The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1898-07-14
pedo boats was sounded and two


cred in the starboard quarter at a
distance OF 1000 yards. Fire was
at once opened on them with the bat
terry and 12-inch shell cut the stern
of one des troyer squarely of.
'As the shell struck small torpe-
do boat fred back at the 5attleship,
sending a shell within few feet of
my bead ] said to Executive Officer
Rodgers. That little chap has got
lot OF cheek Rodgers shouted
back. 's,he shoots very well, all the
same
"Well up among the advancing
cruisers, splitting shots at one and
then another; was the little Glouces-
ter, sh ootipg first ut Il cruiser and
then at II torpedo boat and hitting
a head wherever she saw it. The
marvel was that she was not destroy
ed by the rain OF shells.
Gin tile meantime the Fi2caya was
slowly drawing abeam to the Iowa
and for the space OF fifteen minutes
it was give and take between the two
ships. The Vi2caya fred rapidly,
but wildly, not one shot taking effect
on the Iowa, while the shells from
the Iowa were tearing big rents in
the SIDES OF the Vizcaya. As the lat
ter passed ahead Of the Iowa she came
under the murderous fire OF the Ore
gon. At this time the Infanta Maria
Teresa and the Almirante 0quendo,
leading the enemy's column, were
seen to be heading for the beach and
in flames. The Texas, Oregon and
Iowa pounded them numerically.
They ce asad to reply to the fire and
in few moments the Spanish cruis-
ers were a mass of flames and on the
rocks with their colors down, the
Teresa flying white flag at the fore.
1.-The crews of the enemy's ships
stripped themselves and begani Jump
ING overheard and some of the small
er magazines began to explode.
Meantime the Brooklyn and the
Cristobal Colon were exchanging
compliments in lively fashion at APP
parently longrange, and the Oregon,
with her locomotivespeed, was hang
ing well on the Colon, also paying
attention to the NizcaYa. The Te-
resa and the Oquendo were in flames
on the beach just twenty minutes
after the first shot was fred. Fifty
minutes after the first shot was fired
the Vizcaya put her helm to port
with a great burst OF fame from the
after part of the ship and headed
slowly for the rocks at Acerraderos,
where she found her last resting
place.
"As it was apparent that the Iowa
could not possibly catch the Cristo-
bal Colon and that The Oregon and
Indiana undoubtedly would, and as
the fast New York was also on her
trail, ! deci ded that the calls OF hui
mainly should be answered and at
tentiYn given to the twelve or fifteen
hundred Spanish officers and men
who had struck their colors. there
fore headed for the wreck of the Viz
caya, now burning furiously fore
and aft. When was in as
far as the depth OF water
would admit, | lowered all my
boats and sent them at once to the
assistance of the unfortunate men,
who were being drowned by dozens
or roasted on the decks. Isoon dis
covered that the insurgent Cubans
from the shore were shooting on men
who were struggling in the wa ter
after having surrendered to us.
| immediate ly put q stop to this.
"My boat crews worked manfully
and succeeded in succeeded in saving
many OF the wounded from the burn
ing ship. One man who will be
recommended for promotion clam
bered up the side OF the Vizcaya and
saved three men from burning to