Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1898-07-15


plies to the deter minei assault az the
Oregon, Texas and Brooklyn Bending
every 5enasgy to overtake the Colon,
which WINS then five miles away and
two miles ahead in q direct line and q
mile and half farther inshore, We
picked up the flying vizcaya. The game
Eaust have seemed up to her then, for
with quick turn to starboard she ran
shoreward, and we saw in an instant
that she was flaming fore and aft. A
beautiful Spanish flag floating from her
gait and another higher still from her
malntopmast heat showed her to be the
flagship Of the second in command.
When we drew near, we saw some
thing had gone amiss with her, for just
as we swung with touch of our helm
to give her a finishing broadside the
beautiful flags drifted from truck and
gait end and the white flag of surrender
went up, and the cheers of our ship
went with it. We stopped our engines
when close aboard and hoisted out our
boats to save her people. We received
on board $50 of her crew, the Hist took
another hundred, aud that was all that
was left Of them, for the other hapless
sailors were lying dead or wounded on
her burning decks. The condagration
aboard this ship was astounding and
even now, when the opportunity for
calm reflection has come, it is impossi-
bic to explain where so much inflam-
mable material could have been collect
ed on board an armored vessel. Through
the air ports and gun ports of the doom.
ed ship quivering fires shone with a
blood red light upon the light wood
work of the bridge and upper deck and
long tongues of fame licked the tower
ing masts. Over the ship cloud of
rosy light lowered and when, after a
time, the. explosions Of the free powder
were added great volumes of smoke
shut out the sky. Several explosions Of
terrific force followed, but notwith.
standing this, and while the flames
were still quivering through every out
let and encircling the hull, our boats
were busy with the rescue of the unfor-
tunate wounded and those more lucky
survivors who had sought the water or
the shore as their only refuge from d
dreadful death.
The glorious Texas, no longer the
"boodoo" of the feet, gave it's princi-
pal attention to the Vizcaya, and one Of
her 10 inch shells, smashing through
the fireroom Of the Spaniard, caused her
to make that quick turn to the shore
which at first we did not understand
The New York was so far to the east
ward that she had long chase and
stern chase before she got into the &C.
ton, and she passed us just after the
Vizcaya surrendered. She made splen-
did marine picture as she rushed eager
ly by in hot chase after the Colon,
and as she shot past we gave Sampson
cheer after cheer, and cheer after cheer
came back TO US from as gallant crew
as ever served gun or fed a roaring
furnace.
but finding the hostile shores command
ed by alert parties Of Cuban soldiers
they fought in mad endeavor to get
on board the ships boats rather than
surrender to an enemy whom they knew
to be pitiless. Every officer and man on
the Iowa gave clothes of some sort to
the rescued sailors, and their reception
must have taught them that the despised
Yankee was not the inhuman brute their
officers had pictured. The paymaster's
stores Of the ship were drawn on Law
ishly to clothe the Spanish officers and
men, and when after awhile they we're
dried and fed it was interesting to note
the relief all seemed to feel now that
their long suspense of SO many weary
weeks was over and done.
When the Spanish captain of the Viz
caya, that courteous Eulate of whom
we heard so much when his ship was in
the harbor of New York, was lifted over
the side and half carried ait, he pre-
sented his sword to Captain Evans as
the symbol, but Evans, gentle as he is
brave, declined to receive it, and wav-
ing it back with friendly gesture he
grasped the hand of the Spaniard and
welcomed his brother officer to the hos.
pitality of the ship. Much affected by
his reception, Captain Eulate asked per.
mission to meet the Iowa's officers, and
to each he gave warm grip Of his
hand and friendly word of gratitude
before he was carried below.
At one time the Iowa was engaged
with all the ships single handed. The
Spanish officers told us later that their
orders were to concentrate their fire on
her and every effort must be made to
disable her, as she was the most danger.
GUS antagonist of all awaiting them.
Reckoning up the data Of this mem.
orable fight, which it was our good for.
tune to take part in, we find that in
less than 25 minutes two of their ships
were wrecked; in less than three-quar-
ters of an hour the third surrendered;