The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1898-07-29

and the Shopper The ankee Devil
were chasing two of the finest, fastest
and heaviest armored cruisers of
their kind in the world. The Vizsca-
va being about one and half miles
ahead and in shore, we opened on her
first. In less than 20 minutes after,
she headed for the beach. J. Felsher
putting six-inch shell into her stern
was what got her into the notion of
| doing G that.
She had just turned when we put
a 13-inch shell into her stern and it
raised her about half out Of the water.
We thought that was enough so we left
her to find the beach herself.
The crew made for the shore as soon
as they touched and the Cubans had
target practice of Spanish heads. They
| kill all Spaniards.
After the Vizscaya went ashore, we
settled down to chase the Colon and
we were making II all along. We had
to wet all the awnings to keep them
| from burning. All hands came on
| deck to watch the chase. She was fir
ing her 8-inch guns all the time with
| smokeless powder, but they all fell
short. We could see fash and a
| little smoke and then we would watch
to see how close it would come to us.
200 yards was the nearest. The
lBrooklyn was firing with her S-inch
guns after we had gained little but
was doing very poor shooting as she
did all through the action. At l we
opened on her with our 13-inch and
3-inch guns and at 1:20 she went on
the beach and struck her colors. and
so ended nv first experience in a
naval engagement.
AS soon as the New York heard the
firing, she headed for the west as fast
as she could go and that was about
1872 knots. When the Colon went
ashore, the Texas, Vixen and New
York We're JUS. ont of signalling dis
tance astern. The Brooklyn and our
ship went in close and Commodore
Schley went aboard to receive the
sword. That was about 1886: 1.-THE
other ships got there abt 2 O'Clock.
Schley went aboard the New York,
and then came past us and eung out
"The Oregon is q fine ship; she did
it all. You are made of the right
kind OF stuff! Bully! bully boys"
The Brooklyn wanted to put a prize
crew aboard, but Admiral Sampson
8 .id we were to do that and take
charge of it. She had an S-inch hole
in her stern and siX-pOunders all over
her. The man that was steering lie
when she came out, was killed by a
six-pound shot which went through
! his breast. There were three more
wounded. One fellow told me that the
officers stood over the engine-roonl
and fire-room matches and shot any.
one that tried to come up. I heard
that there were fifteen dead dOwr
there.
There were fifty men from our shit
sent over and l jumped in the frs
boat. We got on board and a fellow
by the name OF Dougherty and L were
going to hoist the flag. but our first
luff stopped us until all the prisoners
were Off. We were stationed along
both sides TO keep the Dagoes from
throwing rifles and things overheard.
Some of them were little fresh and
would not go aft so we took few
shots at their feet. When our master
at arms s5arted to put a shot al the
feet of the dead, the boatswain OF the
Colon wanted to throw him overheard
and started to hit him, so we stuck a
pistol in his ear and marched him aft.
The prisoners We're taken of by p.
m. and Mullers, a seaman, and myself
hoisted the U. S. ensign.
| When they surrendered they opened
all the water-tight doors and food val
YES so that there was seven feet OF
water in the hold when we got aboard.
She slowly filed and by 1890 her
starboard quarter deck was even with
the water, and the next morning she
was found to have turned over on her
starboard side. The other ships are
lying on an even keel on the sandy
beach and some can probably be rails
ed.
On the End we bombarded the forts,
and the gun belong to shot the fas
OF Moro castle.
You folks might of had a good