The gold leaf., 1898-05-19

going to watch the depth OF water.
The flagship started over the course
for the fifth time, running within
1900 yards of the Spanish vessels.
At this range even six-pounders
were effective, and the storm of
shells poured upon the unfortunate
Spanish began to show marked re-
| suits.
Three of the enemy's vessels were
seen burning and their fire slack
| ened.
JUST A STOP FOR BREAKFAST.
On finishing this run Commodore
Dewey decided to give the men break
fast, as they had been at the guns
two hours. with only one cup Of cof-
| fee to sustain them. Action ceased
temporarily at twenty-five minutes
of eight o'clock, the other ships pass
ing the flagship and cheering Justify.
The moment when our ships drew
away for breakfast the temper of the
men was illustrated by an almost
fearful appeal of one gun captain to
Commander Lamberton:
..For Gods sake. Captain, don't
stop. Now let's finish 'em up right
off. To h with breakfast"
Our ships remained beyond range
of the cnemy's guns until ten min
utes of II o'clock, when the signal
for close action again went up. The
Baltimore had the place of honor in
the lead, while the flagship following
and the other shi ps as before.
The Baltimore began firing at the
Spanish ships and batteries at six
teen minutes past II o'clock, making
a series of hits as if at target prac-
tice. The Spaniards replied slowly,
and the Commodore signalled the
Raleigh. the Boston, the Concord, and
the Petrol to 90 into the inner harbor
and destroy all the enemy's ships.
BY her light draught the little
Petrol was enabled to move within
1000 yards. Here. firing swiftly but
accurately, she commanded every
thing still flying the Spanish flag.
Other ships were also doing their
whole duty, and soon not one red and
yellow ensign remained aloft, except
on a battery up the coast. The Span
ish flagship and the Castillo had long
been burning fiercely, and the last
vessel to be abandoned was the Don
Antonio de Ulloa, which lurched over
and sank.
WHITE FLAG HOIsTED.
Then the Spanish flag on the
arsenal staff was hauled down, and
at half-past y o'clock white flag
was hoisted there. Signal was made |
to the Petrol to destroy all the YES
sells in the inner harbor, and Lieu
tenant Hughes, with an armed boats
crew, set fire to the Don Juan de
Austria, Marquis Duero, the Isla de
Cuba and the CorreO.
The large transport Manila and
many tugboats and small craft fell
into our hands.
Admiral Dewev's orders were to
capture or destroy the Spanish fleet,
and never were instructions executed
in more complete fashion. At the
end of seven hours there was abso-
lutely nothing left of the Spanish
fleet but few relics.
Never in the history Of battles on
sea or land has there been a more
complete clearing out of an enemy of
equal or superior force achieved with
so little harm to the victors. Every
American ship is ready tonight to
fight another similar action tO-mor-
row morning.
DEWEY A MASTER STRATEGIsT.
Io-day's complete victory was the
product of forethought. cool, we'll
balanced judgment, discipline and
bravery.
The American commander had |
skillfully arranghd every detail of |
the action, and even the minutest !
features were carried out with per-
feet punctuality and in railroad time
table order.
This grand achievement is as much |
due to the generalship Of Dewey as to |
the fact that the American gunners,
ships and guns are superior Credit
must also be given in the fullest ex-
tent to the officers under Dewey, for
to man they seconded their gallant
commander in every way possible
and thus helped him earn the laurels
which are so Justly his
AT the end of the action Admiral
Dewey anchored his fleet in the bav
before Manila and sent a message to
Governor-General Augusti, announc-
ing the beginning of a blockade
He added that if shot were fired
against his ships he would. destroy
every battery about Manila.
The heat was intense All our men
suffered greatly from heat during
the action, for the ships were shut
up below, with furnaces blazing and
a tropical sun pouring down. They
stripped off all clothing except their
trousers. Probably several would
have succumbed but for the excite
ment of the battle
SPANISH HAD THE ADVANTAGE.
The position occupied by the
Spanish, the support which their
ships received from the land bat
teries and the big guns they had
ashore, gave them an enormous ad-
vantage. Therefore, when it is con-
sidered that the Spaniards lost over
600 men in killed and wounded, that
all their ships was DESTROYED and
that their naval arsenal at Cayite
was also destroyed, with it's defenses.
1t will become apparent that the
victory of the Americans is one of
the most complete and wonderful
achievements in the history of naval
warfare.
SCEES AND INCIDENTS.
The piercing scream of shot was
varie d often by the bursting of time
fuse shells. fragments of which
would lash the water like shrapnel or
cut our hull and rigging.
One large shell that was coming
straig ght at the Olympia's forward
bridge fortunately fell within less
than 100 feet away. a fragment cut