The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-05-11


McCulloch, attached to Commodore Dewey's
squadron, arrived at Hong Kong on Satur-
day OF last week-while it was yet Friday
in this latitude-and at about four o'clock
on Saturday morning the Waterman on duty
at the navy department in Washington
raped loudly on the door OF the officer as
signed to all-night duty in the Office of the
chief OF the bureau of navigation. Sleepy
and out of sorts at the interruption, he took
the envelope the Waterman had brought
and on opening it became very wide-awake.
These were the words he read:
"Hong Kong, May 7.-Secnav. Washn.
McCulloch, Brumby."
To the official these orphic characters
said that the revenue cutter McCulloch had
arrived at Hong Kong from Manila, bearing
dispatches intrusted by Commodore Dewey
rotary. The officials familiar with trans
lating the secret cipher code were hastily
summoned, but they were obliged to wait
till half past nine o'clock before the de.
spatches came over the wire and were de-
livered to Secretary Long by the manager
Of the Western Union Telegraph Company
in Washington, who, realizing the import
ance of the matter, personally brought
the long awaited tidings. This is what the
cipher experts read:
'MANILA, May 1.-The squadron arrived
at Manila at dsybresk this morning. Inn
mediately engaged the enemy and de-
stroyed the following vessels: Reins Girls
tina, Castillo, Don Antonio de Ulloa, Isla
de Luzon, Isla de Cuba, General Lezo. Mar
ques del Duero, Ell Cano, Velssco, trans
port Isla de Mindanao, and one other YES
sci, and water battery at Cavite. Squad
ron is uninjured. Only few men were
slightly wounded. The only means Of tele-
graphing is to the American Consul at
Hong Kong. I shall communicate with
him. DEWEY"
"CAvITE, May Al have taken posses
sion of naval station at Cavite, Philippine
Islands, and destroyed its Notifications.
Have destroyed fortifcstion at the bay en-
trance, paroling the garrison. control the
bay completely and can take the city at any
time. The squadron is in excellent health
and spirits. The Spanish loss is not fully
known, but very heavy, 100 killed, includ-
ing Captain, on Reins Cristina alone. I
am assisting in protecting the Spanish sick
and wounded. Two hundred and fifty sick
and wounded in hospital within our lines.
Much excitement at Manila. Will protect
foreign residents, DEWEY"
Secretary Long sent this despatch to Com
modore Dewey:
1.-THE President, in the name Of the Ameri-
can people, thanks you and your officers
and men for your splendid achievement and
overwhelming victory. In recognition he
has appointed you Acting Admiral, and
will recommend vote of thanks to you by
Congress as foundation for further promo
ton"
Later in the day Geographic corrections
were made, and the list of vessels destroyed
was then given out as follows: Protected
cruisers, Isla de Cuba and Isla de Luzon
cruisers, Reina Chistins, Castillo, Don An
tonic d'Ulloa, Don Juan d'Austria and We
lasco; gunboats, Gen. Lezo, Ri Cano and
Marques del Duero, and the armed trans
port Isle de Mindanao.
Cabinet officers, Senators, people OF all
grades and conditions, in official and unof-
fetal life, thronged the department and
heard amid breathless stiffness the des-
patches read by Secretary Long, then grave
Senators led off with ringing cheers for
Dewey, and the congratulations interchang-
ed over the victory, bloodless but full OF
glory for the Americans were neither for
NAL nor perfunctory.
Among the other things said by Commo'
dore Dewey in his dispatches were that he
had plenty of coal and provisions and was
master Of the situation. He asked for
troops, and preparations for rushing infan-
try, cavalry and artillery to him are well
advanced. Every battery in the harbor is
destroyed.
In giving the details Of the fighting, the
McCulloch's officers say the feet arrived of
Corregidor island on Saturday night, April
80. The batteries on the island fred a few
shots and then became silent. Early on Sun
day morning the Spanish fleet was sighted
off Cavite, on the east side Of the bay, about
ten miles southwesterly from Manila city
About day break the engagement began.
Commodore Dewey ordered his squadron to
close in on the land batteries at Cavite and
the Spanish warships which at once opened
heavy fire. The cannonading by the
Americans was awful. all their guns. great
and small, being used.
After the fighting had lasted half an hour
the American ships were withdrawn from
the range of the smaller Spanish guns and
poured in hot fire with their big guns. The
scene in the bay is described as one of awful
magnifcence.
At an early stage in the battle. the Reina
Cristina, the Spanish flagship, received a
shell forward which set her on fire. The
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