Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-07-08
A Hurricane Of Shot and Shell
Poured Into His Vessels by
!, SIMPSONS Fleet.
All Save One Are Beached and Sunk
Fate of the Latter Is Not
Known.
iCervera's Sailors Assisted to Shore by
Americans-The Admiral ane
1000 Men Prisoners.

Ten Miles West of the Entrance of tho
Harbor of Santiago de Cuba, Sunday, July
3, by the Dispatch Boat Wanda to Port An
tonic. Jamaica. via Kingston. Jamaica,
July 5-Admiral Cervera's fleet, consisting
of the armored cruisers Cristobal Colon,
tAlmirante Oquendo, Pnfanta Maria Teresa
and Vizcaya and two torpedo boat de-
lstroyers. the Furor and the Pluton. which
had been held in the harbor of Santiago
de Cuba for six weeks past by the combined
squadrons of Rear Admiral Sampson and
Commodore Schley. lies at the bottom OF
the Caribbean sea off the southern coast
OF Cuba. The Spanish admiral Is pris-
oner Of war on the auxiliary gunboet
Gloucester formerly Mr.. ]. Pierpont Nor
cams yacht CorsaiD and 1000 to 900 other
Spanish officers and sailors. all who es-
capped the frightful carnage caused by tbs
shells from the American warships, are
also held prisoners of war by the United
States navy.
a Only One American Killed.
The American victory is complete and,
according to the best information at this
time, the American vessels We're prac-
tlca1ly untouched, and only one man was
killed. though the ships We're subjected to
the heavy fire of the Spaniards all the time
the battle lasted
Admiral Cervera made as gallant dash
for liberty, and for the preservation of his
ships Sunday morning as has ever occurred
In the history of naval warfare, In the
face OF overwhelming odds. with nothing
before him but inevitable destruction or
surrender II he remained any longer in the
trap In which the American fleet held him,
he made bold dash from the harbor at
the time the Americans least expected him
ito do SO, and. fighting every inch of his
way. even when his ship was ablaze and
sinking. he tried to escape the doom which
was written on the muzzle of every Amer
lean gun trained upon his vessels.
Americana Open Fire.
The Americans saw him the moment he
left the harbor and commenced their worl,
of destruction Immediately. For en- hour
or two they followed the flying Spaniards
to the westward along the shore line, send
ing shot after shot into their blazing hulls
tearing great holes in their steel sides and
covering their decks with the blood of the
Killed and wounded.
Pluck of the Spnniards.
At no time did the spaniards show any In.
dication that they intended to do other
wise than fight to the last. They showed
no signals to surrender even when their
ships commenced to sink, and the great
clouds Of smoke pouring from their sides
showed they We're on fire. But they turned
their heads towards the shore. less than
a mile away. and ran them on the beach
and rocks. where their destruction was
soon completed.
American Cbtvnlry Displayed
The officers and men on board then es-
capped to the shore as well as they could.
with the assistance of boats sent from the
American men-of-war, and then threw
themselves upon the mercy of their CAP
tors, who not only extended to them the
gracious hand of American chiyalrv hut
sent them guard 10 protect them from
the murderous bands of Cuban soldiers hid
ing in the bush on the hillside, eager TO
rush down and attack the unarmed. de-
Ieated. but valorous foe.
Destruction of the Fleet.
! One after another of the Spanish ships be-
came the victims of the awful rain of shells
which the American battleships poured nm
on them, and two hours after the first of
the fleet had started out of Santiago harbor
three cruisers and two torpedo boat de-
,stroyers were lying on the shore ten to
iffteen miles west of Zorro castle, pounding
TO pieces, smoke and fame pouring from
every part of them and covering the entire
coast line with mist which could be seen
for miles.
Heavy explosions of ammunition oc
CURED every few minutes sending curls of
dense white smoke hundred feet in the
htr and causing q shower of broken .ro,,
and steel 10 fall in the water on every
Side. The bluffs on the coast line echoed
with the roar of every explosion. and the
Spanish vessels sank deeper and deener
ditto the sand, or else the rocks ground
their hulls to pieces as they rolled or
pitched forward or sideways with every
wave that washed upon them from the
open sea.
Cervern's Surrender.
Admiral cervera escaped to the shore
IN boat sent by the Gloucester to The
assistance of the Infapta Maria Teresa.
and as soon as he touched the beach he
surrendered himself and his command to
Lieut.. Morton, and asked to be taken on
board the Gloucester which was the only
American vessel near him at the time, with
several of his officers. including the cap
tain of the flagship The Spanish ad-
mlral, VINO was wounded In the arm, was
taken to the Gloucester, and was received
at her gangway by her commander, Lien
tenant Commander Richard Wainwright
who grasped the hand of the gray bea rded
Admiral, and said to him: II congratulate
you, sir. upon having made as gallant a
hight as was ever witnessed ON the sea-,
Lieutenant Commander Wainwright then
placed his cabin at the disposal of rho
Spanish officers.
The Spaniards, when they found they
would be permitted to live, adapted them
selves comfortably 10 the situation, rolled
their cigarettes and began playing cards
among themselves.
CristObal Colon Chased.
At that time the Spanish flagship and
four other Spanish vessels had been
aground and burning for two hours. and
tho only one of the escaping fleet which
could not be seen at this point was the
Cristobal Colon. But half a dozen curls Of
smoke far down on the western horizon
showed the fate that was awaiting her.
The Cristobal Colon was the fastest of the
Spanish ships, and she soon obtained a
lead over the others after leaving the
lharbor, and escaped the effect of the shots
which destroyed the other vessels. She
steamed away at great speed with the
Oregon. New York. Brooklyn and several
other ships in pursuit. all of them firing at
her constantly and receiving fire them
selves from her after guns.
"Fishting Bob's" Prediction.
+, There seemed no possibility whatever for
her escape, and, while her fate Is not def
tnitsly known at this hour. 1t can be readily
imagined from the words Of Capt. Robley
D.Eyens.of the Iowa. who returned from the