St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-07-06

the American Vessels "eie -"
untouched and only one man was Killed.
though the ships were subjected TO the
heavy fire of the Spaniards all the time
the battle lasted.
Admiral Cervera made as gallant
dash for liberty and for the preservation
of his ships Sunday as has ever occurred
in the history of naval warfare In the
face of overwhelming odds, with MOTH
ing before him but inevitable destruc-
tion or surrender If he remained any
longer in the trap in which the American
feet held him, he made bold dash from
the harbor at the time the Americans
least expected him to do so.
His fleet pushed its way around the
sunken wreck of the Merrimac and
came out to sea in a bold effort to run
past our squadron and escape or to give
battle. SIMPSONS ships were ready
THE first ship in the Spanish squadron
had not poked her nose a dozen yards
beyond the narrow entrance before she
was seen by our watchful lookouts.
A moment later the admiral himself
had been informed of the news, and was
on the deck of the flagship signalling
orders to his commanders to close in
around the mouth of the harbor and cut
off Cerveras escape.
The entire American fleet moved for
ward within a dozen minutes, and In
less than a quarter of an hour every
vessel was crowding past MORO castle
and close up to the harbor firing stead
lily as they advanced, with the crews
Justify cheering because the movement
for which they had so long waited hat
at last arrived.
There was tremendous fire from thu
vessels in Admiral Cervera's squadron
as they steadily advanced, and shell
fell all around the American warships
but their fire did little damage com
pared with the tremendous destruction
by the guns on the American warship!
The 13-inch Shells Of our big battle
ships fell with deadly effect upon tn
Spanish. The aim Of our gunners wa
almost perfect, in spite of the clouds c
Smoke that rolled up around the flee
The heat was sitting, but officers an
linen kept their places with splendi
bravery.
At no time did the Spaniards sho
any indication that they intended to
otherwise than fight to the last. The
showed no signals to surrender eve
when their ships commenced to sink ar
the great clouds of smoke pouring fro
their sides showed they were on fir
4 Il 1na I1 nf ha.trs arp
toward the shore, less than mile ava
and ran them on the beach and rock
where their destruction was soon cor
pleted The officers and men on boa
escaped to the shore as well as tn
could, with the assistance of boats Sc
from the American men-of-war, al
then threw themselves upon the mer
of their captors, who not only extend
to them the gracious hand Of Americi
chivalry, but sent them guard to pr
tect them from the murderous bands
Cuban soldiers hiding in the bush on t
hillside, eager to rush down and alta
the unarmed, defeated, but valoro
foe.
One and another of the Spanish shi
became the victims of the awful rain
shells which the American battleshil
cruisers and gunboats poured up
them, and two hours after the first
khe fleet had started out of Santa
harbor three cruisers and two torpe
boat destroyers were lying on the she
10 to Is miles west of MORO cast
pounding to pieces, smoke and fla
pouring from every part of them a
covering the entire coast line with
mist which could be seen for miles.
Heavy explosions Of ammunition
curred every few minutes, sending Gu
Of smoke 100 feet in the air and caus
a shower of broken iron and steel to
i'm the water on every side. The bit
on the coast line echoed with the roal
every explosion, and the Spanish
sells sank deeper and deeper into
sand or else the rocks pounded tn
bulls to pieces as they rolled or pitcl
forward or sideways, with every WI
that washed upon them from the Of
sea.
Admiral Cervera escaped to the sh
in a boat sent by the Gloucester to
assistance of the Infanta Maria Ter
AS soon as he touched the beach he S
rendered himself and his command
Lieutenant Morton and asked to
taken on board the Gloucester, VIII
was the only American vessel near