The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-07-27
FIGHTING BOB EVANS
Tells How His Sturdy Fighters Became u
Gentle as Women After the
Victory,

The report of Captain Robley D.
Evans gives the story of the part his
vessel. the Iowa, took In the battle.
| Captain Evans describes the approach
Of the Spanish fleet from the har,bor,
and the destruction Of the torpedo boaJ
deseroyers by his vessel and the Glou-
oester. and the work done by the iowa
against the Maria Teresa, Vizcaya and
Almirante oquendo. He describes tho
damage done to his ship by spanish
shells, declaring It trifiins, and pro.
| ceeds:
At II o'clock the Iowa arrived IN the
vicinity Of the Vizcaya. which had been
run ashore. and as it was evident that
she could not catch the Cnistqbal Colon
and that the Oregon. Brooklyn and
New York would. two steam cutters
and three cutters were Immediately
holsted out and sent to the -Wiacaya to
rescue her crew. Our boats succeeded
In bringing off large number of of
ficers and men of that ships company,
and In placing many of them on board
the torpedo boat Ericsson and tho
auxiliary dispatch vessel Hist.
There are no casualties among the
ships company to report. No offlccs
nor men were injured during the en-
gagement.
After having received on board tho
rescued crew of the Nizcaya this vessel
proceeded to the eastward and resumed
the blockading station, In obedlenos
to the signal made by the commander
in-chief about II 30
We received on board this vessel Ono.
tain Eulate. the commanding ofiloer.
land % officers together with about as
petty officers and men, of whom ~
were wounded. There were also re-
ceived on board Ave dead bodies. which
were Immediately buried with tho
honors due to their grade.
The battery behaved well in all re.
spects.
The following IS an approximate
statement Of the ammunition ,expenasd
during the engagement A more ex-
act statement cannot be given at this
time: 81 u inch semi-A. p. shells, with
full charges: IS eight inch common
shell, with full charges; ISL four iRvA
cartridges. common shell: 1858 STA
FOUNDER cartridges, common shell; lot
one FOUNDER cartridges common shell.
Upon arriving on the ,blpakadtpa
station the Gloucester transferred 10
this vessel Rear Admiral .Carvera, ,his
nag lieutenant, and the eoH,mandt,A
officers Of the torpedo boat destroyals
Euror and Pluton, and also one man OF
the Oquendos Grew rescued by th.
Gloucester.
Naval Cadets Frank Taylor Evans
nntl John Z. Lewis, and FIVE men be
longing to fths Massachusetts were son
board the Iowa when the epemy;s ship,
game out. They were stationed at die.
feRent points. and rendered ,efiicien,
service.
The officers and men OF this shin
behaved admirably. No lot of mar
y uld have done more gallant service.
l take pleasure 10 stating ITO yon, air
hat the GOODNESS and judgment of tho
Executive officer, LIEUTENANT Conn
nahder Raymond p. Rodgers, deserves,
md will. hope, receive Il proper re-
ward at the hands of the gpvennment.
he test of the executive oftioers work
; tie CONDUCT Of ship and crew In bat
le. In this case it was simply superb.
llhe ,coohiaSs 'of 'she navigator LieSbA
annnt w. II. SGhIet2e and Of Lieuten
mt L. X. Hill in charge of the rapid
re guns on the upper leck, Arc
'otthy Of the greatest commentator,
Other officers of the ship did not
ONE under my personal observation.
ut the result Of the action shows how
ell they did their duty.
cannot express my admiration for +
~ magnificent crew. So lopg as tins
nemy showed his nag they SQught,
ke Americans but when tho flag canai
)Wn they ware az gentle and .tenderi