The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1898-07-15

but to the eastward of his ship lay the
burning wrecks Of his two Destroy
ers.
The torpedo boat Ericsson was seen
coming along with the New York.
The Oquendo was helpless. The In
diana and the Iowa were closing in,
and shell after shell burst above and
aboard the Vizcaya.
Eulate hoisted a white flag as his
ship went ashore, to save the remnant
Of his men, and simultaneously up
went a flag of white on the Oquendo,
and down came the flag of Spain.
An hour and a half had elapsed since
Cervera left the harbor, and of the five
vessels which came out, only his flag
ship was still in action. The Moro
battery still stormed impotently at the
New York.
The American army, with 1900 dead
and wounded, was not yet in Santiago,
but Cervera's feet was destroyed, and
Cervera himself was only struggling
on because he wished TO make his de-
feat glorious in the eyes of the attentive
world.
He had proved, at least, that he was
not bottled up SO tightly as was sup
posed. He had lost four vessels, and
perhaps more than half his men, but
his pennant was still flying and some
of his guns were still in action.
Cervera passed the bay in which the
Oquendo had sought refuge and held
on a due westward course close TO h
land. but evidently nourishing the des-
perate hope that he might break
through the line and reach free water.
He had passed in succession the In
diana. the Iowa and the Texas, not to
speak of the little Gloucester, which
spouted s%ix-pound shells at him. Since
his flag appeared outside the harbor
his ship had been struck again and
again.
BY this time the vizcaya and the
Oquendo were practically beaten, but
in spite of the IL and l3-inch shells
that were rained upon him at a range
which was very short for such guns. in
spite of the fact that his boilers and
machinery were damaged, he held his
course.
From n point a mile west of the Moro
the Cristobal Colon was invisible FREE
~qucntly in low hanging smoke from
her own runs, and also that which
drifted in shore from the b~attleships.
Clearly now il might nave been bet
ter il they had moved in circles and
given battle under the Santiago bat
: ~teries. who's aid would nave lessened
the ODDS against them, but the Span
iards. through splendid strategy, had
not been headed off until the batteries
c could no longer train their guns on our
r fleet.
; At 1890 Cervera saw the Oregon cut
p ting in shore ahead of him to round
. hun to. The moke was very thick.
Y The firing was incessant. Cerverais
available guns were no longer well
served. Shells had set fire to his ship
S nera the stern, and the flames were con-
p trolled with difficulty, but the Spanish
u admiral altered his course and headed
off from the coast as IL to attempt to
pass between two ships and run for
it.
1t was impossible. The Iowa and
the Texas were already moving Town
n to, close the gap, and the Spanish flag
a ship. rakcd by the Oregon and tho
a Brooklyn at from 1000 to 1910 yards,
and by the Iowa and the Texas at
longer range, turned in shore again
and ran for the rocks, where the surf
a. was breaking.
, He still replied occasionally, and !
wondered when the smoke hid his ship.
~ IL he would be afioat when il lifted.
=. The Golden Rod, leaving the burning
cruisers on the beach. bore at full
= speed ON the Iowa as she closed in on
" the doomed admiral. could still dis
Germ the Spanish flag from time to
- time as the smoke drifted away and
I. the flash OF a gun at intervals proved
- that the Spaniard was consistently
= following the idea which led him ia
= Quit the harbor-which was TO make q
glorious end.
But his ship moved slowly now, as 1t
disabled. and in a few minutes more
his guns were silent. Black smoke
"a replaced the swirling white. The
=, flagship was afiame. Her men had
- beer unable either to work the guns
~ or smother the flames caused by burst
:. ing shells, and she was headed for the
rocks.
-, She STRUCK bow on and rested there.
r.. Red flames burst through the black
"a smoke, and soon a pillar of cloud rose
straight up a thousand feet and then
,rs bent against the green mountain
elk Cervera's ship was hopelessly lost
The American battleships ceased firing
10 before she struck and ran In, apparent>
he ly with the intention Of saving tue
ht. survivors as prisoners