The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-08

tne samo tlme sendlng answering
shots at the American ships rs fast
as the. mon could load and fire the
guns. The Brooklyn, Massachu-
setts, Texas, Oregon and Iowa were
nearer the Spaniards than any others
Of the American vessels, but still
most Of them were too far away to
get an effective range, They crowded
in all steam, however, in prepara-
tion for tho chase, mover stopping
their ti"e 'vr one morent. The
Gloucester, a fast little yacht that
cannot boast Of any heavier battery
than several 6 Founders and 3 pound
ers, Was lying off Aguadores, three
miles east Of Moro, when the Span
iards came out. At first she joined
in the attack upon large vessel,
and then held off some, Captain
Wainswright concluding to reserve
his efforts for the two torpedo boat
destroyers in the rear
The Gloucester steamed after them
when they appeared and chased them
to po 1T five miles west of
MORO pouring shot after shot into
them all the time. Her efforts
bore abundant fruit, for to her be-
longs the credit for the destruction
of both of the destroyers. She fired
l,4O0 shots during the chase, and it
was not long before both destroyers
were on fire and plainly disabled.
Notwithstanding this, they both re-
turned the Gloucester's fire, and II
rain of small shells fell all around
the yacht. The Furor evidently deter-
mined that she would not stand the
fire any longer, and she put about
and headed back for Santiago. Then
the Glouce' 'ter simply smothered her
with shots from her rapid fire guns
and running like the wind forced
her to turn around and again head
westward. Smoke commenced to
rise from the Furor's sides and she
put in towards The shore. Before
she had gone far what was left of
hor crew abandoned her and took to
the boats, reaching the shore later.
BY that time she was a mass of
flames and was drifting about help
lessly.
Tho Plunton was in the Same dis
tressed condition, and was also
headed for the shore, running up
alongside of n low bluff, where sho
soon pounded to pieces and finally
broke in two completely. 1t was
most dangerous landing place for
hor crew and but about half of them
reached tho shore alive.
The Gloucester did not go any
further west, but lay off shore, and
sent in boat to the assistance of
the crews Of the destroyers. 1t did
not take the flames long to reach tho
Furor's magazines, and there were
two terrific explosions. probably of
the guncotton on board of her, which
blew holes in her bottom, hor stern
sunk Immediately, and it settle in
the water her bow rode straight into
the air, and she went to the bottom
in perpetual oblivion, giving out
Kissing, scalding sound as she dis
appeared below tho surf.
Meantime the larger American
ships were gaining on tho Spanish
cruisers, and a storm of shot WAS
passing between the pursuers and
the pursued. The American fire was
SO rapid that the eships were envoloped
in thick clouds of smoke and 1t was
impossible to toll ut distance
which vessels were doing tho creator
execution. The Brooklyn and tho
five battleships were keeping up an
incessant fire upon the Infanta
Maria Teresa, the Vizcaya and the
Almirante Quendo, and tho latter
were returning it bravely, though
with no success. The Spanish gun
ners seemed unable to get the proper
range, and many of their sho,s were
very wild, though number of them
foil dangerously noar to tho mark.
The guns Of tho battery just oast OF
Moro also took part in tho pame