The state herald., 1898-05-13
LATE WAR NEWS.


the ship most admirably, We're on the
forward bridge. Captain Gridley was
in the coming tower as 1t was thought
unsafe to risk losing all the senior
officers by one shell.
"You may fire when ready, Gridley,"
said the commodore, and at forty-one
minutes past 3 o'clock, at Il distance
of $500 yards, the starboard eight
inch gun In the forward turret roared
forth compliment to the Spanish
forts.
Presently similar guns from the Bal
timOre and the Boston sent 3oO-pOund
shells hurling toward the Castillo and
the Reina Cristina for accuracy.
The Spaniards seemed encouraged to
fire faster, knowing exactly our dis
tance, while we had to guess theirs.
Their ship and shore guns We're max
ing things hot for us. The piercing
scream of shot was varied often by
the bursting of time fuse shells, frag
ments of which would lash the water
like schrapnel or cut our hull or rig
ging.
| Few shots were fired from our ship,
yet still the flagship steamed for the
center of the Spanish line, and as our
| other ships We're nstern, the Olympia
received most of the Spanish attention.
Owing TO our deep draught, Commo-
dore Dewey felt constrained to change
his course at n distance of 1000 yards
and run parallel to the Spanish col
! umn.
open with all guns" he said, and
the ship brought her port broadsidc
bearing. The roar of all the hagships
! iivc-inch rapid firing guns was fol
lowed by deep diapason of her tur-
| ret eight-inchcrs.
| Soon all our vessels We're equally
hard at work and we could see that
our shells We're making Cavitc harbor
hotter for the Spaniards than they
had made the approach for us.
Protected by their shore batteries
and made safe from close attack by
shallow water, the Spaniards were in
n strong position. They put up gal
] liant fight The Spanish ships were
sailing back and forth behind the Cas-
tilla and their fire, too, was hot.
One shot struck the Baltimore and
passed clean through her. fortunately
hitting no one. Another ripped up he
main deck, disabled n siN-inch gun and
exploded n box of thrcc-pounder am
munitlon. wounding eight men.
Another shell passed through The
Roston's foremost, just in front of
Captain Wildcs. on the bridge.
The Olympia was struck abreast the
gun In the ward room by II shell,
which burst outside, doing little dam
age.
The signal halyards were cut from
Lieutenant Brumby's hand on the aft
cr bridge. A shell entered the Boston's
port quarter and burst In Ensign Dod-
ridges stateroOm, starting "A hot fire,
and fire was also caused by n shell
which burst in the port hammock net
ting. Both these fires We're quickly put
out.
After having made four runs along
the Spanish line, finding the chart in-
correct, Lieutenant Calkins. the Olym-
pia's navigator, told the commodore
he believed he could take the ship
nearer TO the enemy with the lead go
ing to watch the depth Of water. The
flagship started over the course for
the fifth time. running within 1000
yards of the Spanish vessels,
At this range even siN-pounders were
| effective, and the storm of shells
poured upon the unfortunate Spanish
began to show marked results. Three
Of the encmy's vessels were seen
burning and their fire slnckencd.
On finishing this run Commodore
Dewey decided to give the men break.
fast. ms they had been at the guns
two hours with only one cup OF coffee.
| The vessels withdrew out of range OF
| the enemy's guns and remained there
until II o'clock. when the battle was
renewed.
The Spaninrds replied very slowly.
and the commodor" slgnaled the Raj
elgh, the Boston. the Concord and the
Petrol TO go into the Inner harbor and
destroy all the enemy's ships.
by her light draught the little Petrol
was enabled 10 move within 1000
yards. Her firing. swift. but accurate.
commanded everything stlll flying the
Spanish flng.
Other ships were also doing their
I whole duty, and soon not one red and
| yellow ensign remained nloft except
ON the const The Spanish flagship
and the Castillo had long been burn
Ing lercely. and the last vessel to be
abandoned was the Don Antonio de
Illoa. which lurched over and sank
Then the Spanish flag ON the arsenal
stnn was hauled down aud at half
past u o'clock u white ilng was hoist.
ed there, Signal was made TO the Pc.
trcl TO destroy all The vessels In the
Inner harbor and Lieutenant Hughes,
with mn armed boats crew. set fire TO
the Don Juan de Austria. Marques
/ Dnoro, the isln de Cuba and the Cor.
REQ. The large transport Manila and
many tug boats aud small craft fell
into our hands,
Following wounded. all baltimore.
Lieutenant r. W Kellogg. Ensign 4.
T., Erwin nnd enlisted men Barlow.
Budingor, Covert. O'Keofc. RIcclnr.
dell and Luclgroyc, wounded during
. first hour Of engagement.
The forts mndc n nominal resistance
hut were quickly oycrpowcrrd. The
> shore garrison did not caplmlntc
however. aud when the American nccl
ccnscd firing the Spnnlnrds ON shor,
were stlll defiant
Cnvlic II In utter ruin ana has sur
: rendered. the gunbonts have beer
scuttlcd and the arsenal was on fir,
and exploded, causing great mortality
The commodore Of the fleet on board
the Rclnn Christina wns wounded, and
her captain. lieutenant. chaplain nnt
mldshlpmon were killed by n shcl
striking the bridge Eighty of hcl
crew were Killed ana sixty wounded
ON the Cnsillln one hundred wcf,
killed and sixty wounded. ON the Chs
p tiiin an, hnu,Ir,I Of. i,p. l. liitnI nnI Al.