Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1898-07-08

On Sunday, the 3D. inst, Admiral
Cervcra's fleet, consisting OF the
armored cruisers Cristobal Colon
Almirante O1uendo, Infanta Maria
Teresa and Nizcaya, and two torpedo
boat destroyers, the Furor and PlutolA
which had been held in the harbor OF
Santiago de Cuba for six weeks past by
the combined squadrons OF Rear Adj
miral Sampson and Commodore
Schley, made a dash for liberty and
as a result lie at the bottom OF the
Caribbean sea, off the southern coast
of Cuba. The Spanish Admiral, Ger
vera, was made prisoner of war by
the auxiliary gunboat Gloucester
formerly Mr.. j. Pierpont Morgan's
yacht Corsair), and 1000 to 800 other
Spanish soldiers and sailors, all who
escaped the frightful carnage caused
by the shells from the American war
ships, were also held as prisoners of
war by the United States navy.
The American victory was complete,
the American vessels were practically
untouched, 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 made as gallant
dash for liberty and the preservation
of his ships as has occurred in the
history of naval warfare. In the face
of overwhelming odds, with nothing
before him but inevitable destruction
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 were least
him to do so, and fghing
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 them.
The Americans saw him the mo-
ment he left, and commenced the
work OF destruction Immediately. For
an hour or two they followed the fly
ing Spaniards to the westward along
the shore line, sending shot after shot
into their 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 that they were on
fire. But they turned their heads to-
ward the shore, less than a mile away,
and ran them on the beach and rocks,
where their destruction was soon COM
pleted. The officers and men on
board then escaped to the shore as
we'll 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 the gracious hand
of American chivalry, but sent them
a guard to protect them from the
murderOus hands of Cuban soldiers
hiding in the bushes ON the hillside
eager to rush down and attack the
unarmed and defeated, though valorous
foe.
One after another the Spanish ships
became the victims of the awful rain
of shells which the American battle
ships, cruisers and gunboats poured
upon them, and within two hours af-
ter 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 flame pouring from
every part of them, and covering the
entire coast line with a mist which
could be seen for miles.
1t was about 8 o'clock when the
Cristobal Colon poked her nose around
the hulk of the Merrimac, followed
closely by the flagship Infanta Maria
Teresa, the Vizcaya, Admirante Oquen-
do and the torpedo boat destroyers,
Juror and Pluton. Schley ordered
the American fleet to retire. Our
warships steamed away as if fearing
attack.
The Spaniards so considered it, for
they came out single file, and put on
all steam westward toward Havana.
Not shot was fired until the last
Spanish vessel had cleared the harbor.
This gave the Colon a long lead. The
Oregon took up the chase firing her
big bow guns.
The warning was given at once and
a rapid action along the American line
followed. A signal for full speed
ahead was running from bridge to en-
CINE room of every ship, and the entire
fleet commenced to move inshore to.
ward the Spanish, and the great twelve
and thirteen-inch guns of the battle
ships and the smaller batteries on the
other vessels fired shot after shot at
long range.
AS the ships ran in toward the
shore, it soon became evident that the
Spaniards bad not come out to make
an aggressive fight, for they turned to
the westward as soon as they had
cleared the harbOr and started on
their race for safety, at the same time
sending shots at the Americans as fast
as the men could load and fire the
guns. The Brooklyn, Massachusetts,
Texas, Oregon and Iowa were nearer
the Spaniards than any Others of the
American vessels, but still most of