The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-05-10
Number 81.

/ burning from stem "a stern
| admiral Mou.cjo, the Spanish Admir-
nj. was compelled to escape in a small
| boat 10 the Isle dc Cuba. another of the
/ Spanish vessels. and a soon as his fa-
WAS hoi>trd Th" guns of the American
| ticet wrrr turned 81 i and ia Few
minutes il MAS destroyed
The Admrai wa~ again forced ~
| escape IN q small boat The drfcu>c- az
Manila and It's batteries. as well as those
! At cayita. were >iicuet.d and beaten ~
the ground hy The rain of shot aud she'll
During Saturday night the vessels al
The American squadron eropt inside the
| haH through u supposed mace of mines
and torpcdoc,. They Wcrc not observed
! by any Of The watchers on the spanish
sarriSon> until semc stray sparks wcr"
emitted from the funnrl II The dispatch
boat Hugh McCulo,h.
Then fcw shots Nyere exchanged with
the garrison on torregidor Island. but.
| owing 10 the darkness. they were incf-
! fcctvc
! There was 10 patrol established. nor
were any >carchli"htS placed at the en-
trance TO Manila Bay
/ The vessels Of the American squadron
never stopped or slowed down until
they had assumed position directly OPP
po>ite the cily Of Manila. This was Just
as daybrcak
Th" order OF battle assumed 10y tho
! Spanish fleet 1t tie beginning Of the en-
| gagcmcut MAS With all the small craft
nSd" Cayitc harbor. which is protected
/ iy stone and timber breakwatcrs, and
the larger ships manoueyering of Cavitc
and Manila. The American battle line
MAS led by the flagship Olympia and
; the cruiser Raleigh. The Boston Bati
more. Concord and rctrcl and the rcyc-
nue. cutter McCulloch followed. The
| American feet III easy speed approached
! the Spanish ships which were drawn
ont in two lines the R"ina Maria Chris
tina. the flagship. in the center
! AS the dawn broke and the position cr
! the American squadron WAS discovered
the Spanish fleet immediately opened
/ fire. supported by the Cavitc forces. The
! spaniards fired the first shot The cha-
/ lengc was given by The Kcna Maria
! Christina.
/ The Olympia replied. and at once the
entire American fleet was in action. The
! Spanish ships did not hesitate in thci'
fire and the Cayitc batteries let loose
their heavy guns. The best GunnerS in
the American fleet manned the most de
/ Structivc weapons on their ships and
the havoc wrought was frightful. The
i engagement soon became general. The
hugh McCuiIoch remained 1T come dis
and the encmy,S shells passed, but uiI
not touch her.
: The craftsmanship of the Spanish gun
nors seemed 10 he Wild from the outset
and meanwhile The main ships Of thc
American squadron were pouring in y
deadly fire. doing great execution lufh
in =" Spanish fleet and in the Cavi :.
Notifications on land.
The American cruiser Baltimore. N
Il ~,
the brunt Of the cncmy's fire. and suffer
cd the most Of any vessel III The Amcri-
can squadron. From tive to ten Of the
enemy Shots took effect on the Balti-
more but none Of her officers or crew
was seriously hurt.
As soon aS the Spanish Admiral left
the tcina Maria Christina and boarded
the l>la dc Cuba. the fire was directed
ut the latter mcrccSsly, every eight
inch gun on every ship Joining those
o. The iagShin. The Isla de Cuba was
riddled. After few rounds She was
put out of action and almost before Ad
miral Montcio had had time 10 get lis
bearings no was driven ont Il second
tinc.
The Spanish cruiser Casti.Ia hurst
into flames under the rcmarkabl" Gun
ncry Of Dcwcy's men. The American
Commodore then directed a not fire
against the batteries. This WAS :: snr-
prise 10 Admiral AIonteio. VINO app1r-
entity thought himself secure under the
guns Of the Cavite Notifications.
The Spanish cruiser Rcina Marin
Christina received the full effect of this
calling fire from the American fleet and
was 50 badly damaged thar she sunk AZ
ter catching fire III" other vessels Of
the Spanish fleet were quickly riddlcn
hy the whitening hail OF lead from the
american gun boats.
Two gun boats that had pnt out from
The Cavltc brcakwatcr. with evident IN
tent Ia destroy the nearest American yes
scls. We're speedily forced 10 return with
in shelter Of the fortifications
The arsenal at the Cavitc fortifications
exploded during tho engagement. pr0ba-
bly, from American shells. and fort,
Spaniurds were killed
The forts made a nominal resistance
bnt were quickly overpowcred. The shore.
garrisons did not capitulate however.
and when the American fleet ceased fir
ing the Spaniards on shore were still de-
fiant.
The Spanish ships caught fire one ar
ter another. or were driven to grounding
10 save their crews. Commodore Dewey
continued the fighting until the last YES
sci of the enemy had been destroyed. BY
that time the shore batteries We're 81
lcncd and the American fleet had won
most remarkable victory. American
ships We're kept under way to manouever
about the Spanish fleet. BY this means
much Of the encmys fire was rendered
harmless. The spectacle Of the Amcr-
can war ships manouevering as if on
parade. and at the same time directing Il
terrific fire IT the enemys ships anG
forts WAS magnificent tribute 10 the
skill and discipline Of modern naval war
fare.
There We're only few slight casual
ties. all told. among the ships Of the
American feet. the worst Of which re-
suited from an explosion of ammunition
on the deck the Baltimore. The 9th
or ships Of the fleet were practically un-
injured.
At least 100 Spanards are known To
L..