The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-06
Might Have Escaped from Santiago in Safety
Ii He Had Started Towards the East.
Wreck of the Maine Avenged by Wainwright Thanks
of Congress Proposed for Schey-Incidents
of the Fighting Around Santiago.

Cubans in the brush and he sent a guard Of
armed sailors ashore to prevent the Spanish
prisoners from being molested.
For four hours after Admiral Cervera
went aboard the Gloucester. the Infanta
Maria Teresa, Almirante Oquendo ard Viz
caya continued to burn and every now and
then a deep roar, accompanied by burst
of fame would announce the explosion OF
more ammunition or another magazine. AS
the flames shot higher and higher above the
decks of the magnificent vessels that had
composed Admiral Cervera's feet many OF
those who witnessed the scene felt it had
strong connection with the destruction OF
the American battle ship Maine in Havana
harbor five months ago.
Lieutenant Commander Wainwright, now
of the Gloucester, was executive officer OF
the Maine at the time of the disaster and,
although he remained in Havana harbor two
months after the explosion, he lived on
board the dispatch boat Fern and persistent-
ly refused to set his foot on Cuban soil until,
to put it in his own words, ''the time should
come when / can land at the head of the
American blue Jackets" To-day it
was his ship that sunk two Spanish boat
destroyers and afterward received the
Spanish admiral aboard as a prisoner OF
war.
THE MAINE AVENGED.
From his position on the bridge of the
Gloucester Lieutenant Commander VAIN
wright watched the flames and
smoke as they enveloped the
decks of the three greatest war ships of
the Spanish navy, which were soon to be
reduced to nothing but shattered masts and
twisted smokestacks, protruding above the
water, similar TO that other picture in Ha-
vana harbor. 1t was not strange, therefore,
that he remarked to his brother officers be-
side him: 1.-The Maine is avenged" Just
then the Pluton and the Furor sank. The
Gloucester's boat picked up as many OF the
survivors as she could find. The prison-
ers of war included the captains of both
boats None offered any resistance and all
were glad to go to the Gloucester. as they
feared an attack from the Cubans.
A number of the survivors, including OFF,
GERS of the Furor, who it was reported.
had their legs shot off, scattered along the
coast for some distance and could not be
found. Three officers and six men of the
Pluton escaped from the shore in one OF
their own boats and pulled to the Associated
Press dispatch boat Wanda. where they re-
mained until their captain, who was pris-
oner on the Gloucestey. ordered them to join
him on the latter vessel.
The most remarkable feature of the COM
bat was the fact Notwithstanding the utter
destruction of the Spanish fleet and the hard
fight those ships made even after they we're
on fire, the American vessels should escape
without injury, The only reason given for
this is the poor craftsmanship Of the Span
ish gunners, which was demonstrated In
every other conflict of the war.
The Newark, Commodore Watson's flag
ship, did not participate in the great cap
ture, as she was coaling at Guantanamo.