The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-05-17

United States gunboat Hudson came
up to the government dock at 8 o'clock
this morning the bodies Of five dead
men were lying on her after deck.
They were the remains Of Ensign Bag
ley and four embers of the crew of
the torpedo boa WinsloW, who We're
killed in an engagement in Cardenas
harbor yesterday afternoon. The bod
les were covered by the stars and
stripes. In the cabin Of the Hudson
was Captain John b. Bernadou, of the
Winslow, who is slightly injured in the
left leg, and evera others of the
WinsIow's crew, who are slightly
wounded.
The dead are:
ENSIGN WORTH BAGDEY, of Ra-
leigh, N. C..
JOHN VARVERES, oiler.
JOSIAH TUNNELL, cabin cook.
j. ". M[EEKS, fireman.
j. DANIEL, fireman.
The wounded are: r. u. Cox, gun
ner's mate; D. M'Keon Qua~rtelInaster;
J. Patterson, fireman; F. Gray; Lieu
tenant j. B. B~ernadou. All are slight
1y wounded, except Patterson, whose
condition is serious.
The engagement took place inside the
harbor OF C~ardenas. The gunboat Will
mington, and the torpedo boat Wins
low and the gunboat Hudson were the
only vessels engaged. They entered
the harbor for the purpose of attacking
some Spanish ~gunbOatS which were
known to be there. The later, how
ever, were not discovered by the Amer
lean force until the Spaniards opened
Gra Hybo 1np1 bnttnrjnc OF TarIano =
supported the fire of the Spanish gun
boats.
The engagement commenced at 2:05
O'Clock p. m, and lasted for about an
hour.
h battle, while it lasted, was ter
rifle. The Wilmington and the Hudson
were ahead and opened fire ON the Span
ish boats which were lying al the
docks. The FREEING began at a range of
$500 yards. A few minutes later the
Winslow came up and also opened fire.
In an instant the entire attention of
the Spanish tbunbOats and land batter
les was directed upon her. From all
sides, shot and shell seemed to pOur in
upon the little torpedo boat.
The Wilmington and the Hudson
still kept up the fire, but they could
not tur aside the terrible storm of
fire and death pouring in upon the tor
pedo boat. The crew of the WinsloW,
however, never faltered for a second.
AT 2:35 p. M, a solid shot crashed in
to the hull of the Winslow and
out her boiler. In an instant she be-
a to roll and drift helplesslJ.
Then there was a moment of awful
suspense. "A fierce cheer of triumph
went up from the Spaniards on the
gunboats and in the BATTERIES, and
again a storm of fire was opened up
on the helpless boa
The gunboat Hudson, which was ly-
ing nearby, started to the assistance
of the Winslow. She ran alongside
the torpedo boat and tried to throw a
line to the imperiled crew.
Up to this time, with the exception
of the one shot, which disabled the
boiler of the Winslow, the firing of the
Spanish gunboats had been wild, but
as the Winslow lay rolling in the
water, the range grew closer and shells
began to explode all about her.
1t was difficult for the Hudson to get
nea enough to throw a line to the
WinslOW's crew, so terrible was the
fire all about her. FINALLY, after try
ing for about twenty minutes, the Hud-
son approached near enough to throw
a line.
BAGLEY'S GOODNESS.
Ensign Bagley and six men were
standing in a group on the deck of the
WinsloW. "Heave her! Heave her!"
houted Bagley as he looked toward
the commander of the Hudson and
called for a line.
Don't miss it," shouted an officer
from the Hudson, and with a smile
Bagley called back: Let her come. It's
getting too hot here for comfort"
The line was thrown and, at the
same instant a shell burst in the very
midst Of the group of men on board
the Winslow. Bagley was instantly
killed and a few others dropped about
him. Half a dozen more fell %groaning
on the blood-stained deck. One Of the
dead men pitched headlOng over the
side of the boat; but, his feet caught
in the iron rail and he was hauled
back. Bagley lay stretched on the
deck, with his face completely torn
away and the upper part of his body
shattered. 1t was a terrible moment.
THE WINSLOW HELPLESS.
The torpedo boat disabled and help
less, rolled and swayed undo the fury
of the fire from the Spanish gunboats.
When the shell burst in the group on
board the WinsloW, another wild shout
of triumph went up from the Spanish
boats and batteries and again a heavy
fire was opened on the torpedo boat.
Finally, the Hudson succeeded in get
ting a line on board the Winslow and
was towing her out of the deadly
range, when the line parted, and again
both boats We're at the mercy OF the
Spanish fire.
At $50 o'clock p. m, the Hudson
managed to get another line on the
deck of the Winslow but there We're
only three men left there at that time
to make fast. The line was finally Sc
cured and the Winslow was towed UP
to Pedras island, where she was an
chored, with her dead and wounded
on her decks. There some men of the
Hudson went on board the WINSTON
and took the most seriously wounded
off. Three who were taken on board
the gunlboat Machias died there short
ay afterward.
AT 9:15 o'clock p. m, yesterday the
Hudson. with the dead bodies and
some of the wounded started for Key