Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1898-07-07
A GLORIOUS VICTORY.
Graphic and Thrilling Details of tt :
Destruction of Cervera's Fleet.
Brilliant Chapter Added to the Annals of Naval Warfare
Hundreds Of Spaniards Killed, Wounded and
Drowned. With More Than Thousand
PrisOners-One American Killed

wrru ADMIRAL SANPsoS's FLEET. orr
sANrIAso, sunday via Kingston. ia
maica', July 4. Admiral sampson this
morning set GA. To odisi,sige the Spanish
from their works at AguadoreS. wher.
the Michigan troops were rrpul>ed IN
the line Of the railway. Saturday morn
ing. while they werr marrhin. forward
TO seize the Norro battery and blow up
the fort, after the ieet had driven the
spanish from their guns. Our torpedo
bats were no, with the feet. and when
Admiral sampson left the Morro bat
terry the battleships and the cruiser
Brocklyn were grouped of the harbor
mouth.
It is not known whether Admiral Ger
vera has blown up the Mcrrimae or
passed il in single column. His ship
the cristobal Colon. giided GU; Of the
harbor and shot to the westward. her
two tunnels and high black bulwarks
showing plain against the green Of the
hills, her peunant and the spanish red
and yellow ensign in the lashing above.
In few seconds the American fleet
was in motion, the Indiana, which was
elose,t. heading straight inshorc TO get
eloser range
The spaniard opened ire with an IL
inch Iiontoria. spd mighty fountains
Of water rO>e above the hs,tleship and
wet her decks The shell fell near her
bow The Indiana replied with her II
inch - -
everything she could bring TO bear.
One u the first shells fell on the spanish
cruisers deek- Cervera was going fast.
and the Indiana rounded To give him a
broadside; and then. as the Iowa and
the Texas opened on him. the doouaed
admiral turned to the harbor mouth.
where the Almirante oquendo was just
e-ming into view.
At first one could hardly believe his
eyes, but when the Oquendo appeared
and steamed swiftly westward into the
smoke and lightning where Cervera's ;
nag still hew. it flashed upon Us that
here was To be history making indeed
IL was sublime spectacle of des-
perate admiral. who had decided to give
battle against overwhelming odds in
the open water rather than remain and
blow up his own ships in the harbOr Of
The beleaguercd city.
eervera's dag was hidden for time
and he fled westward, his port broad
SIDE emitting flashes and tongues of
name which marked his progress
the L..
gantlet such as no ship had ever run in
history, and when his consorts were
burning and he surrendered his ship he
s'nl had gun @ i.o capable of action
The savage Indiana
The Indiana fell upon the oquendo.
paying no heed to the Morro battery,
"hose gunners tried hard to protect the
cruiser as she moved to the westward
me Iowa let Cervera go on into the
nahas OF the Oregon. Massachusetts, and
Brooklyn, and then turned. with the
AeAas. to pound the Oquendo.
ihen every American ship was in ne
s'on' and smoke shrouded the coast and
o.e" away lazily, revealing geysers
scout the ships where the Spanish
shells from the cruisers and the Morru
battery tore the water.
4 ship emerged from the harbor. II
was the vizcaya. coming at full speed.
smoke curling over her how as She tool,
ser course to the westward and brought
Ner bow guns into play. Behind her
came the Infanta Maria Teresa and
spain's two mueh-dreaded torpedo boat
aestroyers, perhaps 200 yards apart.