The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-07-09

IEI II l. TIEE{ILOO ~
the ash DIST amidships and exploded in
side the smokestack. doing some merely
incidental damage and injuring nobody.
Our own guns. however. were enough to
kill delicate NTH. Their din was so dread
full that orders had to be shouted right
into the ears of our messengers. Then the
smoke would come up in such density that
we couldn't see each other.
On two occasions the 12-inch turret guns
were swung athwart ships and turned
loose. The conclusion then shook the
immense vessel as If she had been a toy
boat. The sensation was much as if We
had been struck with a big prOjectlle
Everything movable was splintered. Sea-
man Schram was knocked through a
hatchway into the forward handling foom
breaking his leg.
But the enemy must have suffered more
than we did from the shots, for we had
deadly range and the guns were being
served as guns were never served be-
fore
The Oregon had come whirling past and
gone on to help Schley and the Brooklyn
disposed of the leading Spanish ships,
The Iowa, too, had turned westward and
was continually laundering. We were
all in the mess up to our elbows.
She's on firer'
DESTROYED BY THE TEXAS.
That was the word we passed from ear
to ear, shrieking it in our JOY for masses
of smoke were pouring from our partic-
ular antagonist and in a pause Of the fir
ing we heard our men cheer and shout
their slee. Our big shells had gone
through her armoc and we felt that orr
part of the fight was nearly won.
Soon we saw that our smoking and bat
tered adversary was done for and was
making at all speed for the beach. So
we let her go and began firing at the
cruiser steaming behind her-the fourth
in the Spanish line.
The Brooklyn and Oregon, after a few
parting shots, also abandoned all effort to
help us smash this particular cruiser,
and devoted all their steam and guns to
the two foremost vessels, which We took
to be the Oquendo and the Cristo5al Co.
Ion.
FIRING ON THE SMALL SHIPS.
"All guns on the torpedo boats!" went
the order.
Soon we had the ocean splashing and
foa-ning all about them. Ensign else,
with six-pounder of the starboard bat
terry, got in the first effective shot. 1t
struc kthe leading destroyer fairly in the
boiler.
Above the roar of battle we could hear
a crashing and rendiug and we saw a
great spout Of black smoke roH up from
that torpedo boat Either the Furor or
the Pluton went out Of commission then
and there.
Up came the Iowa with a rush and
threw few shots at the second destroy
er, but passed on for larger game Then
the gallant little Gloucester. which is
nothing but Pierpoat Morgan's converted
yacht, the Corsair, sailed right into that
Spanish terror of the sea and had her
finished in short order.
But gun fog run, SHOT for shot, the four
big American vessels and the four fr.est
ships in SPANS navy kept up the fight.
BY 1870 o'clock-one hour from the time
Lieutenant Bristol saw that cloud OF
smoke-the two cruisers which were the
last to leave the harhor. were smoking
ruins, going on the beach to keep from
sinking.
CRUISERS RUN ON THE BEACH.
Up went white flag on the one nearest
US and Cease firing was Captain Phil
lips immediate order. \ moment later
both Spanish cruisers were beached and
bright flashes of flame coming through
the smoke which enveloped them told OF
the destructive force Of boiler or maya
zine explosions.
We could see the ships boats loaded 70
their gunwales pulling for the shore. The
Iowa, which had received some pretty
hard knocks in the fight. remained 70 see
that these two ships We're really done for |
while the Brooklyn. Texas and Oregon !
pushed on 70 end or capture the other |
two. which were racing for life along the |
coast TO the westward, well in shore.
At 1850 O'Clock Admiral Cervera's flag
ship. the Oquendo. suddenly turned sor I
the shore. the Oregon and Brooklyn I
pounding her abeam, while We were blaz- /
ing away astern-
FINISHING OFF, THE OQUENDC. !
On went the Brooklyn and oregon after /
the Cristobai Colon. which really looked /
- II she were going 10 get away. a. $40 4
was making great speed We were LEFT /
10 give the Oquendo me coup de grace.
II didn't take Us long The Spanish adj
nirals ship was already burning. ard - /
lies down came The yello7- and lee iiaag
a; her stern. ARD we swung n sSeam.
Then. in moment there was . mighty
explosion on the Oqasado. ard cur boys
sci Up cheer
Don't cheer. boys shouted Captain
2h-Hp- Those poor devils are dying
50 we lefi her TO her fate to 80 plugging
81 after the Colon. which. IT Der d@spar-
atom. was pioggAiag through ne wzce-
u pace that put TIE Brooklyn 70 Aer
-