Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1898-05-13
RAN INTO SPANISH JAWS.
TWO AMERICAN WAR VESSELS.
The Vicksburg and the Cutter Nor
riII Lured by Cunning Bnit---
shore Batteries Found the Range
and Nearly Sunk the Bold Ships
Schooner.

Key West. Fla, May S.-Only poor
craftsmanship on the part of the Span
iards saved the Nieksburg and the cut
ter Morrill, from destruction in Havana
halbor yesterday morning For ovel
half an hour they We're under the fire OF
the guns OF the Santa Clara water bat
teries but both escaped without mater
ial injury, although shrapnel from
eight inch guns exploded all about then
and both now show the scars of the
Spanish bullets. The willy Spaniards
had arranged a trap to send a couple OF
our ship, to the bottom. They baited
it a, a man would bait trap.
\ small schooner was sent out from
Havana harbor shortly before daylight
Yesterday morning to draw some of the
Americans into the ambuscade. The ruse
worked like IA charm. The Nicksbure
and the Morrill,, in the heat of the chase
and in their contempt for Spanish gun
merry. walked straight into the trap that
| had been set for them. Had the Span
iards possessed their souls in patience
but five minutes longer not even the bad
gun practice would have saved our ships
and this morning two more of our vessels
would lie at the bottom within two
| lengths of the Maine.
Lured the Wnrshipx In.
Friday evening the Nicksburg and
Morrill,. cruising to the west of Moro
castle were fired upon by the big guns
of the Cojimar batteries. Two shots
were fired at the Nicksburg and one at
the Morrill, Both vessels, without re-
turning the fire, steamed out of range
But yesterday morning the Spaniards
had better luck The schooner they had
sent out before daylight ran off to the
eastward, hugging the shore and with
the wind on her starboard quarter About
three miles east of the entrance of the
harbor she came over on the port tack.
\ haze frnged the horizon and she was
not discovered until three miles off
and signalled the Morrill, and Vicksburg.
Captain Smith of the Morrill, and Com
mander lilly Of the Nicksburg immedi
ately slapped on all steam and started in
pursuit. The schooner instantly put
about and ran for Moro castle before
the wind. In doing 50 she would, ac-
| cording to the wellconceived Spanish
plot. lead the two American warships di-
rectly under the guns of the Santa Cla-
ia battery. These works are short
mile west of Moro and are a part of
the harbor defenses. There are two bat
teries, one at the shore, which has been
recently thrown up, of sand and mortar,
with wide embrasures for eight-inch
guns: the other is on rocky eminence
which juts out into the gulf at this
point. The upper battery mounts mod
ern loinch and Finch Krupp guns be-
hind six-foot stone parapet, in front
| of which are 20 feet of earthworks and a
betting OF railroad iron. This battery
is considered the most formidable of Ha-
vanas detenses except Moro castle. 1t
Is masked and has not been absolutely To-
Gated by the American warships. 1t is
probably due to the fact that the Span
Yards did not desire to expose its posi-
ton that the Nicksburg and Morrill, are
now aHoat
Into the Harbor After Her.
The Morrill, and Nicksburg were about
SIX miles from the schooner when the
chase began. They steamed after her
at fnll speed the Morrill, leading until
within mile and half of the Santa
oiara batteries. Commander Smith of
the \icksburg was the first to realize
the danger into which the reckless mr..
suit had led them. He concluded II was
time to halt and sent a shot across tho
DOW OF the schooner. The Spaniard in.
SANITY brought his vessel about, but
while she was still rolling in the trough
ol 'he sea with her sails tapping, an
eight-inch shrapncl shell came hn,,n,
through the air from the water battery
mile and a half away.
III passed over the Morrill, between tho
P'iot house and smokestack and exnloded
lcrSS IMAM 90 feet on the port quarter,
he small shot ratified against her side
~ was close call. Two more shots
ioiloWed in quick succession. both
Shrapnel One burst close under tho
S'arpoard quarter. filling the eno;ne
room with the smoke of the exnlos;on -,
the shell and the other. like the first
passed over and exploded Just beyond.
sp"niards Had the n.,r.
me Spanish gunners had tbe rano.
ana al 'helr time fuses were accurately set
Inc crews of both ships were at their
guns Lieutenant Craig, who was in
a 'n &c OF the bow fourinch rapid fire
gun OF the Morrill,, asked for and obtain
.u permission to return the fire At tho
, n's' snot the Nicksburg, which was in
she wake Of the Morrill,, slightly in shore
sheered off and passed to wjndward "n
uer the Morrill's stern. In tho moam
time captain Smith also nut his holm -
port ana was none too soon for -. ~
Morn,l stood off solid eight inch sh".
s''led her starbard quarter and lid
up tons OF water as it struck a wave Ioo
YARDS beyond, Captain Smith said ~
e .trN'fds that thi, was undoubtedlv on
. ,Hs. armor-piercing proiectile and
Hlorr;, IT would have passed through the
Morr''ls boilers had she not chana .nl
her course. ho' changed