The Dickinson press., 1898-07-23

w " y
ther lifeboat nor life preseryers, as the
Suwanee's boat crew had, and though
the surf was running high and strong
on q rocky beach. But deciding TO swim
Tor IT Il we were upset,:w we. dragged off
our clothing and headed our jolly boat
for the shore. When the first scrape of
gravel sounded under our keel, we jump.
sedsoutgand dragged the boat up on the
beach. Lieutenant Blue had been safely
hauled ashore byshis crew and was In
teryiewing q band Of Cubans, who were
also looking for Spaniards. Butasspan.
iards there were none, the lieutenant
pushed out through the breakers, board
ed the Suwanee and put to sea again.
We concluded, however, that it would
be . glorious thing to capture some
Spanish prisoners ourselves, SO we john
ed some dispatch boats and headed for
the Infanta Maria Teresa, farther along
the coast to the eastward. This vessel is
not quite in such bad condition as the
Oquenda. Blackened by fire and batter
ed by shell she certainly is, but her aft
er military mast still stands, her bridge,
though much bent and twisted, is recog-
ntzable az q bridge, and she has not such
terrible shot wounds in her hull as the
Oquendo has. Nevertheless she was the
first Of the Spanish ships yesterday to
give up the fight and head for the shore.
We found her still smoldering. In the
fire the cartridges occasionally popped,
as though feebly endeavoring to CON
tinue the fight.
While William Hemment photoJ
graphed the wreck I scanned the shore
for Spaniards and finally saw some score
Of figures huddled together in one cor
ner Of the beach. We shouted to them
andmade a demonstration with our fire.
arms, and the poor, cowed fellows, with
great alacrity, waved q white handker-
chief or shirt in token Of surrender. 1
jumped overheard, swan ashore and
told them we were going to take them
aboard our boat to the admiral. They
appeared rather gratitied than otherwise
and seemed to dread the Cubans far
more than the Americans. I sent our
small boat for the ships launch, first
having landed Mr.. Hemment and his
assistant. We three stood guard over
our wretched Spaniards until the launch
arrived. Several Spanish bodies, upon
which the vultures fed, lay along the
beach. Mi. Hemment took some rather
grewsome photographs while I made the
Spaniards bury their dead.
Most of our prisoners were wounded,
having been in the heat Of the fight,
and we learned from them how the gun
merry Of the Americans had become fierc-
er and more deadly until the Spanish
crews had deserted their guns and had
been shot down by their own officers;
how, as the conditions of the battle be-
came more and more desperate, the fine
wines and liquors Of the officers mess
had been handed out to the orews, SO
that with drunken courage they would
fight ON in the hopeless fight, and how
at last the officers themselves gave up,
and, souttling their ships, drove them
on the shore.
OF our prisoners 16 were from the
Vizcaya, 6 from the Oquendo and z from
the Maria Teresa, making a total Of 20.
We took them aboard the Silvia anI
headed for the feet. As we passed the
Texas we signaled our capture and re-
ceived a hearty cheer from her jackies.
Admiral Sampson thanked us very cour-
teously and asked us to deliver our pris-
oners on board the st. Louis. We did
&c, receiving a receipt i'll due form from
the officer Of marines in charge. This
receipt ! have forwarded to The Journal.
While aboard the st. Louis we met
Admiral Cervera and spoke a few wo-s'
to him. The old gentleman is q
imposing figure as he stands, still pl
", in his full uniform, with all l.
gold braid and several decorations Of his
rank on his breast. The full effect is
somewhat marred by the fact that his
trousers are very damp from wading
ashore, escaping from his burning and
disabled ship. But only the irreverent
would take notice Of such things.
From the fleet we went to the wreck
Of the Vizcaya, and while Mr.. Hem
ment takes photographs of the great
hole in her bow I sit on q dismounted
gun and write these few notes Of Mon
days proceedings to be forwarded to
you. Great heavens! Is this rent and
ruined hull, black and battered, blister
ed and burned, with the heaps of rub
bish on its deck, with the gaping chasm
in its bow, bordered by jagged points as
IL some mighty splash Of liquid iron
had suddenly turned cool-is this the
noble boat we all admired so much and
dreaded not a little as she lay in New
York harbor just before the war? Is
this the deck from which Captain Eulate
trained his guns ON the tall buildings Of
New York;