The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-07-13

boat at night 10 guard against an at
tack from torpedo boat. We get caught
with shot once in a while. but stray
bullets don't amount to much now. Some
Of the bullets sing the latest popular
songs as they pass by, and l am quite ar
expert at ducking now. am not afraid OF
them. but instinct makes one dodge when
ne hears them coming. I'll never forget the
first shot that came towards me on the
1 night we entered acre. AS We were get
| ting along nicely I thought I would lie
/ down and rest a few minutes. The fati-
| 81 ewas TOO much for me. so l dozed on.
! I was suddenly aroused by a commotion
on me stern, where our TWO eight-inch
guns are, and by the sound of shell
coming through the air singing "A Hot
Time" Well. I was bewildered and mad
risen on my knees 20 go 70 N i. guns when
l thought il would be The better policy 20
| hug the deck a few seconds. which or
second thought l did in a very affection
ate manner, until fte shell had passed
! over 10 go down in the green sea. then
made a run for the guns and found tflA
| l was among the first 10 be at the sta
! tons I had actually been fired upon and
| found out that il did no tamount 10 much
! az long s you don't get hit
FIVE HOLES IN THE SHIP.
"The damage done to the Baltimore
amounted 10 five holes in her side. where
she was struck, and a dozen men wound
ed none seriously. One shell in particular
caused havoc, as it came in just above
! the deck and between our gun and the
one forward of US. 1t went through the
engine room hatch and disabled six
inch gun. 1t so happened that we were
hit by all armor piercing shells. If they
had been common shells they would done
lot Of damage, as common shells ex-
plode as soon as they strike, and the otn-
ers do not.
I'VE are sending a gun taken from one
Of the Spanish ships to the city of Bal
timore as a souvenir of the occasion. The
commander of the flying squadron sent
US congratulations and called US bully
boys, and congra tulations come from Bal
timore.
SLEEPERS ORDERED SHOT.
81 will be glad when the troops get here
and take the town, as we are kept awake
most of the night in constant fear of a
torpedo attack. Every precaution is TAX
en-, which makes it hard on the men. Some
of them were caught asleep on watch, and
now the orders are to shoot anyone caught
asleep on watch"
THE "DIARTOS q" ACCOUNT
Inclosed with the letter was a little four
page sheet, printed on the cruiser Balti-
more, which gave a description of the
great naval battle from the Spanish stand
point, the account having appeared in the
"Diario de Manila" on May 4, and was
translated for the American battleship
printers. The pamphlets were distributed
among the officers and men of the entire
fleet. The Spanish papers story of it is
in the ''if-you-come -on-Our-steps- we 'll-lick
you" style, but furnishes a good idea of
what a terrible blow was given Spain by
Commodore Dewey and his men. The
translation printed on the Baltimore, with
its headlines preserved, is as follows:
A NAVAL SURPRISE.
when the enemy's squadron was sight
ed in perfect line of battle through the
clouds of misty dawn on the morning
of the first of May, gloom and surprise
were general among the people of Manila:
AT last these ships had strained their
boldness to the point of appearing on our
coast and defying our batteries, which
showed more courage and valor than eff
feet when they opened fire on the squa-
dron. 1t needs something more than cour-
age to make projectiles penetrate-indeed
it does!
EVERY MAN TO HIS STATION.
1.-The inequality of our batteries when
compared with those of the squadron
which alarmed the inhabitants of Manila
at in the morning was enough to trans
form the tranquil character of our trop-
ical Compartments. While the ladies and
children in carriages or on foot fed in
fright to seek refuge in the outlying su-
burhs and adjacent villages around the
Capital from danger multiplied by their
imagination, every man from the state
ly percentage to the most humble work
man, merchants and mechanics, Spaniards
and natives, soldiers and civilians, all,
we repeat, soaght their stations and put
on their arms confident that never should
the enemy land in Manila unless he pass
ed over their corpses. Yet from the first
moment the strength of the enemy's ar
NOR and the power of his guns demon
strated that his ships were unvulnerable
to our energies and armamenJs, the hos
tile squadron would never had entered
our bay had not its surety been guaran-
teed by its manifest superiority.
SPECTATORS AND OBSERVERS.
The city walls the church towers, the
roofs of high buildings and all high places
convenient for observation were Occupied
by those who were not retained by their
military duties within the walls, on the
bridges, or at the advanced posts The
slightest details of the enemy's ships were
eagerly noted as they advanced towards
Cavite in a line parallel with the beaches
of Manila, as though they had just come
out of the Pasig River. There was no
gaps in the line bat the curious public
hardly realized the disparity between
their great guns and the pieces mounted
on our Notifications. Some had glasses
and others were without. but ali seemed
20 devour with their eyes these strangers
who, while brave. were not called upon
to show their courage since the range of
their guns and the weakness of our bat
teries enabled them to preserve their i'm
punity while doing as much harm as they
pleased.
REMARKS OF THE PEOPLE.
'Al who appreciated the impunity with
which the hostile ships Unanswered. as
If on harmless parade, were full Of
such rage and desperation as belongs TO
the brave man who can make no use Of
his courage; TO whom semains no remedy
except an honorable death rather than 4
cowardly inactivity.
"A soldier Of the First battalion OF
Cazadores gazed at the squadron sweep
in- Over the waters n1lt Of nah ~ tn