Following wounded, all Baltimore:
lieutenant f. w. Kellogg. Ensign u.
T.. Erwin and enlisted men Barlow,
Budinger, Covert, O'Keefe, Ricciar-
delli and Luelgrove, wounded during
first hour of engagement.
The forts made n nominal resistance,
but were quickly overpowered. The
shore garrison did not capitulate,
however, and when the American fleet
ceased firing the Spaniards on shore
were still defiant.
Cayite is in utter ruin and has sur
rendered, the gunboats have Deen
scuttled and the arsenal was on fire
and exploded, causing great mortality.
The commodore of the fleet on board
the ReIpa Christina was wounded, and
her captain, lieutenant, chaplain and
midshipmen were killed by a shell
striking the bridge. Eighty Of her
crew were killed and sixty wounded.
On the Castillo one hundred were
killed and sixty wounded. On the Cas-
tilla one hundred were killed and six
ty wounded.
The terms of cnpitulatlon are still
unsettled. Commodore Dewey fears
rioting by the rebels If he attempts a
bombardD,ent. The forts Mt the en-
trance to the bay capitulated and were
dismantled on Wednesday. The Amer
leans cut the cable, but the Spaniards
refused to permit cable operators to
come to the ships, us they are willing