Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1898-07-14

Colon
Just then we sighted the two torpedo
boat destaoyers, the Furror and Pluton.
They had come out behind the cruisers.
and were sneaking off down the coast,
going as if they had the right of way.
''All small guns ON the torpedo boats
went the order.
Soon we had the ocean splashing and
foaming all about them. Ensign Else.
with FOUNDER of the starboard bat
uery. got in the first effective shot. II
struck the leading destroyer fairly in
the boiler.
Above the roar of battle we could hear
crashing and rending, and we saw a
great spout of black smoke roll up from
that torpedo boat Either the FurIor 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 Pierpont Morgan :
converted yatch, the Corsair, sailed
right into the Spanish terror of the sea,
and had her finished in short order
But. gun for gun, shot for shot, the
four big American vessels and the four
finest ships in Sprin's navy kept up the
fight, and by 1880 o'clock-one hour
from the time Lieut. Bristol saw that
cloud of smoke-the two cruisers, which
were last to leave the harbor were smok-
| ing ruins, going on the beach to keep
from sinking.
Up went a white flag on the one near
est us, and Cease firing" was Captain
Phillips immediate order. A moment
later both Spanish cruisers were beach
ed, and bright flashes of fame coming
| through the smoke which enveloped
them told of the destructive force of
boiler or magazine explosions.
We codld see the ships boats crowded
to their gunwales pulling for the shore
The Iowa, which had received some
pretty hard knocks in the fight, remain
ed to see that these two ships were real
| ly done for, while the Brooklyn, Texas
and Oregon pushed on TO 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
flagship, the Oquendo, suddenly turned
for the shore, the Oregon and Brooklyn
pounding her abeam while we were
blazing away astern.
On went the Brooklyn and Oregon af-
ter the Cristobal Colon, which really
looked as if she were going to get away,
as she was making great speed.
We were left to give the Oquendo the
coup de grace Il did not take US long.
The Spanish Admiral's ship was already
bur.24g, and at 11:05 down came the
vel y and red flag at her stern, and we
sw g in abeam. Then, in moment
then was mighty explosion on the
Oquendo, and our boys set up cheer,
Don't cheer boys, r shouted Captain
Philip. Those poor devils are dying "
So wei left her TO her fate to go plug
ging on after the Colon, which, In her
desperation, was plowing through the
water at pace that put the brooklyn
to her best efforts The Oregon was
making wonderful speed for battle
ship, and we just settled down TO make
the effort of our lives, Meyer since our
trial trip have we done so well.
We all feared that the Cr1stobal Colon
would leave us ali except the Brooklyn,
and Commodore Schley's ship was not
supposed TO be fair fighting match for
the big Spanish cruiser
We could not afford to have it eaid
that even one OF the Spanish ships got
away, so these moments of the chase
were thrilling ones. Straight into the
west we headed, blazing and hanging
as we went in the greatest marine race
Of modern times.
The Brooklyn headed ont toward a
point, in the endeavor 10 cut off the
Spaniard there, while the Oregon held
middle course, not much over mile
from the cruiser, and we hammered
away in the Colon's wake.
The desperate Don hugged the shore,
firing now and again at us, and giving
the Brooklyn and Oregon her best fire
We held up astonishingly well under
our forced draught and no one need ev-
er sneer at the speed of the old Tex1s
again.
But run as she might. the Spaniard
had no chance.
The Brooklyn gradually forged ahead
of her, and got between her and the
place where she would have to make her
swing to round that point For over
two hours she had led Ms lively chase,
but her time had come. The Oregon
held her abeam and the Texas astern.
There was no way of escape.
At 1:15 in the afternoon the gallant
Colon gave it up and turned her bow
for the beach At / 30 down came her
flag, though not one of our ships was
within n mile of her, but we all closed
in, Brooklyn, Oregon, and Texas togeth
er, stopping our engines few hundred
yards away.
Commodore Schley boarded the en-
emy and the surrender was to him.
Just then the New York, with Admi-
.o1 Gop.,oOp aboard was saan 6nmino mn
accompanied by the Vixen.
eve have won great victory. De-
tails will be communicated"
Such was the signal Schley set for his
Admiral, and the victory certainly was
SchIey's.
Then in that little cove under the
high hills of the Cuban coast, we Amer
leans celebrated our Fourth of July on
the Sd of the month.
The celebration may have been little
premature according to the almanac,
but it was as hearty as any ever indulg-
ed in Our ships cheered one another,
the Captains exchanged loud compli
ments through their megaphones, and
the Oregon turned out her band to send
the music of ''The Star Spangled Ban
ner" over the lines of Spaniards drawn
up to be surrendered.
A Spanish Officers account of
the Fight.