The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1898-07-06
CAPT. SAMPSON.
United States Navy.
States navy.

The American victory is complete
and, according to the best informa-
tion obtainable at this time, the
American vessels were practically un-
touched and only one man was killed,
though the ships were subjected to
the heavy fire of the Spaniards all
the time the battle lasted.
Admiral Cervera on Sunday made
as gallant dash for liberty and for
the preservation of his ships as has
ever occurred in the history of naval
warfare. In the face of overwhelm-
ing odds, with nothing before him but
inevitable destruction or surrender,
If 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 ex-
pected him to 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 American gun
trained upon his vessels
The Americans saw him the mo-
ment he left the harbor and COM
menced their work of destruction i'm
mediately. For an 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.
At no time did the Spaniards show
any indication that they intended to
do otherwise 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
were on fire. But they turned their
heads toward the shore, less than a
mile away, and ran them on the beach
and rocks, where their destruction
was soon completed. The officers and
men on board then escaped 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
captors. who not only extended to
them the hand of American chivalry,
but sent them guard to protect
them from the bands of Cuban
soldiers hiding in the Bush on the
hillside, eager to rush down and at
tack the unarmed, defeated, but
valorous foe.
One after another of the Spanish
ships became the victims of the awful
rain of shells which American battle
Ships cruisers and gunboats poured
upon them, and two hours after the
first of the fleet had started out of
Santiago harbor, three cruisers and
two torpedo boat destroyers were
lying on the shore ten to fifteen miles
west of MORO 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
occurred every few minutes, sending
curls of dense white smoke hun
dred feet in the air and causing a
shower of broken iron and steel to
fall in the water on every side.
Admiral Cervera escaped to the
shore in boat sent by the Glouces-
ter to the assistance of the Infanta
Maria Teresa and as soon as he touch
ed the beach he surrendered himself
and his command to Lieut.. Morton
and asked to be taken on board the
Gloucester, together with several of
his officers, including the captain of
the flagship. The Spanish admiral,
who was wounded in the arm, was
taken to the Gloucester and was re-
ceived at her gangway by her com
mander, Lieut.. Commander Vain
right, who grasped the hand of the
gray-bearded admiral and said to
him:
81 congratulate you. sir, upon hav-
ing made as gallant fight as was ever
witnessed on the sea-"
Lieut.. Commander Wainwright then
placed his cabin at the disposal of the
Spanish officers.
At that time, the Spanish flagship
and four other Spanish vessels had
been aground and burning for two
hours, and the only one of the escap-
ing feet which could not be seen at
this point was the Cristobal Colon.
But half dozen curls of smoke far
down on the western horizon showed
the fnte that was awaiting her.
The Cristobal Colon was the fastest