Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1898-05-12


was believed to be on fire. The Castillo
was certainly on fire, and lsoon afterward,
their condition became worse and worse,
until they were eventually burned to the
waters edge.
DESPERATE, But FUTILE BRAVERY.
The Don Antonio de Ulloa made most
magnificent show of desperate bravery.
When her commander found she was so
torn by the American shells that he could
not keep her afloat, he nailed her colors
to the mask and she sank with all hands
fighting to the last.
Her hull was completely riddled and
her upper deck bad been swept clean by
the awful fire of the American guns, but
the Spaniards, though their vessel was
sinking beneath them, continued working
the guns on her lower deck until she sank
beneath the waters.
TORPEDO Boar SHOT TO PIECES.
During the engagement a Spanish tor
pedo boat crept along the shore and round
the ofing in an attempt to attack the
American store ships, but she was prompt
ly discovered, was driven ashore and was
actually shot to pieces.
The Mindanao had in the meanwhile
been run ashore to save her from sinking
and the Spanish small craft had sought
shelter from the steel storm behind the
breakwater.
The battle, which was started at about
$50 a. M, and adjourned at $50 a. M,
was resumed about noon, when Commo-
dore Dewey started in to put the finishing
touches of his glorious work. There was
not much fight left in the Spaniards by
that time, and at p M, the Petrel and
Concord had shot the Cavite batteries into
silence, leaving them heaps Of ruins and
floating the white flag.
The Spanish gunboats were then scut-
tied, the arsenal was on fire and the eX-
plosion of Spanish magazine caused fur
ther mortality among the defenders OF
Spain on shore.
On the water the burning, sunken or
destroyed Spanish vessels could be seen,
while only the cruiser Baltimore had sui
ftred in any way from the fire of the
enemy. A shot which struck her explod'
ed some ammunition uear one Of her guns
and slightly injured half a dozen of her
crew.
SPANIARDs SHOT AT DEWEY.
Several shots passed dangerously close
to Commodore Dewey, but little or no
damage was done on board the flagship.
On the other hand, about $50 men are
said to have been killed on board the
Spanish flagship, which was totally de-
stroyed. Admiral Montijo, the Spanish
commander, transferred his flag to the
Isla de Cuba when his ship caught fire,
but the latter was destroyed also in due
course of time. The Rein Christina lost
her captain, lieutenant, her chaplain and
a midshipman by one shot which struck
her bridge.
About 100 men were killed and sixty
wounded on board the Castillo. Indeed,
some estimates place the number OF Span
lsh wounded during the engagement at
over thousand men.
The Olympia was struck five times
about her upper works, and a whaleboat
of the Raleigh was smashed. Although
the Krnpp guns on the esplanHde OF
Manila were fired continuously during the
engagement, Commodore Dewey did not
reply to them. and the battery afterward
hoisted a white flag in token Of surrender.
When the squadron left here it touched
first at point in the Philippine Islands
near Boinao, as Commodore Dewey
wished the insurgent agents to disembark
there, ascertain the strength and disposi-
ton of the insurgent forces, arrange to
prevent needless bloodshed and inform
the insurgents of his intention to change
the. government of the Philippine Islands,
the Commodore strongly obiecting to CIV
ine the rebels chance to commit ex'
cesses.
HUNTING The SPANISH FLEET.
The insurgent leaders, however, refused
to disembark under any consideration and
the American ships coasted in search OF
the Spanish ships, but failed to find them.
Commodore Dewey arrived at Subig Bay,
about thirty miles north of Manila Bay
on Saturday, April 80, and sent the Balti-
more and Concord to reconnoitre the
enemy. They found no Spanish ships at
the entrance of the bay, and so the Com
modore decided to risk the mines and pro-
ceed that same night after dark into the
bay of Manila, which he did.
! The terms of the capitulation were still
unsettled when the McCuloch left Manila,
and it was said Commodore Dewey feared
rioting upon the part of the insurgents if
he attempted bombardment Of the re-
manning fortifcations at Manila.
The forts at the entrance of the bay
were dismantled on Wednesday, after
they had capitulated.
1t is said the American Commodore Or
dered the cable to be cut because the Span
iards refused to permit him to use it,
pending the complete surrender of the
city.
1t is said that the Spanish ships did not
get under steam until after the alarm was
given. 1t is said also that the Spanish
commander informed the Governor Gen
eral that it was advisable to surrender in