The herald., 1898-08-07

out the military tops of one or the cruisers
and a minute or two later could see the snip
itself high up on the beach-and also
burning. And then we saw that there was
another vessel there, and sure enough,
further up, also on the beach, ana also on
fire, was another, exactly like the hrst.
The two were the Infanta Maria Teresa ana
the Oquendo. We could see men in crowds
on their forecastes, the fire being all aft.
A mana Notwithstanding came
alongside us about this time and yelled
"Picka up!' but we only threw him life
preserver. and a second man whom we
passed in the water soon afterward got
only a wooden shellcase; but there were
two more ships ahead and we could not
stop.
But, as 1t proved. the two ships were safe
enough. and on we chased after the two
still ahead, with the Indiana. Iowa, Texas.
Oregon and Brooklyn before us, in that
order, the Indiana being nearest to us.
One Spanish ship, which proved to be tho
Vizcaya. was hopelessly headed OK and
taking the fire of two or three of our ves-
sells, while we cut off all chance of he~
escape. She, too was afire, and after
running a mile or two more she headed for
the shore full tilt and ran aground when
we were two miles away, right off Gu
ban town. where there 1900 Cuban
troops. BY the time we were mile away
we could see boats pulling for the shore
and rows of swimmers making for the
beach, while the Indiana and Iowa came
in close after the Spanish ship. The In.
diana was sent back to her station Oft
Moro, the Iowa was left to pick up the
Spaniards. while we. with never a stop,
went on after the Cristobal Colon, which
was hull down below the horizon, with the
Brooklyn. Oregon and Texas and the little
yacht Vixen hot after her. She was the
only one that got through our line. We
saw one nice little example of Cuban nrav-
rf,,I ,,,;.l
gentle, abused Cuban soldiers whom we are
hght1ng for were on the beach shooting
every Spaniard that came within range, so
that swimmers and boats had to turn back
to the ship. And that ship blew up early.
We saw dozen small explosions and finally
one big one that tore the after part of the
ship to bits. The Iowa sent a boat, and
torpedo boat also went in, and those Gu
bans stopped their butchery in short order
under the persuasion of their guns. And,
by the way, that mutilation story about our
marines is untrue One was killed with
a machete and naturally had couple Of
bad looking cuts. The other was shot
thirty or forty times, but neither was mu-
tilated, was given out.
We had long chase before the retreat
sounded, and we all went about our busi-
ness, leaving everything at the guns so
that we could fire in second. We had
been putting on boiler after boiler, and
NNlC tediiHS dloHS ds last as we CUuu WltH
our dirty bottom and only two engines, and
we could not stop to couple on the other
two. don't know where the morning went.
but after watching the chase what seemed
like a very few minutes, it was time for
lunch. So down we went, and it was very
happy crowd. can tell you. We were sure
then we would catch the Cristobal Colon, as
the Oregon and Brooklyn could head her
off. | didn't stay al table very long, but
went up to watch the chase again. About
o'clock we saw the Colon give up and
head for the shore. We then went to quar-,
ters again. but she never fired another shot:
merely hauled down her flag and ran the
boat on the beach. We were there almost
as soon as the Oregon and Brooklyn. All
our boats went for prisoners, and then tho
Resolute. an ammunition supply boat came
up from behind and all the prisoners were
sent to her except the captain of the
Colon and second admiral of the Spanish
fleet, who came to us. 1t was a big Job
getting them off, and wish we had done
something to them. They broke valves in
their ship that let in the water, so that she
gradually filled and now she is sunk to the
bottom. They also disabled all their guns
to throwing their truck mechanisms over.
board. That is distinctly against the rules
of war, and the captain could be hanged for
allowing it.
1t was awful to see that beautiful big ship
settle hour after hour. When our men got
on board the engine rooms were so badly
flooded that they could not find the valves
that had been opened, though probably 1t
would have done no good, as they proba-
bly, had been broken so that they couldn't
have been closed. After the Spanish cap-
tain and second admiral came on board the
New York. I went over in boat to get
their belongings. I found a gang from the
Oregon loading the prisoners to send them
to the Resoute. l went all through the
ship and got couple Of bayonets for SOU
venrs. When I had load of the captains
clothes I came back here and it was din
ner time. then had hopes that they would
stop the leaks and float the Colon off. Mr..
Porter promised | should go on her prize
crew, which would have meant a trip to
New York or Norfolk. But that was not
to be. A little later we could see she was
sinking. Then about dark she slid off the
rocks into deep water and the signal came
over that she was afloat, but sinking rap
idly.
All our boats We're hustled over to get
everybody off. Both the Colon's anchors
were let go, and the New York pushed her
on shore, where she sank again till her up
per deck was three feet out of water and
her bow (when lefO still afloat. She Just
went down little at time until she rest
ed on the bottom. 1t was 1890 when finally
got back to the ship.-New York Sun.