The Wadsworth dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1892-1899, 1898-09-03
Wadsworth Dispatch,
PUBLISHED
$500 Per Annum.
FROM TURRET
ADMIRAL cERvERA's DEFEAT REVIEW
ED 5Y CADET GRAEMG.

= Big Sheli-Eulate's Farewell to the
Vizcaya- Picking Up Naked spaniards.
Joseph Wright Graeme, a cadet on
board Fighting Bob Evans battle
ship, the Iowa, who is in charge of the
forward port turret, has sent to his IA
Their in Wilkesbarre a story of tho de-
struction Of Admiral C~ervera's feet. lie
describes the sounding of the alarm at
the appearance of the first Spanish ship,
and says that the guns were manned in
Stantly, continuing:
"a splendid, big. dark colored cruis-
er, flying a very large Spanish flag, was
coming out past MORO ut full speed. I
jumped to my rurret and saw every
thing ready in a hurry. The Spanish
ships came out in the following order,
as we afterward learned from the Viz
eaya's officers: Infanta Maria Teresa
Flagship, Vizcaya, Cristobal Colon,
Oquendo and the torpedo boat destroy
ers Pluton and Furor. The Iowa was
headed in toward MORO at about 6, 900
yards distance.
when the first ship came out, she
fred an IL inch she'll at us which passed
just owe the bridges from the bow to
the starboard quarter and struck the
water near the quarter deck. If it had
struck us, the effect would have been
terrific, as it was a raking shot. The
enemy fired a great deal Of shrapnel ut
US, and the whistling of the rife balls as
the shells burst could be heard plainly.
The two d~estroyers followed the Oquen-
do out, and they met with a warm re-
ception, l can tell you. We were only
1000 yards from the ships and even
closer to the destroyers. One Of the l2
inch shells struck the Pluton on the
port quarter. and her after part at once
blew up, a cloud of steam and splinters
going in the air. Just previous to this
both boats turned ~ if to re-enter the
harbor. but their fates were sealed. The
Pluton drifted helpless on the beach. a
flaming mass and the Furor was rid
died by 6 Founders and by shots from
the Gloucester. which ran toward them,
firing with great rapidity.
THE Oregon and Brooklyn kept up
n hot fire at the two fleeing Spaniards,
and the Texas fired an occasional long
range shot. We were too far astern to
fire at them, but we began to gain slow
ly on the Vizcaya. Our first action last
ed "a minutes, and it seemed we were
to have another taste of battle, so the
men were sent to their guns again.
EI4xraxar - xv,ap ,,Nk 70 ha f~r thn Viz
caya put her helm a-port and headed in
for the beach in q sinking condition.
She was also ON fire. Two heavy shells
had hit us on the starboard bow forward
of the armor. The water tight doors had
all been closed ut the beginning of the
action, so the leak was not serious. We
let the ships chase the Colon, and we
turned in toward the Vizcaya. We left
our guns aud the word Out all boats
was passed.
"Whil we were thus employed the
New York came astern. The men felt
SO happy it was almost impossible to
keep them quiet. They yelled and
shouted in hysterical glee. They had
licked the dons; it seemed too good to
be true. The bugler sounded Silence! l.
and the men crowded to starboard side
and waited for the flagship to pass.
When the New York passed us, Captain
Evans sang out, Three cheers for the
admiral l never heard three such
cheers in my life. The very heavens
echoed the inspiring shouts. The New
York's men manned the rail and return
ed the salute.
"We now continued hoisting out
boats, and a cutter and a whaleboat
soon got away. l slid down a rope to
the steam launch and was soo of for
the vizcaya, towing q cutter. We were
about three miles from the wreck. She
lay with her bow about northeast, just
touching bottom. for only o foot Of her
boot topping showed above water. She
was burning tieycely inside the super.
structure. and the after ports were red
with flames. While we were near the
mainmast fell with a crash, the large
military top falling across the after IL
inch barbette. The guns were popping
as the fire reached them, the shells
whistling over our heads, and by the
sharp crack or sullen boom l judged we
had u sample shot from every piece of
ordnance in the ship.
LIVERY minute or so the fire would
reach a box of rapid fire ammunition,
and an explosion very much like q
.aowerpot' would occur. thin, feathery
trails of smoke shooting far heavenward
in a dozen different directions. While
we were some distance off oven from
the Iowa QUO could See the men going
DOM the side on ropes and swimming
ashore in litilc groups. Onr first boats