The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-07-14
CERVERA JOINS MONTUO
HE HAD \ FLEET ONCE BUT LOST
1T.
Schley Repeats at Santiago Dewey's
Brilliant Victory at Manila-The
Entire Squadron Destroyed.

WITH ADMIRAL SIMPSONS
FLEET, Sunday July 3. via Port An
tonic, thence TO Kingston. Jamaica,
Monday, July 4.-Scattered along the
shore for a distance of ten miles to
the west of Moro Castle now lie the
armored cruisers and torpedo boat
destroyers that comprised Admiral
| Cervera's fleet. In a running fight of
two hours these vessels, the cream of
| the Spanish fleet, were almost ami
hilated this morning by the powerful
ships of Admiral SIMPSONS feet un-
! der. the immediate command of Com
modore Schley.
Admiral Cevera, after making as
plucliy fight against overwhelming
odds as is recorded in naval history.
was compelled to surrender. He was
taken as a prisoner of war together
with every man in his fleet not drown
ed or killed in action.
The Spanish admiral was wounded
in one of the arms. His splendid
ships, the Cristobal Colon Cthe flag
ship, the Nizcaya, Almirante Oquen-
do and Infanta Marie Teresa, and the
torpedo boat destroyers Furor and
! Pluton, lie on Cuban rocks, shell rid
den, smoking hullts.
Magnificent beyond description was
the bold dash by which Cerevara at
tempted to get his fleet out of San
tiago harbor. Cervera himself led the
way with his flagship. the Cristobal
Colon. 1t was to be a dash for liber-
ty or death, and the Spanish admiral
made the plunge with his eyes open.
Sunday quiet rested over the en-
trance Of Santiago. No signs were
visible about old Moro. Beyond and
toward the city of Santiago all was
still. After two days of fighting the
armies of both nations were resting
in their trenches. Off this way, for
a distance of half dozen miles from
shore, the vessels of SIMPSONS fleet
lay lazily at anchor.
Sudden, as a flash, at half past 0
o'clock, vessel appeared near the
entrance of the harbor. She was
throwing out great black clouds of
smoke and was pointing straight to
the American fleet.
y. In the absence of Admiral Sampson,
Commodore Schley from the Brook
lyn, ordered the American warships
to rush inshOre. In few minutes it
was seen that the vessel emitting such
a great cloud of smoke was the Girls
tobal Colon, Admiral Cervera's flag
ship. She had passed the wreck of
the Merrimac and was making for
sea at full speed. Before Commodore
Schley and his men could recover
from their surprise other clouds of
smoke came into view beyond the
Cristobal Colon.
With a rush fully equal to the Girls
tobal Colon the Almirante Oquendo
came throbbing toward the open sea.
Behind her came the Nizcaya. also at
! full speed, while the rear was brought
up by the Infanta Marie Teresa and
the two torpedo boat destroyers the
| Furor and Pluton. This stirring
scene was so dramatic and so uneX-
pected it quickly put the captain and
every man of his vessel on his met
tie.
'Cervera's trying to escape" was
the cry that resounded through the
fleet. Every American vessel quickly
weighen anchor. The engines were
started, and one by one the great
American warships made ready for
the battle.
Just as the Cristobal Colon was
poking her nose out into the open sea
Commodore Schley sent the Brooklyn
madly rushing to the westward to
head off Cervera's flagship. He or
dered the Massachusetts and Oregon
to follow after her, at the same time
ordering the Indiana, Iowa and the
Texas to intercept the other vessels
of the escaping fleet. Then began one
of the greatest sea fights in history.
Almost before the leading ship was
clear of the shadow of Moro Castle
the fight had begun. Cevera started
it by shell from his ship. 1t struck
none of the American vessels. In a
twinkling the big guns of the Texas
belched forth their thunder, which
was followed Immediately by heavy
fire from our ships. The Spaniards
turned westward under full steam.
pouring constant fire on our ships,
and evidently hoping to get away by
their superior speed.
The Brooklyn made her course par
allel with that of the Spaniards, and
after getting in good range began a
running fight. The Texas, still head
ing inshore, kept up hot exchange
of shots with the foremost vessels,
which gradually drew away to the
westward under the shadows of the
hills. The third of the Spanish YES
sells, the Nizcaya, or Infanta Marie
Teresa, was caught by the Texas in
good fighting range.
Meanwhile the Oregon had come in
on the run. She passed the Texas
and chased after Commodore Schley
on the Brooklyn to head off the fore
most of the Spanish ships. The Iowa
also turned her course westward and
kept up hot fire on the running en-
envy
At 1910 o'clock the third of the
Spanish ships was seen to be on fire.
The Spaniard headed for the shore,
and the Texas turned her attention to
the one following. The Brooklyn and
the Oregon, after few parting shots.
also left her cOntemptuously, and
made all steam after the foremost of
the Spanish ships, the Almirante Oqu-
endo and the Crstobal Colon.