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

New York. July IA dispatch TO tn
New York Journal from w r Hearst
owner Of that paper, dated on the cruise
Vizcaya, July 4. says: Early this morn
ing we headed our boat down the coas
to inspect more closely than we coult
them, the wrecked and ruined levia
thans of SPANS navy. They lie with
their heads buried in the sand, as if tc
hide from themselves the sight of their
own destruction and humiliation.
The first wreck that we approached was
] the Oquendo. She lies in small bay well
up on the beach, her steel sides SCARED
/ by many shots, and with one tremendous
/ hole in her port bow, showing where a
| thirteen-inch shell from one of our bat
! tie ships must have exploded She has
also a large rent aft on the port quarter,
near the water line. Her military masts
! have been swept overheard and her decks
are clear Of top hamper down to the
turrets and guns.
We lowered boat to visit her, and as
we came alongside a shocking sight met
our eyes. Dead Spaniards were floating
all about in the water stripped to the
waist as they had stood to man thoir
guns. We steered nervously among the
bodies. feeling much pity-and much
satisfaction, too, that the Maine had been
again so we'll remembered.
About this time the Suwanee came up
and sent the famous Lieutenant Blue
ashore in her whale boat to look for sur
vivors of the crews of the Spanish YES
sells and take them prisoners. We deter
mined to follow, though we had neither
lifeboat nor life preservers, as the Suwa-
nee's boat crew had and though the surf
was running high and strong on a rocky
beach. Deciding to swim for It, we
dragged off our clothing and headed our
boat fOrthe shore
Lieutenant Blues boat was about TWEEN
ty yards ahead of us when we saw a huge
breaker lift it forward and throw the
lieutenant overheard into the white froth
of the sea
On eafter another the huge rollrs broke
under us and over US, lifting US high on
their curling backs and shooting US at the
shore. When the first scrape of gravel
sounded under our keel we jumped out
and dragged the boat on the beach.
Lieutenant Blue had been safely hauled
ashore by his crew and was interviewing
a band of Cubans, who were also look
ing for Spaniards. But as Spaniards there
were none. the lieutenant pushed out
through the brakers, boarded the Su-
vance and put to sea again.
We concluded, however, that it would
be glorious thing to capture some Span
ish prisoners ourselves, so we joined some
other dispatch boats and headed for the
Infanta Maria Teresa, further down the
coast to the eastward.
This vessel is not in quite as bad condi-
ton as the Oquendo. Blackened by fire
and battered by shell she certainly is,
but her after military mast still stands
her bridge. though much bent and twist
ed is still recognized as d bridge, and
she has not such terrible shot wounds
in her hull as the Oquendo. Nevertheless |
she was the first of the Spanish ships yes
terday to give up the fight and head for |
the shore. We found her still shoulder |
ing. In the fire the cartridges occasion !
ally popped as though feebly endeavor- |
ing to continue the fight
l saw some score of figures huddled |
together in one corner Of the beach We |
shouted to them and made a demonstra- |
ton with our handkerchiefs in token of
friendship.
The poor, cowed fellows with great |
alacrity waved a flag Of truce in return |
as a signal that they were ready TO sur
render. They appeared rather gratifed /
the Cubans far more than the Americans
They surrendered 10 US.
Several Spanish bodies, upon which the
vultures fed. lay along the beach Mr..
Hemment our correspondent, took some
rather greusome photographs while the
Spanish buried their dead on the beach
Most of our prisoners were wounded
They had been IN the neat of the fight
and we learned from them how the gun
merry OF the Americans had become fercer
and more deadly until the Spanish crews
had deserted their guns and had been shot
down by their own officers; how. as the
conditions OF the battle became more
and more desperate. the fine wines and I
liquors of the officers mess had been
handed out to the crews, so that with
drunken courage they would fight on -
he hopeless end. and how at last the
officers themselves gave UP. and. scut-
ling their ships, drove them on the shore
or our prisoners. sixteen were from the
Nizcaya SIX from The Oquerda and seven
from the Maria Teresa. making a total of
wenty-ntne. We took them aboard and
leaded for the fleet. Admiral Sampson
banked US very cou~teously and asked Is
20 deliver our prisoners on board the
. Louis. We did So receiving a re-
-eipt IN due form from the officer Of ma
ines in charge.
While on board the St Louis we me;
-apa.u Eulante of the Vizcaya. whom I
lad seen in New York some months ago
}nder very different conditions The cap
ain expressed his grief a; the turn az
airs had taken, bur said he had done Es
pest and could do 10 more.
From the fleet We went To the wreck OF
he N.zcays. and while M Hemme7t
axes Photographs ot the sreac hole n
le- bow 7 - on dismoun-ed san End
write these few notes of Mondays PRO-
-eedings-
ATCTiaN or SpAXE%u Pcgx
Key West July S-1'ae rerishable 3ar-.
ION ot The cargo of vessels captured bv .
ur navy n Wess Iut,an waters vas sold
Don after It's ARRIVAL in port. That watch /,
I'D nor cal Ter immediate disposition was
.elG and advertised f9T SAFE A. Key Wese
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