The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-07-29
The Maine is Avenged.

L haYe been having JuSG Gne nnesG
luck. The u. s S. Massachusetts is
at Guantanamo cOallng and missed
the fight, while am on the Iowa and
saw and was in the fight that brings
the war about year nearer the close
than it seemed to be few days ago.
| was on picket duty Saturday night
with '9S man. We left the Massa-
chusetts at 600 p. N. and went over
to the flagship New York for orders.
We remained on the flagship until
1880 and then steamed in toward
Moro. The Massachusetts had her
searchlight playing on the entrance,
but raised it when we flashed our
signal, and we took our position to
the west of the entrance, about 200
yards from the beach. 1t was bright
moonlight, and so we could see the
old Moro fine, and I don't see why
the Spaniards didn't fire on US. l
guess our bonn bardment scared them
out, SO that they didn't want to have
it repeated by opening fire on us.
We started back at day break, but
couldn't find our ship, so We ran along
side the Iowa and were told the Mas
sachusetts had gone to GUANTANAMO
coal and we were to remain on board
until she returned. A relief crew
from The Iowa was put On board. l
| had breakfast and was about half
asleep on a transom when the bugle
sounded ''quarters," and a minute
later the gong sounded general
quarters and l heard some one yell
'Jhe ships are coming out" l got on
| deck at once. but they were already
| firing.
In the entrance Of the harbOr, L
saw three large ships steaming out,
firing as fast as they could. We
headed toward them and used our
twelve and eight inch guns to good
effect. The shells were Whlstling
over and around US and the roar from
our guns made it impossible to hear,
| had no station, so for few minutes
stood on the lee side Of an eight inch
turret. Then l went on the bridge
and acted as captains ald-passed
ranges, etc Part Of the time | looked
out for six FOUNDER and fired it once
for fun. The Spanish were sighted
at 9:35 and they headed toward the
west along the coast. The Marie
Theresa, Vlscaya, Colon, Oquendo.
Pluton and Furor is the order in
which they came out. Twelve
minutes later the Theresa and
| Oquendo were atire and headed toward
the beach with their flags down and
white flag hOisted. A twelve inch
shot from US blew up the Pluton,
while the rapid fire guns from US, the
Oregon and the Glouster set the
Furor on fire and they beached her.
We went ahead at four bells and
| kept firing at the Viscaya and Colon,
which were ia the lead. The Viscaya
soon headed toward the beach and
| hauled down her colOrs, but the
Colon, which is the fastest, continued
TO try to escape, with the Oregon,
Brooklyn and New York in chase.
| We stopped. lowered our boats and
pulled over TO the Viscaya to save the
crew. The Gloucester and Ericsson also
steamed over. Powder and shells
were bursting on the Viscaya every
minute, and it was afire all oyer ex-
cepJ the bow, where part Of the Gre W
was crowded. The rest of the crew
was swimming ashore. The boats
brought back about PIP prisoners,
many badly wounded. 1 saw one Of
ticer come over the side with with his
left arm barely hanging on. He had
nerve, for not groan did he make.
One poor fellow was hOisted on board
by a tackle hooked into a strap under
his arms. His whole left foot was
shot off, and his leg was all wounded.
One man had his thigh literally torn
to pieces and will never forget the
look on his face and the groans. He
died soon after. The captain of the
Viscaya was wounded in three places,
but not badly. When he came over
the side, he faced the Viscaya and
saluted his burning ship four times,
saying each time "Viscaya." He then
kissed his sword and offered it to
Capt. Evans, who refused to take it.
The Viscaya went ashore fifteen
miles west of Santiago, and the other
two five miles west. 1t was pretty
sight when the magazine of the
ViscaJa blew up. A cloud of smoke
rose several hundred feet high. The
Spanish preferred to come aboard
rather than go ashore, as they were
afraid of the Cubans When our
boats came, the Spanish began SWIM
ming toward them. The Viscaya
hauled down her flag about an hour
after she came out. The Iowa was
I