The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-07-27
THE HARRINGTON PUBLISHING CO,

sustained and destructive, which over- whelmed and silenced the Spanish fire. The initial speed of the Spaniards car ried them rapidly past the biockading vessels, and the battle developed into a chase, in which the Brooklyn and the Texas had at the start the advantage of position. The Brooklyn maintained this lead. The Oregon, steaming at amazing speed from the commencement of the action, took first place. The Iowa and the Indiana did good work, and, not having the speed of the other ships, were directed by me in success Sion, at about the time the Vizcaya was beached, to drop out of the scene and resume blockading stations. These ves- sels rescued many prisoners. The Vix- en, finding that the rush of the Span- ish ships would put her between two fires, ran outside of our own column and remained there during the battle and chase.
 z. The skilful handling and gallant fighting of the Gloucester excited the admiration of every one who witnessed it, and merits the commendation of the navy department. She is a, fast and entirely unprotected auxiliary vessel the yacht Corsair-arld has @ good bat tery of light rapid-f1re guns. She was lying about two miles from the harbor entrance to the southward and east ward, and immediately steamed in, opening fire upon the large ships. An ticipating the appearance of the Fulton and Furor, the Gloucester was slowed, thereby gaining more rapidly high pressure of steam, and when the de- stroyers came out she steamed for them at full speed, and was able to close at short range, where her fire was accu- rate, deadly and of great volume. Dur ing this fight the Gloucester was under the fire of the Socapa battery Within twenty minutes from the time +hay emerged from Santiago harbor the ca reers of the Furor and the Fulton were ended and two-thirds of their people killed. The Furor was beached and sunk in the surf: the Fulton sank in deep water a few minutes later. The destroyers probably suffered much in- jury from the fire of the secondary bat teries of the battleships Iowa and Indi-' ana. After rescuing the survivors of the destroyers the Gloucester did ex- cellent service in landing and securing the crew of the Infanta Maria Teresa.
 S,-The method of escape attempted by the Spaniards-all steering in the same direction, and In formation. re- moved all tactical doubts or difficulties, and made plain the duty of every United States vessel to close in, irnne- diately engage, and pursue. This was promptly and effectively done As al-t ready stated. the first rush Of the Span ish squadron carried it past number of the blockading ships which could not immediately work up to their best speed, but they suffered heavily in passing, and the Infarta Marie Teresa and the Oquendo were probably set on fire by shells fired during the first f1f- teen minutes of the engagement. It was afterwards learned that the Infanta Maria Teresa's fire main had been cut by one of orf first shots and that she was unable to extings1ish the fire. With large volumes of smoke rising from their lower decass aft, these vessels gave up both fight and flight and ran in on the beach-the Infarta Maria Teresa at about 10s16, 8. na at Ninlarli- ma, six and onA-half miles from San4' tiago harbor. entrance and the Almiran- te Oquendo at about 10,30 a. m. at Juan Gonzales, seven miles from the port.
 3. The vizcaya was still under fire of the leading vessels; the Cristobal Colon had drawn ahead, leading the chase and soon passed beyond the range of theguns of the leading American ships. The Vizcaya was soon set on fire, and at 1;15 she ft1fned in shore and was beached at Aceerradefos, fifteen miles from Santiago, burning ffereely, and with her reserves of ammunition On deck already beginning to explode. When about ten miles west Of Santiago the Indiana had been signalled to go back to the harbor entrance, and at Accerraderos the Iowa was signalled to resume blockadfng station" The Iowa assisted by the Ericsson and the Hist took off the crew of the Vizcaya, while the Harvard and the Gloucester rescu- ed those of the Infanta Maria Teresa and the Almirante Oquendo. This res- cue of prisoners, including the wound ed in the burning Spanish vessels was the occasion of some of the most dar ing and gallant conduct of the day. The ships were burning fore and aft, their guns and reserve ammunition were ex- ploding and it was not known at what moment the fire would reach the main magazine. in addition to this a. heavy surf was running just inside of tile Spanish ships But no r1sK deterred our officers and men until their work of humanity was complete.
 10. There remains nov of the Spanish ships only the Cristobsl Colon, but she was their best and fastest vessel. Forced by the situation to hug the Cu- ban coast, her only chance of escape was by superior and sustained speed. When the vizcaya went ashore the Colon was about, six miles ahead of the Brooklyn and the Oregon, but her squirt was finished and the American ships were now gaining upon her. Behind the Brooklyn ahd the Oregon came the Texas, Vixen and New York. It was evident from the bridge of the New York that all the American ships were gradually overhauling the chase and that she had no chance of escape. At l2:50 the Brooklyn and the Oregon op- ened fire and got her range-the Ore gons heavy shell striking beyond her and at 1:20 she gave up without firing another shot, hauled down her colors and ran ashore at Rio Tiquorno, sixty