The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-17
ESTABLISHED 1865.

| tlde 1lOated her OF. Then the two
boats put back and reported to the
Wilmington.
The purpose in making sure of
this passage was to get at those gun
boats. Therefore, al oIt | o'clock in
the s:fternoon the three ships started
up the bay, the Winslow to tho east,
the Wilmington in the centre and
tho Hudson to tho west. When
they came within about mile and a
half of the city ono of the Spanish
gunboats could be plainly seen lying
alongside the wharf among lot of
shipping. The Winslow was ordered
by Commander Todd to run in and
cut her out Of the other ships with
the heavier guns of the other Ameri-
cans standing by to prote ct her from
the weak armament of tho gunboat
So Lieut.. Bernadou went steaming
ahead, with the Hudson next behind
and the Wilmington OUTSIDE. There
was no thought of real danger, be-
cause no batteries were known to
exist at that point.
When within 1000 yards of the
longed-for prize tho mon noticed
hobbing about them number of red
buoys: which were thought to mark
chann.i, but this error was seri-
Gus ono. They were range buoys.
put there fos the guidance of bat
terry masked on jutting point u
little to the left of whe tho Span
ish gunboats lay, and now these guns,
six 1O.pounders, opened fire. The
very first shot struck among the buoys
and tue next tore through the 1limsy
hull of the torpedo boat, wrecking
the stoam steering gear forward and
rendering the boat unmanageablc.
The trap had caught its victim. The
decoy gunboat had lured the fierce
little fighter to within range of the
guns put there on the point, proba-
bly, under cover of night. Tho red
buoys marked tho range. She could
not escape, and many sholls were
falling all around and upon her. It
was Il fight then to the death, and
ihe threo little 1 Founders of tho
Winslow began to belch back their
missiles at tho gunbout, which was
adding its share to the firing.
Again and again the shells crash
ed into the Winslow. A splinter
flying from the deck struck the brave
commander Of the littlo craft just be-
low the groin in the right leg. He
wrapped towel about it, using an
empty one e-pound shell for tourni-
quet and went on with his duty as
commander When he found that
his steam steering gear was gone he
rushed aft to arrange the hand gear.
A shot wrecked that too. AS no
turned q water tender came from be
low and reported that tho forward
boiler had been pierced. Steam was
already pouring out of the matches
and the mon were coming from be-
low. Another shot and the port en-
gine was wrecked. Then went the
forecastle gun. But still the brave
men kept pumping away with their
two remaining 1-pounders. Help
WAS coming, for the Hudson was
steaming in at full speed, and the
Willnington's 4-inch guns were
dropping shells all about the mur-
derous battery ashore.
Amidships, near tho ammunition
stand, was Ensign Bagloy calling
down to the engineer to back and GO
ahead with his one remaining engine
in his effort to spoil the Spaniards'
aim. All the electrical contrivances
we're wrecked, so the orders were by
word Of mouth. BY tho Ensign were
working half dozen of his mon. Nc
one had yet been killed, although
the craft had been riddled through
and through. Then came tho fatal
shell. 1t struck squarely on the
deck little aft of amidships and ex.
ploded rs it fell. Tho Hudson was
then SO close that her crew could
hoar the words of the men as they
went to their death.
"Save mo! Save mer shouted
one poor fellow, with his face al
torn, as he staggered back and al
but fell into the sea. Some one