The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-08-23
GUNNER ON THE OREGON.

He ella IA. to ishvs FtrSd t"s hlrst aHos
.,,n, span iAiI Fleet ANA EGIOIS the Work
ufIii. shlP.
seattle washington Post-Intelllgen-
cor. A breezy account OF the great
naval battle of Santiago dc Cuba. and
one which gives gallant Captain Charles
Clor,, and his marvellous battieship Ore
..r full-sharC in the destruction OF
ccryera's feet, lie contained in letter
written by Gunner Joseph F. o'shel.
of,bts city. The letter Is dated at SAN
tIog0. July 10, but had 70 come TO It's
destination by a roundabout course
Gnnner O'Shea claims TO have fred the
frst shot on that momentons sunday
morning. This Is how he tells the story:
~ viii give sou a true and detailed
occa,nt OF the battle. as seeniby myself
%yS,, me bridge OF the oregon, where
,yaa stationed when the fight started.
Al g.97 o'clock on the morning OF july
? ali the ships taking part In the
Sicrknde were quietly holding their
ncsitIong. No one dreamed that Ger
vcra's fleet would attempt 70 run the
t,t'ctnde. GU. crew vas on deck WALL
Irg 10 fall In fer the sunday morning
inspectIon, when IRE signal anartermas'
Ter sung out thG the spantsh feet was
coming out Of the harbor,9ss
"Captaln Clark was just coming up
Srorn his cabin, and when he heard the
words he rushed TO his position on the
bridge. where the tTutppetet WAS ready
ia sound general quarters Before the
C,otnin haa time to locate the mouth Oh
She harbor through his marine glasses
every man was at his post. The actual
time was but one minute and ten sec
onds. ! happened 70 be a ltue prompt
IN getting 70 my station, and there-
fore had the honor Of firing the aTst
gun in the gfeat battle.
81 was stStioned at the forward part
OF the bridge on the stNrboard side.
Gutckly examined my gun, hooked the
handspring and loaded. Captain Clark
stood on the bridge over the pilot house.
and turning to me, told me to so ahead
and fire.
az raised my sight to the full eleva-
lion. that is, 1850 yards, and fired as the
bow OF the first Spanish cruiser hove in
sight. The shot went across the bow.
While I was loading again, the star
board e!ght-inch gun forward went on,
and the battle was fairly opened. This
shell struck the Almlrante oquando as
she cleared Moro Castle
"When the first cruiser cleared the
harbor she fired a whole broadslde az
us. but owing to Captain Clark's skin
In 1aanoeuvcrIng the ship the shells fell
"By this time the three other Spanish
cruisers and the two torpedo boats
were out and fighting hard. The Texas
ran IN astern Of us and began sending
shells into the Almirnnte Oduendo. The
Hrookivu was on the outside OF us.
smashing the VizcuVa with eight Inch
shells. The Iowa. Commanded nJ Capt.
Evans, Fighting Bob'y was firing fast
and recklessly into the Maria Teresa.
Captain Evans claims to have also iired
on the CrIstobal Colon and NiEcnya. out
when the Oregon was pursuing these
Spanish vessels the only other Ameri-
can ship in sight was the Brooklyn, the
rest OF the ships having remained 70
Ar'sh the Maria Teresa and the AZ
mrante Oquendo and to pick up the
Spanish prisoners.
I'm chasing the swift Crlstobal Colon
aud the powerful vizcaya, the Oregon
dd terrible work with her main and
secondary batteries. The secondary
battery tore the deck completely of OF
the V!Ecaya. Each time the Spaniards
Amounted 10 man their guns the awful
fire from the Oregon would" drive them
below again. 1t was terrible sight 10
sec some of the prisoners we took on
board from the VIScaya. Some hau
their ewes knocked out and some their
legs or arms broken, The Spanish vessel
was Vertinble slaughter pen.
THE Vizcaya was supposed TO be one
OF the finest ships In SPANS navy ana
one OF the fastest ailoat, but when the
Oregon started after her she maze
moor showing In fact, the Oregon prov"
Cd be.selt superior to any Of the four
cruisers of CeTvera's fleet in both speed
and guuneTy.
well. a thirteen-Inch she'll took the
VlZcayn in the stem as she steamed
away In the hopeless race, and tore her
wide open. She made for the beach,
hut that did not save her from the
Oregon's fire. At every shot the CRY:
Remember the Maine!' could be heard
from the fighting tops to the double
bottoms Of our good ship.
AT last Chief Doatswain's Mate Muir
phy sang out to Captain Clark that the
VIzcava had hauled down her flag.
Captain Clark then commanded us to
cease firing. but a voice from the range
finder In the maIntop cried out 'Remem-
Der the Aainel' and we gave the VIZ
caya a parting broRdside and made az
ter the Crlstobal Colon. at this time four
miles in advance OF us and under forced
drauKht the whole time.
1--WE put on our forced draught, too.
and went after her like a greyhound,
Barking at her with now a thirteen
inch. then an eIght-Inch. We soon found
her range. The Brooklyn was well out
at sea, but guarding the Colon closely.
Suddenly signals Huttered from her
rIggIng. Commodore schiey was say
Ing THAI one Of his compartments was
leaking and that he could not make
epeed. 4 understand We holsted In re-
plv. and redoubled our efforts TO over
haul the Colon: we didn't see the use OF
monkeying with one ship all day.
"4 think III have her too said Capt.
Clark, after n bit, and to the coming
tower he went. Give her common
SHE'LL he telephoned to the officer in
charge of the forward thIrteen-inch
"The big gun roared uud the shell
sailed away. II struck the Colon on the