New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-14
DEwEY's OFFICIAL REPORT.
A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE BATTLE
OF MANILA BAY.

DETAILED ACCOtNl We 49,"
OF MANILA BAY.
washington. June 13.-The Navy Department
mi. afternoon received it's first mail adVice'
from Admiral Dewey since he reached MahiA.
Under date OF Cavite May l. he gives deta'ie"
account ~ the battle Of Manila Bay. Its spec'a'
,.o,ur. l.. the terms OF high praise In which ne
sp.sbs Of the crews OF the ships. saying 'na'
MAYA. had An oflcer 30 loyal and brave crews.
The letter follows. .ooa
Flagship Olympia. Cavlte. May =, looo d.,
The squadron left Mrs Bay on ApriI
o. Arrived off Bolinao on the morning
~ mi, 10 and nnding no vessels tnere' pro-
ceeded down the coast and arrived OH .ne em
trance to Manila Bay on the same aiterno on
The Boston and the Concord were rem, !" .sspcn
notre Port subic. A thorough seAt ,Sa
~ the mort was made by the Boston and the
Concord but the Spanish fleet was nov iouna'
Entered the south channel at II ~ p n n;
steaminr in column at eight knots Aiter nan
tho squadron had passed. a battery on the sou.n
side Of the channel opened hre .on. &c.,
shots taking effect. The Boston ana the MeSu
loch returned the fire the sduaa nd arrived OK
Manila at daybreak and was fired upon ~ ~"
a. m by three batteries at Manila ana TWO nea AZ
Cnvite. and by the spanish neet ia sn .cro,s the
mouth OF Baker Bay, with their left IN shoa'
water In Canacao Bay
BEGINNING THE ATTACK.
The squadron then proceeded TO tne at ddrec.
The flagship olympia, under my persona Mi onu
ton leading followed at distance by the paiu
more the Raleigh. the Petrol. the CONCORD anu
the Boston. in the order named, WIFI ,o ,' Tha
ton was maintained throughout the action me
squadron opened fire at OH a. m WINE a az
yapcing to the attack two mines were eXpioueu
ahead Of the flagship too iar 10 De ord nre.
else nrc ut ranges varying from oWV 10 800
yards. countermarchns In line approx XII
parallel to that OF the Spanish meet me e,e
my's FIRE WAS vigorous. but generaily lnenec'lve.
Early in the engagement two Launches put OUT
toward the Olympia with the apparent 'nten'i e,
OF using torpedocs. one was sunk ana tne
other disabled By our h:e. and beached Delore
an opportunity occurred to fire torpedoes
At a. m the Spanish flagship Reina Cristina
made desperate attempt to leave the line Anu
come out to engage at short range. Dut was
received with such CALLING fire, the entire pat
terry OF the Olympia being concentrated upon
her. that she was barely able to return 10 sne
shelter OF the point. The fires started IN ne!
by our shell at this time were not extinsuished
untii shn sank The three batteries at
Manila had kept up a continuous report from
the beginning OF the engagement. wnlch hre
was not returned by this squadron. The hrst or
these batteries was situated on the south moe
head, at the entrance to the Pasg River. Inc
second on the south bastion OF the walled city
Of Manila. and the third at Malate. about one
half mile further south.
At this point sent a message to the Gov
ernor. General to the effect that II the batteries
did not cease firing the city would be shelled:
This had the effect OF silencing them At 1875
a. m. ceased firing and withdrew the squadron
for breakfast
THE SECOND ATTACK.
At 11:16 a. m returned to the attack. BY this
time the Spanish flagship and almost the entire
spanish feet were in flames. At 1890 p. m. the
squadron ceased firing, the batteries being 81
fenced and the ships sunk. burned and deserted
as o." ne S. ah bennd
to complete the destruction Of the smaller gun
boats which were behind the point Of Cavte
This duty was performed by Commander +. p
Wood In the most expeditions and complete
manner possible. The Spanish lost the follow
ing vessels:
sunk-Reina cristina, Castillo, Don Antonio
de Ulloa.
Burned--Don Juan de Austria Isla de Luzon.
Isla de Cuba General Leo. Marquis del Duero
FL Correo. velasco and Isla de Mindanao Grams
porD
Captured-RapIdo and Hercules NugO and
several small launches.
am unable to obtain complete accounts OF
the enemys killed and wounded but believe
their losses to be very heavy. The Reina Girls
tina alone had 80 killed, including the captain.
and ninety wounded. I am happy TO report
that the damage done to the squadron under
my command was uncomfortable. There were
none killed and oply seven men in the squadron
very slightly wounded. Several OF the
vessels were struck and even penetrated. but the
damage was of the slightest. and the squadron
Is In as good condition now as before the battle
THE OFFICERS PRAISED.
beg to state to the Department that doubt
II any commandment chief was ever served by
more loyal. efficient and gallant captains than
those of the squadron now under my command
Captain Frank Wides commanding the Boston,
volunteered to remain In command Of his ves-
sci. although his relief arrived before leaving
Hong Kong. Assistant Surgeon Kindleberger,
OF the olympia. and Gunner j. G. Evans, OF the
Boston. also volunteered to remain after orders
detaching them had arrived. The conduct Of
my personal stan was excellent. Commander
r. La A
for that position and gave me most efficient aid.
Lieutenant Brumby. flag lieutenant. and Ensign
W. p. Scott, aid, performed their duties as signal
officers in highly creditable manner. The
Olympia being short OF officers for the battery,
Ensign II. Fl. Caldwell flag secretary, volun-
teered for and was assigned to a subdivision
Of the 5-inch battery. J. L. Stickney. formerly
an officer in the United States Navy. and now
correspondent for THE New York Herald" vol
unteered for duty as my aid. and rendered val
liable services. desire specially to mention
navigator Of the Olympia, who came under my
personal observation. being on the bridge with
me throughout the entire action and giving the
ranges TO the guns with an accuracy that was
proven BY the excelency of the firing On May
2 the day following the engagement the SQUAD
ron again went to Cavite. where II remains
On the Sd the military forces evacuated the
Cavite arsenal. which was taken posse sson OF
by a landing party. On the same day the RAJ
the batteries on Corresidor Island. parolIng the
garrison and destroying the guns On the
morning Of May the transport Manila, which
had been aground In Baker Bay. was towed or
and made a prize.