Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1898-07-15

was the order on the Texas, and in an
instant a hail Of shot was pouring all
about them. A 6 FOUNDER from the
starboard battery Of the Texas, under
Ensign Gise, struck the foremost tor
pedo boat fairly in the boiler. A rend-
ing sound was l,eard above the roar of
battle. A great spout Of black smoke
shot up from that destroyer, and she was
out of commission. The Iowa, which
was c2sHing up fast. threw a few COM
plimentary shots at the second torpedo
boat destroyer and passed on. The little
Gloucester, formerly ]. Pierpont Nor
CAMS yacht Corsair, then sailed in and
finished the second boat.
Gun for gun and shot for shot the
running fight was kept up between the
Spanish cruisers and the four American
vessels. At 1890 o'clock the Infanta<
Maria Teresa and Vizcaya were almost
on the beach and were evidently in dis
tress. AS the Texas was firing at them
a white flag was run up on the one
nearest her.
"Cease firing, - called Captain Philip,
and moment later both the Spaniards
were beached. Clouds of black smoke
! arose from each, and bright flashes OF
fame could be seen shining through the
! smoke. Boats were visible putting out
from the cruisers to the shore. The
Iowa waited to see that the two war
ships were really out of the fight, and
it did not take her long to determine
that they would never fight again. The
Iowa herself had suffered some very
! hard knocks.
The Brooklyn, Oregon and Texas
pushed ahead after the Colon and AL
mirante Oquendo, which were now run
ming the race of their lies along the
| coast. At 1850 o'clock when Admiral
| Cervera's flagship, the Almirante
| Oquendo, suddenly headed inshore she
! had the Brooklyn and Oregon abeam
and the Texas astern. The Brooklyn and
Oregon pushed on after the Cristobal
Colon, which was making fine time and
which looked as if she might escape,
leaving the Texas to finish the Ami
rante Oquendo This work did not
take long. The Spanish ship was already
burning. At l1:05 o'clock down came a
yellow and red flag at her stern. just
as the Texas got abeam OF her she was
shaken by a mighty explosion.
The crew of the Texas started to
cheer. Don't cheer, because the poor
devils are dying" called Captain Philip
and the Texas left the Almirante Oquen-
do to her fate to join in the chase Of the
Cristobal Colon. That ship in despera-
| ton was blowing the waters at a rate
that caused the fast Brooklyn trouble
The Oregon made great speed for a. bat.
tleship, and the Texas made the effort
Of her life. Never since her trial trip
had she made such time.
1t would never do to allow even one
Of the Spanish ships to get away
Straight into the west the strongest
chase of modern times took place. The
Brooklyn headed the pursuers. She
stood we'll out from the shore in order
to try to cut off the Cristobal Colon at
a point jutting out into the sea far
ahead. The Oregon kept middle course
about a mile from the cruiser. The des-
perate don ran close along the shore,
and now and then he threw shell Of
defiance The old Texas kept we'll up in
the chase under forced draft for over
two hours. The feet Spaniard led the
Americans merry chase, but she had
no chance The Brooklyn gradually
forged ahead, so that the escape Of the
Cristohal Colon was cut off at the point
above mentioned. The Oregon was
abeam of the Colon then, and the gal
liant don gave it up.
At !: rs o'clock he headed for the
shore, and five minutes later down came
the Spanish flag. None Of our ships was
then within mile of her, but her es-
cape was cut off. The Texas Oregon
and Brooklyn closed in on her and stop.
ped their engines few hundred yards
away. Commodore Schley left the
Brooklyn III small boat and went
aboard the Cristobal Colon and received
the surrender. Meantime the New York
with Admiral Sampson on board, an
the Vixen were coming up on the run
Commodore Schley signaled to Admiral
| Sampson: eve have won great vic
tory. Details will be communicated. -
The victory certainly was Commodore
Schley's. Then for an hour after the
surrender in that little cove under the
| high hills was general Fourth Of July
celebration, though little premature.
Our ships cheered one another, the cap
tains INDUCED in compliments through
the megaphones, and the Oregon got
out it's band, and the strains Of the
"Star Spangled Banner" echoed over
the lines of Spaniards drawn up on the
deck of the last of the Spanish feet
and up over the lofty green tipped hills
Of the Cuban mountains.
Commodore Schley, coming along
side the Texas from the Cristobal Colon
in his gig, called out cheerily, "It was
a nice fight, Jack, wasn't it?' The vet
Grams of the Texas lined up and gave
three hearty cheers and a tiger for their
old commander in chief. Captain Philip
called all hands to the quarter deck
and with barred head thanked God for
the almost bloodless victory.
II want to make public acknowledge
ment here, - he said, 'tthat believe in
God the Father Almighty. want all
! you officers and men to lift your hats
and from your hearts offer silent thanks