Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-07-13
A LOST OPPORTUNITY.
TOrpedo-BOat was About to Fire
When the Vizcaya Struck
Her Flag.

New York, July ia special to the
Herald from Portsmouth, n H., says:
Out of the many scraps of deeds and
buds of daring" of that Dever-to-b e-for-
gotten day off Santiago the adventures
and exploits of the little torpedo-boat
Ericsson should be brought to light
The Ericsson was off Siboney when tho
Spanlards made their desperate sOrtie
and the tOrpedO-bOat went racing down
the coast line, steering straight for the
thick OF the battle. The big batteship
Indiana, the eastward guard of the
blockade squadron, was heading straight
for the entrance Of Santiago harbor in
order to block the return of the flying
fugitives in case their flight was baked
and they attempted to return
through he smoke Of her great bow
guns the Ericsson darted, plunging into
the swirling cloud of the smOke-enshroud-
er fleets. A bit on the starbOard bow a
huge hull lOomed through the mist of
bursting shells and through the whirling
white glimpse was had of the flag of
Spain, almost riddled, but still flying.
over went the helm of the torpedo-boat,
around swung the torpedO-tubes.
The long-loOked-for opportunity to sink
an enemy's ship at last was at hand.
Nearer and nearer the great hull
loomed through the smoke
AT last the mark was fair.
'.Walt for the next roll to plant the
splitting mine well under her armor belt;
stand by" was the order.
There she goes over.
Hold on, SIR" the quick hail from
forward as the order to fire is given. "She
has hauled down her colors."
And so it was. Cut to pieces by shells,
ner decks a shamble and on fire, the Viz
caya had struck her flag. Bhndly CROP
ing, she found a ledge on which to rest
her keel, and the Ericsson, intent on her
destruction moment before, came near
to rescue. Many OF the Vizcayas men
were then in the water. The flagship
Signaled the Ericsson to range near the
NlZcaya and rescue the survivors of the
how hercely-burning wreck.
In prompt obedience the Ericsson ran
rs close to the burning hulk as the heat
would permit. \ horrible sight was
there. On the port beam, off which the
| Ericsson lay, frightful wounds had been
torn in TIE vessels side. and through the
gaping oriticeS the crew of the Ericsson
| could see the men Of the Nizcaya's fire
room force being broiled alive in the
| herce names of the shell-Wrecked COM
Dartment 1t has been since learned that
| they had been battened down and had no
means of egress.
But that was not all the horror.
Swinging from boat falls were dozens of
men, who, apparently could not swim and
| VINO had been driven to those scorching
threads of life by the fierce heat of the
burning ship. The Ericsson could ap-
| Droach no nearer for fear of being dashed
! to pieces against the wreck Her men
| shouted to the WretchCd victims to iump
| but they would not or could not be made
| to understand that efforts would be made
! TO save them, and not until number of
the ErlcssOn's men made lines fast around
| their bodies and flung themselves into the
| sea did the Spaniards seem to understand.
| One by one they dropped off and some
were hauled on board the Ericsson, but
the majority were drowned. The engines
If the Nizcaya had not been stopped, and
| tour hours after she had struck they were
| faithfully thrObbing at their useless task.
| Her guns, too, had been left loaded. and
one by one these doomed requiem over
| the dying ship.
In all. the Ericsson picked up nearly
| IOO SURVIVORS. among them the Nizcaya' $
| commander, Capt. Eulate of Competitor
| tame he being the officer who ordered the
! execution of the captiyes of that vessel
All of the survivors were barefooted and
| scantily clad and thus added to the terror
Of the CHASTITY tragedy. The steel decks
of torpedo boat are uncomfortably hot
! and the barefoOted Spaniards were COM
PEELED to execute continual dance on the
| heated plates to prevent the sOles Of their
| feet from blstering. Many Of them wern
| frightfully wounded and here the grim
| seriousness OF war shuts in again.
The padre of the Vizcaya was asked by
Lieut. Usher to lend a hand in helping
the wounded, but he was unconcerrnd
about their suffering. Turning Il deaf
ear, he seated himself on a chest That
chest happened to be needed for a wound
ed man, who was writing on the heated
| deck, but the padre refused to surrender
it. Usher motioned to his muscular
young executive Ensign Edie. and the
padre vacated the chest Immediately and
with some loss of dignity.