Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1898-05-12


berth, and il by chance 1t gets |
into their hands consign it to the
server, or burn it on sight.
WAR,
All the latter part of last week the
country waited in breathless anxiety
for news from Commodore Dewey and
his Asiatic fleet. 1t came on Saturday
and is in substance as follows: "Have
destroyed the entire Spanish fleet of
II ships, all of their forts and arsenal,
and have the city Of Manila at my
command. About 800 Spaniards killed
and 400 wounded. My losses are eight
wounded. No ship seriously damag-
ed"
This is the greatest naval victory
ever fought when we consider the
number of ships engaged, the fact
that Dewey was in q strange harbor,
and in addition to the fleet of superior
numbers had the guns Of Fort Cavite
playing on him at the same time. But
that he should have sunk eleven yes
sells, killed and wounded no one
knows how many of the enemy. des-
troyed the forts at Manila and at the
mouth of the bay, without the loss OF
wounded, would be too good to be
believed If we did not have the facts
from a source which is absolutely
true It is the policy Of the govern
ment to hold the Philippine Islands,
| and a force will leave San Francisco
next Saturday, consisting of $4,000
men composed OF infantry, artillery
and cavalry, to reinforce him. This
| force will arrive In about "A days from
the date of sailing. This practically
ends the war in the east, and now our
action in Atlantic waters and in Cuba
must settle the question.
Admiral Dewey, as he now is, passed
the Spanish forts at the mouth of
Manila before day light and was fred
on once or twice. The Spanish fleet
had placed itself under the guns Of
Manila and Fort Cavite pronounced
Kaveeta, accent on the vee,) and as
soon as it was light enough to see be-
gan to move on the fleet.
The Spaniards opened fire, but it
was wild. Two torpedoes or mines
| were exploded in front Of the Olympia
which was the flag ship but did no
damage. Dewey's fleet did not fire un
til they were within 1900 yards or
about two miles of the Spanish fleet.
Then they began with their heavy
guns and closed in. After two hours
| fighting the Dewey's fleet withdrew to
let the smoke clear away during which
time they breakfasted, as the men had
had nothing to eat but a cracker and
cup OF coffee. 1t soon began to be seen
that the Spanish we're in bad way,
but they did notsurrender at II O'clock
Dewey returned to the battle and soon
made an end of all the ships and the
Cavite fort blowing up the magazine.
Awhile flag was raised on the foot, and
later a boat was sent to have it surren-
der. But when the officer arrived he
found the men with arms in their
hands and they said they had not sur
rendered but only hoisted the white
| flag to get the women and children
away.
| They were given an hour to decide
and at the end of that time they sur
rendered the fort, but the soldiers had
slipped away with their guns. The
Spaniards would not surrender the
cable house so Dewey cut the cable
himself to prevent their using it. The
aim Of the Americans was something
wonderful, their shots literally tearing
the Spanish ships to pieces. The firing
OF the Spaniards was pitiabIy poor.
| The men hurt were all on the Balti-
more.
Not until the flagship was mile be,
| yond CorreRidor was gun fired. Then
one heavy shot went screaming over
the Raleigh and the Olympia. follow
| ed by second, which fell farther
astern. The Raleigh. Concord and
Boston replied, the Concord's shells
exploding apparently exactly inside
the shore batteries, which fired no
| more.
Commodore Dewey had timed our
arrival SO that we were within five
miles OF the city of Manila at day
break. We then sighted the Spanish
ing, off Cavite. Here the Spaniards
had well equipped navy yard called
Cavita arsenal. Admiral Montiio's
flag was flying on the cruiser Reina
| Christina. The cruiser Castillo was
moored ahead and astern to the port
battery, and to seaward were the
cruisers Don Juan de Austria, Don
Antonio de Ulloa. Isla de Cuba, Isla
de LuZon, Quiros, Marquis del Onero
and General LezoI These ships and
! the flagship remained under way dur
Ing most OF the action.
With the United States flags flying
at all their nlastheads our ships moved
| to the attack in line ahead with a
speed of eight knots, first passing in
front at Manila, where the action was
begun by three batteries mounting
guns powerful enough to send shell
over us at distance OF five miles.
! The Concord's guns doomed out a re-
ply to these batteries with two shots.
No more were fired because Dewey
could not engage with these batteries
without sending death and dcstruc-
ton into the crowded city.
| AS we neared Cavite two very power
full submarine mines were exploded
ahead of the flagship. The Spaniards
evidently had misjndged our position
Immense volumes of water were
thrown high in the air by these des-
troyers. but no harm was done to our
ships. No other mines exploded,
| however, and it is believed that the
Spaniards had only these two in place.
Only few minutes later the shore
battery at Cavite Point sent over the
| flagship shot that nearly hit the
battery in Manila, but soon the guns
got better range and the shells be-
gan to strike near u.s. The heat was
intense. Men stripped off all clothing
except their trousers.
AS the Olympia drew nearer all was
as silent on board as if the ships had
been empty except for the whirr of
blowers and the throb of the engines
Suddenly a shell burst directly over
us. From the boatswain's mate and
the after inch gun came hoarse cry:
Remember the Maine u
The Olympia was now ready to be-
gin the fight. You may fire when
ready, Gridley," said the Commodore,
and at Al minutes past 5 O'Clock, at q
distance of $3.50 yards. the starboard
S-inch gun in the forward turret roar