Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-07-05

trained upon his vessels.
The Americans saw him the moment he
ton Immediately. For an hour or two they
followed the flying spaniards to the west.
ward along the shore line. sending shot
great holes in their steel sides, and cover
ing their decks with the blood of the killed
and wounded.
At no time did the Spaniards show any
indication that they intended to do other
wise than fight to the last. They showed
10 signals of surrender even when their
clouds Of smoke pouring from their sides
showed they were on fire. But they turned
their heads toward the shore, less than
a mile away, and ran them on the beach
and rocks. where their destruction was
soon completed. The officers and men on
board then escaped to the shore as well
as they could, with the assistance of boats
sent from the American men-of-war, and
then threw themselves upon the mercy OF
them the gracious hand of American chiv-
airy, but sent them a guard to protect
them from the murderous bands Of Gu
hillside, eager to rush down and attack the
unarmed, defeated but valorous foe.
One after another of the Spanish ships
became the victims of the awful rain of
shells which the American battleships,
cruisers and gunboats poured upon them.
and two hours after the first of the feet
had started out of Santiago harbor. three
cruisers and two torpedo boat destroyers
were lying ON the shore ten to fifteen miles
smoke and fame pouring from every part
of them and covering the entire coast line
with mist which could be seen for miles.
Heavy explosions of ammunition occurred
every few minutes. sending curls of dense
white smoke a hundred feet in the air and
causing shower of broken iron and steel
The bluffs on the coast line echoed with
the roar of every explosion and the Span
ish vessels sank deeper and deeper into the
to pieces as they rolled or pitched. forward
or sideways. with every wave that washed
upon them from the open sea.
Admiral Cervera escaped to the shore in
boat sent by the Gloucester to the assist
ance of the Infanta Maria Teresa, and as
soon as she touched the beach he surren-
dered himself and his command to Lieu
tenant Morton, and asked to be taken on
board the Gloucester, which was the only
American vessel near him at the time. with
several of his officers, including the cap
tain of the flagship.
The Spanish admiral. who was wounded
in the arm, was taken to the Gloucester.
and was received at her gangway by her
commander, Lieutenant Commander Rich
ard Wainwright, who grasped the hand of
the gray-bearded admiral, and said to him:
Il congratulate you, sir, upon having made
as gallant fight as was ever witnessed on
the sea-
Lieutenant Commander Wainwright then
placed his cabin at the disposal of the Span
ish officers.
At that time, the Spanish flagship and
four other Spanish vessels had been
aground and burning for two hours, and
the only one of the escaping fleet which
could not be seen at the point was the
Cristobal Colon. But half dozen curls of
smoke far down the western horizon
showed the fate that was awaiting her.
The Cristobal Colon was the fastest Of the
Spanish ships. and she soon obtained q
lead over the others after leaving the har-
hor, and escaped the effect of the shots
| which destroyed the other vessels. She
steamed away at great speed, with the
| Oregon, New York. Brooklyn and several
| other ships in pursuit, all of them firing at
| her constantly, and receiving fire them
| selves from her after guns. There seemed
no possibility whatever for her escape,
and, while her fate is not definitely known
at this hour. it can be readily imagined
| from the words of Captain Robley D. Ev-
| ans, of the Iowa, who returned from the
westward with $50 prisoners from the Wig
caya, just as the Associated Press dispatch
boat Wanda was leaving the flagship. In
answer to an inquiry. he shouted through
the megaphone: