Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-05-04
BATTLE OF MANILA.
We've Met the Spanish and
They Are Ours.
DEWEY WHIPS SHIPS AND FORTS.

Glorious Victory, Gallantly Won by Men
Who Know How to Fight-spanish
Fought Bravely, But Neither They Nor
Their Ships Were Any Match For the
Americans.
News reached America on Sunday
of glorious victory won by Admiral
Dewey over the Spanish fleet and forts
at Manila, Philippine islands.
The first news was from Spanish
sources exclusively. 1t was cabled
bv Spanish officials at Manila TO Mad
rid, and given out from there. The
reports were conflicting. One story
had it that the Americans had been
defeated. But in the other stories
there was enough of detail to lead to
the conclusion that the Spanish fleet
had suffered terribly, and that the
Americans had won a complete victo.
ry. Later details from British official
sources, published in the Associated
Press dispatches to the papers of Tues
day morning, sustain all that was
believed by the Americans, and indi-
cate more.
The American fleet included seven
fighters, a collier and a supply vessel.
The fighters were as follows: Olym,
pia, Baltimore, Boston, Raleigh, Mono,
cacy, Concord, Petrol and revenue
cutter McCulloch. The most power
full vessel of the fleet is Commodore
Dewey's flagship, the Olympia. She
is a protected cruiser of $500 tons,
and has four S-inch rifles, ten 5-inch,
fourteen 6.pounders, and some smaller
machine guns.
The Spanish fleet consisted OF the
Reina Marie Cristina, Costilla, Nalasco,
Don Antonio De Ulloa, Don Juan De
Austria, General Leo, FL Cano, Mar
ques Del Duero, Isla De Cuba, lsla DE
Luzon, Isla De Mindarao and Com
pania Trans. Atlantic. The first ship
mentioned was the flagship, and the
best of the fleet. 1t was an ordinary
cruiser of $500 tons, and carried Sin
6.2.inch guns, two 2.7-inch guns and
several machine guns.
Though fewer in number, the Amer
lean fleet far outclassed that of the
Spaniards, and in anything like a fail
fight could easily sweep the Spanish
fleet from the sea. But it happened
that this was not a fair fight. The
Spanish ships were in the harbor O
Manila. The entrance of the harbol
was protected by forts, and there were
Notifications at different points on the
shore, all mounting heavy Spanish
guns.
1t had been given out beforehand
that all the entrances to the harbOl
had been mined against the American
fleets; but according to the mos,
credible accounts published Tuesday
morning, in the dark hours of the
night, Commodore Dewey's flagship
The Olympia, followed by the Boston
Raleigh, Concord, Monocacy and Pet
rel, slipped by the forts, and before
the Spaniards knew their danger, were
well into the harbor.
The booming of the guns OF tht
forts had already announced the arrl
val of the American vessels, and Com
modore Dewey lost no time in pitch
ing into the Spanish ships. All ac
counts so far agree that the Spanish
fought bravely, and the forts gave
them great assistance. The battle
lasted for about four hours, during
which time the Americans were lam
ming it not only to the Spanish fleet
but also had to give attention to tht
shore batteries.
Early in the fight, the Reina Marie
CriStina, Admiral Montcjo's flagship
caught fire, aud the admiral had t,
transfer his flag to the lsla dc Cuba
The Reina Marie Cristina went dowl