The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-05-17

ara, KNOWN 10 many people mere, was
with Commodore Dewey on the Olym-
pia during the fight at Manila and he
thus describes the engagement:
MANILA, Philippine Islands, via
Hongkong, May Mot one Spanish
flag flies in Manila Bay today. Not
one Spanish warship floats, except as
prize.
More than 200 Spanish dead and
from 500 to 100 wounded attest the
accuracy of the American fire.
Commodore Dewey attacked the
Spanish position at Cavite this morn
ing. He swept five times along the
line and scored one of the most bril-
liant successes in modern warfare.
That our loss is trifing adds to the
pleasure of the victory without detrac-
ting from its value.
The number of hits our vessels re-
ceived proved how brave and stub
born was the defense IL, le by the
Spanish forces.
Miraculous as it may ppear, none
of our men were kill and only
eight wounded. Those who were
wounded suffered only slight injury.
LINE OF BATTLE.
Commodore Dewey arrived off Ma
Mia Bay last night and decided to en-
ter the bay at once. With all its
lights out the squadron steamed into
Boca Grande. with the crews at the
guns. This was the order of the
squadron, which was kept during the
whole time of the first battle:
The flagship Olympia, Baltimore,
Raleigh. Petrol, Concord, Boston.
1t was just S o'clock, a bright moon
light night, but the flagship passed
Coregidor Island without a sign being
igven that the Spaniards were aware
of its approach. Not until the flag
ship was a mile beyond Corregidor
was a gun fired. Then one heavy
shot went screaming over the Raleigh
and Olympia, followed by a second,
which fell farther astern.
The Raleigh, Concord and Boston re-
piled, the Concord's shells exploding,
apparently, exactly inside the shore
battery. which fired no more.
Our squadron slowed down to bare
ly steerage way and the men were al
lowed to sleep alongside their guns.
Commodore Dewey had timed our
ldl SD luul we were W1lllin hNc
miles of the city of Manila at day
break. We then sighted the Spanish
squadron. Rear Admiral Montejo COM
manding, of Cavite pronounced Ka-
veetay. with the accent on the "vee'0
Here the Spaniards had well pre-
pared navy yard, called Cavite arsenal.
THE ENEMY's SHIPS.
Admiral Montejo's flag was flying on
the $500 ton protected cruiser Relna
Cristina. The protected cruiser Cas-
tilla, of 5000 tons, was moored ahead.
and astern to the port and seaward,
were the cruisers Don Juan de Aus
tria, Don Antonio de Ulloa, Isla de
Cuba, Isla do Luzon, Ouiros, Marquis
del Onero and General LezoN.
These ships and the flagship re-
manned under way during most of the
action.
With the United States flag flying
at all their mastheads, our ships NOV
ed to attack in line ahead, with a
speed of eight knots, first passing in
front of Manila where the action was
begun by three batteries mounting
guns powerful enough to send shells
over us at a distance of five miles.
The Concord's guns doomed out a
reply to these batteries with two
shots. No more were fired. because
Commodore Dewey could not engage
with these batteries without sending
death and destruction into the crowd
ed city.
SUBMARINE MINES.
AS we neared Cavite two very pow
erful submarine mines were exploded
ahead of the flagship. This was at &
minutes past o'clock. The Spaniards
had evidently misjudged our position
Immense volumes of water were then
thrown high into the air by these de-
stroyers, but no harm was done to
our ships.
Commodore Dewey had fought with
Farragut at New Orleans and Mobile
Bay, where he had his first experience
with torpedoes. Not knowing how
many more mines there might be on
ahead, he still keep on without falter.
ing. No other mines were exploded
and it is believed that the Spaniards
had only these two in place.
! Only a few minutes later a shore
| battery at Cavite Point sent over the
| flagship a shot that nearly hit a bat
terry in Manila, but soon the guns got
better range and shells began to hit
near MS or to burst close board, from
both the shore batteries and the Span
/ ish vessels.
"REMEMBER THE MAINE.
The men stripped off all their clio
| thing except their trousers.
As the Olympia drew nearer to The
| Spanish fleet all was as silent ~
| board as if the ship had been emmy
except for the whirr of blowers and
throb of the engines. Suddenly a
shell burst directly over us From
| the boatswain's mate of the after nvC
! inch gun came the hoarse cry. "Rc
member the Maine" and the choru,
arose from the throats of 500 men al
the guns. This watchword was ihoI
caught mp in the turrets and fire
rooms, wherever "A seaman or fremt,
! stood at his post.
"Remember the Maine" had runa
out for defiance and revenge.
It's utterances seemed unpremedi