Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-07-09
Dewey's Great Feat at Manila
Duplicated at Santiago.
SPANISH FLEET WIPED OUT.
The Number of Spanish Prisoners
Exceed Sixteen Hundred.
THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DEAD

\
Attempt to Escape From Santiago Har.
Dor, but Was Met by the Fire of Our
Fleet, and After Desperate Flying Fight
Was Forced to Yield to the Superiority of
Our Gunners -Complimented by His Cap
tor on His Gallant Fight-The Captives
Guarded by Our Troops to Save Them
From the Vengeance of the Cubans-0nly
One Man Killed in the American Squadron
Kingston, Jamaica, July 5.-A news
paper dispatch boat just arrived from
the feet ten miles west of the entrance
of the harbor of Santiago de Cuba,
brings the following story of the de-
struction of Admiral Cerveras fleet:
The American victory is complete,
and, according to the best information
obtainable at this time, the American
vessels were practically untouched, and
only one man was killed, though the
ships were subjected to the heavy fire
of the Spaniards all the time the battle
lasted.
Admiral Cervera made as gallant a
dash for liberty and for the preserva-
tion of his ships Sunday morning as
has ever occurred in the history of ma
val warfare. In the face of overwhelm-
ing odds, with nothing before him but
inevitable destruction or surrender if
he remained any longer in the trap in
which the American fleet held him, he
made bold dash from the harbor.
The Americans saw him the moment
he left the harbor, and commenced
their work of destruction Immediately
For an hour or two they followed the
flying Spaniards to the westward along
the shore line, sending shot after shot
into their blazing bulls, tearing great
holes in their steel sides and covering
their decks with the blood of the killed
and wounded.
At no time did the Spaniards show
any indication that they intended to
do otherwise than fight to the last
They showed no signals to surrender.
even when their ships began to sink
and the great clouds of smoke pour
ing from their sides showed they were
on fire. But they turned their heads
toward the shore, less than a mile
away, and ran them on the beach and
rocks, where their destruction was soon
completed The officers and men on
board then escaped to the shore as
we'll as they could, with the assistance
of boats sent from the American men
of-war, and then threw themselves
IS
sent them a guard to protect them
from the murderous bands of Cuban
soldiers hiding in the bush in the hill
side eager TO rush down and attack
the unarmed, defeated. but valorous
foe.
One after another of the Spanish
ships became the victims of the awful
rain of shells which the American bat
tleships, cruisers and gunboats poured
upon them, and two hours after the
first of the fleet had started out of
Santiago harbor three cruisers and
two torpedo boat destroyers were lying
on the shore ten to Is miles west of
Moro Castle, pounding to pieces.
smoke and fame pouring from every
part of them and covering the entire
coast line with a mist which could be
seen for miles.
Heavy explosions of ammunition oc-
CURED every few minutes, sending
curls of dense white smoke a hundred
feet in the air and causing shower of
broken iron and steel to fall in the
water on every side. The bluffs ON the
coast line echoed with the roar of
every explosion, and the Spanish yes
sells sank deeper and deeper into the
sand or else the rocks ground their
hulls TO pieces as they rolled or pitch
ed. forward or sideways, with every
wave that washed upon them from the
open sea.
Admiral Ceryera escaped to the shore
in boat sent by the Gloucester to the
assistance of the Infanta Maria Te-
resa, and as soon as he touched the
beach he surrendered himself and his
command to Lieutenant Morton and
asked to be taken on board the Glou-
rester, which was the only American
vessel near him at the time, with sew
eral of his officers, including the cap
tain of the flagship. The Spanish adj
miral, who was wounded in the arm,
was taken to the Gloucester, and was
received at the gangway by her COM
mander, Lieutenant Commander Rich
ard Wainwright, who grasped the hand
of the gray bearded admiral and said
to him:
Il congratulate you, sir, upon hay
ing made as gallant fight as was ever
Witnessed IN the sea -
Lieutenant Commander Wainwright
then placed his cabin at the disposal
of the Spanish officers.
The Cristobal Colon was the fastest
of the Spanish ships, and she soon OBJ
tanned 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 several other ships
in pursuit, all of them firing at her
a. 4