Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1898-07-14
gaEement-

Santiago, by the Herald Dispatch
Boat Golden Rod to Port Antonio;
thence to Kingston, Jamaica, Monday.
Scattered along the shore for dis
lance of two miles to the west of Nor
70 Castle now lie the armored cruisers
and torpedo boat destroyers that COM
posed Admiral Cervera's fleet.
In running fight of two hours these
vessels, the cream of the Spanish ma
w, were almost annihilated this morn
ing by the powerful ships of Admiral
SIMPSONS fleet, under the immediate
command of Commodore Schley. Adj
miral Cervera. after making as plucky
q fight against overwhelming odds as
is recorded in naval history, was COM
pclled to surrender. He was taken
prisoner Of w:r, together with every
man in his feet not drowned or killed
in the action. The Spanish admiral
was wounded in one of his arms.
The splendid ships, the Cristobal Co.
lon. flagship; the ViZcaya, Almirante
Oquendo and Infanta Marie Teresa
and the torpedo boat destrOyers Juror
and Pluton, lie on the Cuban rocks,
shell-ridden, smoking hulks. Cervera,
on the Colon, made the longest run to-
ward liberty. He yielded to fate only
in the face of death, and is prisoner
now on the Gloucester, which, before
the war, was J. Pierepont Morgan's
yacht Corsair.
Cervern's Surrender.
When his ship. all afiame. was
pounding on the shore ten miles west
of Santiago, boat from the Glouces-
ter put out to him, and he gave his
sword to Lieut.. Morton, who was in
charge of the boat When he went on
board the Gloucester he was met by
Lieut.. Commander Richard VAIN
wright. who was the watch officer of
the Maine the night she was blown up
in Havana harbor. Il congratulate
you. SIR" said the lieutenant cs:n-
mander as he grasped the hand of the
Spanish admiral. You have made as
gallant fight as ever was made Oh
the sea-"
1t is estimated that about 1000 rris-
oners We're taken. OF these. 475 We're
taken by the Iowa, Capt. Robley D.
Evans. From the very first of the
fighting the little Gloucester was in
the thickest of it. At one time she was
pouring her six-pounder shells against
the entire Spanish feet, while the guns
of MORO Castle were making her their
target. She riddled the Spanish de-
stroyers and fought the Vizcaya and
Ouuendo as fercely as if she were a
battleship.
Magnificent beyond description was
the bold dash by which Cervera at
tempted to get his fleet out of Santiago
harbor. Cervera himself led the way
with his flagship. the Cristobal Colon.
1t was to be a
Dash to Liberty or Death.
And the Spanish admiral made the
plunge with eyes open.
Sunday quiet rested over the en-
trance to Santiago harbor, with no
sign of life about old MORO. Beyond
and toward the city of Santiago all
was still. After two days of fighting
the armeies of both nations We're erst-
ing in their trenches. Off this way, for
distance of half a dozen miles from
shore, the vessels Of Admiral Samp-
sons feet lay lazily at anchor.
Admiral Sampson, desiring to aster-
tain the exact condition of the Spanish
coast defenses about Aguadores, or
dered the flagship to go that way.
Weighing anchor, the New York leis-
urely steamed off to the eastward. Idle
thoughts occupied the minds of the
men on the fleet. They were speculat-
ing, as they had been for weeks. when
would come the opportunity to ''get at"
the Spanish fleet in the inner harbor.
Suddenly as a flash, at half-past 0
o'clock, a vessel appeared near the en-
trance to the harbOr. She was throw
ing out great black clouds Of smoke,
and was pointing straight towards the
American fleet.
The ease Of the American officers
was rudely disturbed. They grabbed
their glasses, scanned the harbOr en-
trance, and were amazed to discover
that an armored cruiser was coming
out.
In the absence Of Admiral Sampson,
Commodore Schley, from the Brook
Ign, ordered the American warships to
rush in shore. In e few moments it
was seen that the vessel emitting such
great clouds of smoke was the Cristo-
bal Colon Admiral Cervera's flagship.
She had passed the wreck Of the Mer-
rimac and was making for the sea at
full speed. eBfore Commodore Schley
and his men could recover from their
surprise other clouds of smoke came
into view beyond the Cristobal Colon.
With rush fully equal to that of the
Spanish flagship, the Almirante Oquen-
do came
ThrObbing Toward the Open Sen
Behind her came the Vizcaya, also
at full speed, While the rear was
brought up by tie two torpedo boat
destroyers. the Furor and Pluton. This
stirring scene, so dramatic and so I'M
expected, quickly put the captain OF
| every American vessel OH his mettle.
"Cervera's trying to escape" was the
| cry that resounded through the fleet.
Every American vessel quickly weighed
| anchor. The engines were started. and
one by one the great American warships
| made ready for battle. Every man scam
| pered to his gun and the captains, know
ing that Admiral Sampson had CONC
| along the coast. eagerly watched the
| Brooklyn. Commodore Schleys flagship.
In few moments the Resolute was