New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-13

Lieutenant NewcomD, OF the 'uu'"''
rece,vine any orders. steamed straight up 10
thu winslow to tow her out OF narms way !"
aonr th,. the Hudson exposed to the
.n.mv.s nre Apparently however. the Spanish
commander had gone mad on the suo'ec' VI
DESTROYING the torpedo-boat. for he dio ho'
de,Cn to fire at the Hudson. but continued u
hur, shells at the hapless winslow. The guns OF
N. latter barked back at the foe v'ciousy-
A. ~. urdson approached the wnslow. En-
sign Bagley cried out;
pass US a line quickly This IS too hot''
THE FATAL SHOT.
rh. uud,on.s crew threw the line. and IL was
mad. fast Just as the hawser drew tau'
ten-inch she'll fell and exploded In the niod'e Oh
the group Of men who had been working az "
on the Winslow. Every man IN the party was
thrown backward. all dead or mortaiiy "ouhoeo
The p,uoky ensign. who had been in an exposed
ro.,,,on during the entire conflict, was instant
" killed. as were two OF his companions i"o
NOR. Meek and Tunnel. were so grievously In
1ured that they died short time later.
For a moment after the explosion the Hud-
son wavered and then she started with hef
heavy tow for the mouth Of the haroor Inc
hawser. however. parted before she had gone
far. and she turned in the midst OF per'ec'
hail Of missiles to aid her disabled consort.
rh,. TINA the cable held, and the Winslow
passed out safely.
On the way from the battle-ground where no
had struggled so long under heavy handicap
Iaeutenant Bernadou hoisted a signal reading
Many killed and wounded. Send boat
The signal flags had hardly reached the top
mast head when boat. manned by sturdy oars
men. put of from the Wilmington The oead
and wounded were placed on board and carried
o. -. Wilmington. Meek died on the boat and
Tunnel expired shortly after he reached the
warship.
DAMAGE TO THE ENEMY
The ensagement lasted from 1;3O TO Z:3o-
While the winslow was the target at which
the spaniards were aiming. the other two vessels
kent I'D a heavy fire. the Hudson using tho SIX
mound runs which she mounts and the Whining
ton using every weapon with sufficient power.
One Of the Wilmingtons shells exploded IN a
Spanish gunboat and others fell in the town
setting Il on FIRE and doing great damage 10
the warehouses and shipping along the water
front.
The shore battery did not IRE another shot
after the winsiow was lowed away by the Hud-
son. On account Of the smoke and the masking
~ the battery. the officers who participated IN
the engagement are unable to say what the
Spanish loss in killed and wounded was though
IL must have been heavy. The battery Is be-
ueved 70 have been composed Of heavy he'd
guns. for 1t was frequently moved during the
conflict
the red buoy near which the Winslow took up
her station was range for the land battery
and that the gunboat moored near the head OF
the harbor was merely a decoy to lead the
American vessels into trap. All the American
ships struck this gunboat several times. and
when Captain Todd withdrew the Wilmington
he was sure that the decoy had been rendered
unfit fer use In the fight the Wilmington
fired seventy or eighty shots from her large
guns. The Hudson used 135 rounds Of six
pound ammunition. and the Winslow fred 200
one pound projectiles.
After the battle the Wnslow towed by
the Hudson TO Fiedras Key. whence she will be
brought here tomorrow.
HONOR TO THE HUDSON
The Hudson with her flag at half-mast.
steamed into this port at o'clock this morning.,
bearing the bodies Of the dead men. Lieutenant
Rernadou and Patterson were taken to the hos
r,.a, at the barracks. where their wounds were
said not to be dangerous
Ever since the facts Of the engagement became
known Lieutenant Newcomb, OF the Hudson.
has been beseged by naval officers who have
called 10 congratulate him on his rescue Of the
Winslow. To all these callers Lieutenant New
comb has said that he had done only his duty
and exactly what every one Of them would have
done under similar circumstances.
Lieutenant Bernadou, while lying on cot at
the hospital. said TO the Tribune correspondent:
THE Hudson's generous effort is the nerviest
thing ever saw. Lieutenant Newcomb and
hts men are heroes
The winslow while badly injured will soon
be repaired. as all OF her manned parts can
speedily be replaced. No part Of her mechan-
ism gave out from any other cause than the
enemy's fire.
BRAVE MEN.
The seamanship displayed on all the American
vessels was admirable. and their craftsmanship
was excellent Incidents Of personal bravery
Ai1rtn he that feM