Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1898-09-28
Prescriptions Of Dewey,s Figh,


DIR. Kindleberger gives graphic
account Of the terrific fight. He
was on the Olympia through it all.
In the first assault the flag ship
took the lead, the other vessels
following in her wake at four ships
lengths. The Spanish feet was
approached by laps, each turn
bringing the contestants nearer.
BY this plan the American vessels
frequently poured broadsides into
the enemy, but were themselves
more exposed to fire.
At one time the smoke became
so dense that it was necessary to
draw aside, allowing the cloud to
lift. The vessels were examined
and it was found they had sustain
ed no damage. Breakfast was
served to the men and in a few
minutes they re-entered the fight
with the greatest enthusiasm.
The second fight was even more
fierce than the first. 1t was in
that that the Baltimore was struck.
During the first fight the Span
ish admiral's ship put bravely out
OF the line to meet the Olympia.
The entire American fleet concen-
trated fire on her and she was so
badly injured that she turned
around to put back. AT this juno
ture the Olympia let fly an S-inch
shell, which struck her stern and
pierced through almost her entire
length, exploding finally in the
engine room, wrecking her machin-
cry. This shell killed the captain
and sixty men and set the vessel
on fire.
In the heat of the fight the two
torpedo boats moved out to attack
the fleet. They were allowed to
come within 500 yards, when Il
fusilade from the Olympia sent
one to the bottom with all on
board and riddled the other. The
second boat was later found turn
ed upon the beach covered with
blood.
In the second fight the Baltimore
was sent to silence to fort at Cavite.
She plunged into a cloud of smoke
and orened all her batteries on
the Notifications. In IA very few
minutes a shell struck the ammu-
milton and the fort blew up with a
deafening rear.
The work on the Baltimore was
glorious. After the principal
ships had been destroyed the Con
cord, Raleigh and Petrel, being of
light draft, were sent in to handle
the remaining vessels of the fleet.
They made quick work of them.
In taking possession of the land
forts several hundred wounded
Spaniards fell into the hands OF
the Americans, and nearly 300
dead were accounted for on the
spot. Holes in which numbers
had been hastily buried were
found. The dead were returned
to relatives so far as this could be
done and the wounded were cared
for in best manner by the Ameri-
can surgeons.
The Spanish loss footed up 400
killed, 800 wounded and d prop
erty loss of anywhere from S6, ,0O0,-
900 to $40, 100000. The day of
the fight was clear and hot not a
breath of air was stirring. After
the first--,ttle the Americans were
greatly tagged out by heat, and
the rest and breakfast allowed
them by the commodore was of in
estimable benefit. When the men
were at breakfast a conference of
all officers was held on board the
Olympia, when the plan of the
second battle was made known by
the commodore.
Several shots struck the Olympia
and she was pierced number OF
times. One shell struck the side
of the ship against the hospital
ward. The chaplain and nurses
who were watching the fight
through port hole few inches
away were stunned by the cOncus-
sion. Experts have figured out
the fighting volume of the guns of
the respective sides of the battle
as three for the Americans.
Paymaster Loud, who was on
the McCulloch during the battle,
was Il witness of events on both
sides. From his position he could
see every movement of the Ameri-
can ships and could also see the
Spaniards.
"For two hours" "the steady
thunder of cannon was kept up.
The roar was something terrible.
"At one time l really thought
we would be beaten. This was
after the fire had been kept up an
hour. Il looked like every gun on
the Spanish ships had turned loose
on us all together and the shore
line was a veritabie blaze of fire
from the batteries. The din was
simply in,iescribable. Tons upon
tons of shot fell over our ships.
There was steel enough to have
sunk our entire fleet.