St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-07-06

REAR ADMIRAL SAMPSON.
At that time the flagship and four
other vessels had been aground ana
burning for two hours, and the only
one of the escaping fleet which could
not be seen at this point was the Cristo-
bal Colon; but half dozen curls OF
smoke far down on the western horizon
showed the fate that was awaiting ner.
The Colon was the fastest of the ships,
and she soon obtained lead over the
others after leaving the harbor and
escaped the effect of the shots which
destroyed the other vessels. She
steamed away at great speed with the
oregon, New York, Brooklyn and other
ships in pursuit, all of them firing at
her constantly and receiving fire them
selves from her after guns. Ihere
seemed no possibility whatever for her
escape. and before 1t was known that she
had run ashore 60 miles away, Captain
! Evans of the Iowa, who was returning
from the westward with $40 prisoners
from the Vizcaya just as the Associated
Press dispatch boat Wanda was leaving
the Spanish flagship, shouted: II left
the Cristoba Colon far to the westward |
an hour ago, and the Oregon was giving |
her hell. She has undoubtedly gone |
down with the others, and we will have
a Fourth of July celebration in San
tiago."
There is no means Of telling now what
the Spanish loss was, but 1t is believed
to have been very heavy, as the prison.
ers in custody report their decks strewn
with dead and wounded in great num-
bers, and besides there Is statement
that many bodies could be seen fastened
to pieces of wreckage, floating In the sea
after the fight was over. A large num-
: Der of the Spanish wounded were re-
moved to the American ships.
. There can be no doubt that Admiral
Cervera's plan to escape from Santiago
Q harbor was entirely unexpected by Ad-
8 miral Sampson, and the best evidence
I of this is the fact that when the Spanish
!. vessels were seen coming out of the
harbor the New York was seven miles
d away steaming to the eastward toward
Juragua, the military base, nine miles
" east of Moro. The New York was out
o of the fight altogether at every stage,
y but she Immediately put about and fol-
n lowed the others.
d AS the wounded continued to come in
m after Fridays engagement it was found
;; that the early estimate of the killed and
IL wounded had been largely underesti-
y mated. 1t is believed that the number
$, will reach 800 and possibly 1000. 1t is
n remarkable that in so large number
"a of wounded so few amputations are
~ necessary. The character of the fight
Mt ing In storming the main redoubt was
ID not fully realized until after the firing
~ ceased Friday night. The entrench-
I'd ments lay west of the hills. Without
In cover, the Americans, in their advance
o. up the slope, were fully 300 yards ex
OF posed to the volley fire of men protected
he to the shoulders in rifle pits; but they
,k carried the trenches by successive
US rushes, rushing and hiding behind every
bush or root for temporary shelter from
ps the rain of bullets like storm driver
of sheep The wounded were dragged on
49, of the death hail. After each pause
on the men, undaunted, pushed on, firing a.
of they ran. When they reached thu
go trenches, the latter were filled will
do the enemy's dead.
re The Spaniards had fled over the sum
lie. NIT of the hills, but standing upon tn
ne bodies of their fallen comrades, Their
nd they remained fighting valiantly to tn
a end. They refused to give way, blu
continued the work with their mausers
&C. enhlading the American line as 1t cam
rls over the trenches. One volley whicl
ns a company of the Sixth cavalry fire.
all under the command of Lieutenant Shor
ifs tumbled them forward on their faces
of This is the charge in which the Sixth
es- Third, Ninth and Tenth cavalry an
he rough riders, all dsmounted, and i
cir which the Twenty sixth, Sixteenth an
led twenty second infantry and the Sew
I've enty-frst New York engaged, led in per
zen son by General Hawkins. He wa
almost the first man on the SUNNI
ore standing there, sword in hand, targt
the for thousand bullets, cheering his me
,sa. on. Lieutenant Lyons of the Twenty
ur- fourth infantry distinguished himse
to by deeds of personal gallantry, and thei
be We're many others.
ich After the trenches and redoubts WEI
i'm taken, came bold attempt by the Spar
,rs iards to recover them This occaslone
lin the fiercest fighting and the great lol
1ed VI tne uas' heh 'He spa 20 - ~ y,
tier pehiho ,he mn ana passeu oe,"een '.
by reserves WIN CAME ior"aio WIN Us
der upon our piea'hiess iiei' e.'iN'ne ~
| Of preakihg the me III seVeiai piaoes' 'he
, IN lmpetuosity for several minutes W,
non nigh made our boys waver. The
VOC rallying calamity, they staggered TO
49,, ward, carrying confusion into the e
oaa envy. AS the Spaniards fed towar
o,., The city they were shot down like ra