The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-10
Details and Incidents That Were Not
Accounts of the Battle.
SPANISH SHIPS WELL PLACED
BUT WENT DOWN UNDER THE TER
RIFIC FIRE OF DEWEY's FLEET.
All Destroyed i'm Few Hours and the
Cavitc Fortifications RazeA-sev-
eraI Narrow Escapes.

VANCOUVER, June 9.-Mail advices
brought from Hong-Kong by the steamer
Empress of Japan yesterday are full of
interesting details of the battle of Manila.
One report commenting on Dewey's we'll
timed arrival, says:
1.-THE great victory Of the United States
Asiatic squadron is, Of course, due in a
great measure to the splendid craftsmanship
of the American gunners, but more partc-
ularly to the tact and strategy of Commo-
dore Dewey, in command of the fleet. Late
on Saturday night, April 80. his ships en-
tered the channel leading to Manila bay.
Several shots were fired at them from the
batteries at the entrance, but none of them
struck the ships. The whole squadron got
safely into the bay of Manila, and when the
sun rose over the city the American ships
were cruising around in front. When they
were discovered the Manila batteries opened
a fusillade on the ships at a range of about
five miles and as several shots had been
falling around the Boston she opened fire,
but the order to cease firing was hoisted
by Commodore Dewey on the flagship and
the erratic firing of the town batteries pro-
ceeded without interruption. A large num-
Der of British mercantile vessels were lying
in the harbor. but no traces were visible of
the Spanish fleet
THE American squadron proceeded in a
line ahead to the naval station at Cavite,
and there found the Spanish fleet lying in
four five fathoms of water. The Span
iards were drawn up in line, the wooden
hulk Castillo being moored fore and aft.
This was the strongest possible position that
the fleet could have occupied in the bay.
The ships were supported by the forts at
Cavite. and the very shallow water around
Cavite rendered it impossible for the Amer
lean vessels to approach them closely. AT
a range of 5000 yards the Spanish ships and
forts opened fire on the United States fleet,
Put the Shells fell far 9gt Of rr range O. the
fleet drew slowly nearer to the Spanish
squadron, undeterred by the tremendous
fusillade of the Spanards. When the range
had been lessened from 5000 to 500 yards
the flagship Olympia opened fire, and as the
Baltimore and other ships filed past they
maintained a steadyffire from their six-inch
and eght-inch guns. The American ships
Unanswered in line and sent broadsde after
broadsde into the Spanish fleet.
A WHITE ENSIGN oHOISTED.
About 1880 o'clock, the fire from the Span
iards having been very considerably quoted,
the order was hoisted to stop firing. From
about $3.50 o'clock the previous evening till
then the men had been on duty at the guns
and had received no refreshments but cups
of coffee. At II o'clock the American fleet
renewed the attack, and, i'm about an hour
and a half a white ensign was hoisted at
Cavite The lighter draught vessels and
pinnaces of the American fleet and large
number of tugboats and launches cap
tured in the harbor steamed into Cavite
harbor shortly after the surrender, and the
wounded men who were left behind in shlps
and others picked out of the water were
conveyed to the hospitals al Cavite ana also
to Manila city. The Spanish had taken
away most of their dead and buried Some
of them, but next day while parties were
searching around the naval aIs Rs, tbe al
full stencil to a large heap or putreIyins
bodies, some of which had been horribly
mangled by American shells.
THE Olympia had a narrow escape from
torpedoes Two torpedo launches which lay
in wait off Cavite attempted to run in with
torpedoes against the Olympia, and there
were some trying moments for the crew or
that ship. The shells from the big guns
were unable to reach such small objects as
they rapidly approached. When WITHIN Sog
yards of the flagship the second batteries
df the Olympia sent in perfect hail OF SIX
pound shells. smashing up the Leading
launch and killing all on board and driving
the second launch back on the beach with
twelve shot holes through her. Her boat
was afterwards found covered with blood.
THE Petrol and Concord. being of lighter
draught than the remainder of the fleet,
they sailed into shallow water and sunk or
destroyed all the small gunboats which re-
manned of the Spanish fleet. There were
eleven Spanish war vessels and two torpedo
boats sunk or destroyed at Cavite, and the
loss of life is variously stated. AS far s
can be learned, however, a fair estimate
puts the Spanish losses at 400 dead and
about 600 wounded. After the American
ships had retired from action ringing cheers
were raised from each of the ships.
Notwithstanding the VIGOROUSLY bad
been many shots in the vigorous cannonade
which got pretty near their mark. and many
stories are told regarding the number of
aim Of the Spaniards' smaller guns was
more within range than the guns of heavier
calber. The flagship Olympia was pierced
by numerous seVen-pound shots Had the
firing of the big guns been as accurate rs
that of the United States ships, which are
not armored vessels, they would have Jared
rather badly.
CHAPLAIN NARROWLY ESCAPES
1.-THE wardroom of the Olympia was
turned into a sick bay, and the chaplain
and some others who were on duty there
had a narrow escape. They We're watching
the progress of the fight through large port
holes when a seven-pounder. nred at 5000
yards range, exploded against the side of
the ship. The chaplain received few
scratches. At range of 1900 yards this
shell would have exploded in the wardroom
and done tremendous damage.
THE day of the fight was perfectly
beautiful Sunday. an ideal first of May. The
sky was clear. the sun was pouring down
its scorching rays, and the bay was like
a large blue lagoon AS the sun went down
in the west it showed up the poor battered
bulls and withered tunnels and masts of the
Spanish ships. Far away on Bacoor shore,
the Isa de Mindanao destroyed by the
Concord. sent up a huge volume of smoke.
broken from time to time by myriads of
sparks and long tongues of flame as
bulkhead after bulkhead collapsed and the
fire spread from stem to stern At Cavite
the wooden hull of the old Castillo burnt
and smoldered long into the night. sending
up into the midnight air lurid glare, be-
side which all other CONGREGATIONS. with the
terng flashlights.
The gradual destruction of the arsenal
was a long-drawn out series of pyrotechnics
About o'clock a tremendous explosion oc-
CURED. the flames shooting up into the air
about 100 feet and for many seconds after
loud numerous roar Travelled across the
bay. 1t was a fine spectacle. terrible in its
exemplification of the disastrous effects of
modern warfare. The Maine disaster had
been terribly avenged
The Spanish admiral. when the Reina
Christina caught fire, transferred his flag
to the Isla de Cuba. Finding the American
fire too hot he considered 1t useless to
further expose the lives of his men and gave
the signal, 'Scuttle and abandon None OF
the Spanish vessels struck its colors. All
went down with the proud flag of CASTLE
flying at the main. Commodore Dewey haC
not even the satisfaction of capturing his
the arsenal when the bomhardment OF
Cavite occurred. With the remainder of his
officers and men the admiral, who had beer
slightly wounded in the left thigh by an iror
splinter. escaped by the road to Manila.
"A survey of the remnants of the Spanish
ships after their surrender revealed sight