Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1898-07-11
BOB EVANS
GRAPHIC
The Captain of the Battleship Iowa
Tells about the Naval Battle.
STORY OF CERvERA's ATTErPT TO ESCAPE.

j Immediately put a stop TO this, but |
could not put a stop TO the mutilatlon Of
many bodies by the sharks inside the
reef. These creatures had become ex.
cited by the blood Of the wounded mix
ing In the water. My boat crew worked
manfully and succeeded IN saving many
OF the wounded from the burning ship.
One man, who will be recommended for
promotion, clambered up the side OF the
Nzcaya and saved the men from burning
10 death. The smaller magazines OF the
Yizcaya were exploding with magnia-
cent cloud effects. The boats were
coming alongside in a steady string and
willing hands were helping the lacerated
Spanish officers aud sailors on the Iowa's
quarter deck. All the spaiards were ab-
solutely without clothes. Some had their
legs of by fragments Of shells. Others
were mutilated In every conceivable
way.
BLOOD IN THE BOATS.
"The bottoms OF the boats held two or
three inches Of blood. In many cases
dead men were lying In the blood. Five
poor chaps died on the way 10 the ship.
They we're afterward buried with mill
tary hOnors from the Iowa. Some exam
Piles Of heroism, or more properly dsvo-
tion to discipline and duty, could never
be surpassed. one man on the lost VIZ
oays had his left arm almost shot of just
below the shoulder. The fragments we're
hanging by a small piece Of skin. But
he climbed unassisted over the side aud
saluted az II on a visit Of ceremony.
Immediately after him came n strong
hearted sailor whose left leg had been
shot of above the knee. He was hoisted
on board the Iowa with a tackle, but
never a whimper anne from him. Grad
ually the mangled bodies and naked we'll
men accumulated until II would have
been almost difficult TO recognize the
Iowa as a United states battle ship. Blood
was all over her usually white quarter
deck, and 272 naked men were being sup
piled with water and food.
FINALLY came the boats with Captain
Eulate, commander Of the Vizcaya, for
whom a chair was lowered over the side,
as he was evidently wounded. The cap
tain's guard OF marines we're drawn up
on the quarter deck TO salute him, and /
stood waiting 10 welcome him. As the
chair was placed on the deck the marines
presented arms. Captain Eulate slowly
raised himself from the chair, saluted me
with grave dignity, unbuckled his sword
belt, and holding the hilt of the sword
before him kissed 1t reyerently, with
tears ia his eyes, and then surrendered IL
to me. or course, | declined TO receive
his sword, and as the crew OF the Iowa
saw this they cheered like wild men.
I'm the meantime thirty officers Of the
Vizcaya had been picked up, besides 272
Of her crew. Our ward room and steer
age officers gave up their state rooms
and furnished food, clothing and tobacco
TO those naked officers from the Vizcaya
The paymaster issued uniforms to the
naked sailors and each was given all the
corned beef, coffee and bareback he could
eat. The war had resumed another
aspect.
"As | knew the crews of the first two
ships wrecked had not been visited by
any Of u vessels | ran down to them
| found the Gloucester with Admira.
Ceryera and a number OF his officers
abroad, and a large number OF wounded
some In a frlghtfully mangled condition
Many prisoners had been killed on shorl
by the Ere Of the Cubans. The Harvard
came OIL and | requested Captain CottoI
to go in and take OF the crews OF tn
lnianta Maria Teresa and the Almirant
Oquendo, and by midnight the Haryar,
had ga prisoners aboard, a great mum
Der Of them wounded.
SAILORS TRIBUTE.
"FOr courage and dash there is n,
parallel IN history 10 this action OF tn
, Spanish admiral, He came, as he knew
b to absolute destruction. There was on
; single hope-and that was that the Girls
! tObal Colon would steam faster than TN
b Brooklyn. The spectacle OF two TORPEDO
{ boat destroyers-paper shells at beside
j. Hberately steaming out In broad dayligh
! In the face Of the Dire OF a battleship cal
. be described In only one way: II wa
. Spanish, and wa ordered by Blanco, Tn
. same must be said OF the entire move
u ment.
U 81 took Admiral Ceryera aboard from tn
Gloucester, which had rescued him fror
u the dead, and received him with a fuI
9 admiral's guard. The crew OF the low
: crowded close TO the turrets, half make
u and black with powder, as Ceryera steppe
c over the side bareheaded. over his under
shirt he wore a thin suit OF hannel boz
, rOWed from Lieutenant Commander WAiI
wright, Of the Gloucester. The cre'
: cheered v~OciferOusly. Ceryera is ever
inch an admiral, even If he had not an
& hat. He submitted TO the fortunes {
war with a grace that proclaimed him
u thOrOughbred,"
Is Captain Eyans Is intensely proud
j. his ship and her men. The Iowa Gre
~thirty.one ~ inch, forty-eight : inch, q
i-inch, 1850 6.pOund and 100 l-pOun
shots.
COULDN'T HOLD THEN.
The officers Of the Vizcaya say the
simply could not hold their crews at Il
guns on account OF the rapid lire pour,
upon them. one Of the twelye-inC
d shells from the Iowa exploded a torpe,
T. in the Yizcaya's bow blowing twenty-oI
X men against the deck above and droppir
le them dead and mangled into the q
ID which at once started below.
DO The torpedo boat Ericsson was sent
* the flagship to the help OF the Iowa in Il
n, rescue OF the Yizcaya's crew, Her M
saw a terrible sight. The flames leadiI
no out from the huge shot holes in 4
nd Nizcaya's side licked up the dect