Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-07-15
A BRATTLEBOR0 BOY
Who Was in the Great Naval
Fight
Tells His own story of the Destruction
of Cervera's Fleet.

which resulted in the destruction ol
the Spanish fleet. He was on the
big battleship Indiana. His sister, Miss
Ruby Hescock, has just received a let
ter from him, written July 81 at Santl-
ago. The evening after the battle. He tells
OF coaling at Guantanamo and the Smelling
of forts at Santiago, and the rest OF his
letter is as follows
| had the and watch this morning.
and as usual We we're in very close, and
the Iowa was playing her searchlight on
the entrance. Just before daylight we
saw for minute a tug or destroyer poke
her nose around a bend in the channel.
We reported the fact TO the admiral and
thought no more about it.
At $3.50 we went to quarters as usu-
al. and as it was Sunday inspection today,
each one had on his best white uniform.
Just after the roll had been called gun
was fred from the forts, and the orderly
came running up to the captain and re.
ported that something was coming out OF
the harbor.
Hardly had he made the report when
the general alarm sounded and every man
made a break for his station. In less than
two minutes from the time the report was
made we were blazing away at the Span
iarGs.
The Indiana was on the eastern end Of
the line and as the enemy kept along the
western coast We came in tail end.
The flagship Vizcaya was the last cruiser
TO come out and we put our attention on
her. She had gone about four miles along
the coast when we spotted two torpedo
boat destroyers coming out, and We set our
FOUNDERS TO work on them.
The Vizcaya had gone about another
mile when one Of our l3-inCh shells struck
her stern and tore a big hole that settled
her, as she headed for the beach and ran
aground. About the same time big
shell hit one OF the destroyers plumb cen
tire and nearly cut her in two; anyway
there was a cloud Of black smoke and She
disappeared in a few minutes under water.
The one We fixed struck her colors and
ran up the white flag, which meant that
she had surrendered. BY this time another
vessel was ashore half mile further al -ng,
and both were on fire.
The Gloucester came up and helped us
TO make it interesting for the other de-
stroyer. a. we steamed ahead We drew
out Of range and the Gloucester finished
her, excepting for a few sho.s the New
York fired.
The New York was at Siboney, seven
miles east of the entrance. when the ball
started, and took no part in the fight worth
mentioning.
We steamed along TO where there was an
other ship ashore, when the New York
overlook US and sent us back to look out
for things at Santiago, as nearly all the
SHIPS were after one Spanish ship. As we
steamed back two big explosions took place
on one of the ships and smaller ones oc-
CURED quite often. Even now We can see
l., Chine qDI | IL mn
be the coal burning to last 50 long.
About noon the Yankee passed us and
said that Spanish battleship was coming
up from the eastward, and we were al
lowed time TO get our dinners and to stand
by for call.
Just before We went to dinner a tug
passed us and said a Spanish ship had
come out and gone to the southwest. We
thought they both meant the same ship,
but although we did not Believe it it may
have been the Reina Mercedes, 5000 ton
gunboat that came out. No other ship
had come out, and the Reina Mercedes,
which made the attempt later, was sunk
by the Texas.
/ had Just got cup Of coffee and some
bareback and gone up on the forecastle to
eat my dinner when | heard Mr.. Conley,
our navigator, on the bridge, say THAT is
Spanish flag" He called to the men on
the forecastle and said to hurry with our
dinner, as a Spanish man-of-war was in
sight and we would have to 90 to quarters
soon.
In about five minutes we went to quar-
teIs and trained on the approaching ship.
We were all waiting impatiently for the
orders to commence firing, when it was
discovered that she was flying an Austrian
flag and that differs from the Spanish flag
in that the colors are red, white and red,
and the Spanish is red, yellow and red,
and at distance it is hard to tell one from
the other She was the Kaservana Maria
Theresa of the Austrian navy and looked
very much like the Spanish ships that
were sunk.
Her captain came on board and had a
pow-wow with Capt Taylor, after which
he returned TO his ship and headed off to
the westward.
About O'Clock the Gloucester came up
with 60 prisoners, Admiral Cervera and
other officers.
Cervera and some of the officers were
taken to the Iowa, and few of the Off
GERS and the 60 men were brought to us,
but they will be sent to the Yale tomorrow.
We saw six vessels leave the harbor,
and Of these the Vizcaya, Oquendo Maria
Teresa and the two destroyers are beach,
ed and destroyed.
The last we heard of the Cristobal
Colon she was still going to the westward
with the Brooklyn, Texas, and Oregon in
chase and they niil certainly get her The
New York and two torpedo boats are also
trailing behind.
The Massachusetts was at Guantanamo
coaling and missed it all. The ships en-
gagged were the Brooklyn, Texas, Oregon,
Iowa, Indiana and Gloucester
There must have been 1900 Spanard;
on the five ships sunk, and we have about
100 of them. Where the rest are | do not
know, but there are some on shore, anC
we have sent boats to look out for the in
jured.
/ saved two six FOUNDER shells, one fol
you and one for H. Wood. Both of the II
helped to win a victory from the Span
iards
A one-pound shell struck our 13-incl
turret, but it hardly made a dent.
Well, il is half past nine, and | have
the II and watch to stand.
p. S.-The Admiral credits the Indiana
with destroying the Vizeaya and one tor.
pedo boat destroyer
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In physique the present volunteer army
IS probably superior to its great predecess
or of 1861. Not only have the examina
srV,p hoo, al. Z 1 I