The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1898-05-13


fore the city and faced the enemy in
column line.
Though the Spaniards had opened
fire at 5000 yards, the Americans re-
served their fire until within 1000
yards of the enemy, when the real bat
tie began. The Reina Cristina, Cas-
tilla, Don Antonio de Ulloa, Isla de
Cuba, Isla de Luon and Mindanao
were in line of battle outside of Cavite
at that time, with their four gunboats
and the torpedo-boats inside the har-
Dor.
The American ships passed. back
ward and forward six times across the
front Of the Spaniards, pouring in
upon the latter perfect hail of shot
and shell. Every American shot
seemed to tell, while almost every
Spanish shot missed the mark.
After having thus scattered demer-
alization among the Spanish fleet and
batteries, the American fleet retired
for breakfast, and incidentally coun-
Oil of war was held on board the
Olympia.
By this time the Spanish ships were
in desperate condition. The flag
ship Reina Cristina was riddled with
shot and shell, one of her steam pipes
had burst, and she was believed to be
on fire. The Castillo was certainly on
fire, and soon after the fire became
worse and worse, until they were
burned to the waters edge.
The Don Ulloa made most magnifi-
cent display of bravery. When her
commander found she was so torn by
American shells that he could not keep
afioat, he nailed her colors to her mast
and sank with all hands fighting to the
last. She was completely riddled, and
her upper deck had been swept clear
by the awful fire of the American
guns. but the Spaniards, though their
vessel was sinking beneath them. con-
tinued working her guns on her lower
deck until she sank beneath the waters.
During the engagement a Spanish
torpedo-boat erept along the shore and
around the offing in an attempt to at
tack the American storeships, but she
was promptly discovered. She was
driven ashore and was actually blown
to pieces.
The Mindanac had meanwhile been
run ashore to save her from sinking,
and the Spanish small craft had
sought shelter from the steel storm be-
hind the breakwater.
The battle, which was started at
about A. NJ, and adjourned at $3.50
A. M. was resumed about noon, when
Commodore Dewey started in to put
the finishing touches on his furious
work. There was not much fight left
in the Spaniards by that time. At Q
P. M. the Petrol and Concord had
shot the Cavite batteries into silence.
leaving them heaps OF ruins and float
ing the white flag.
She Spanish gunboats were then
scuttled, the arsenal was on FIRE. and
the explosion of Spanish magazine
caused further mortality to the Span
ish defenders on shore.
On the water the burning, sunken
or destroyed Spanish vessels could be
seen, while only the cruiser Baltimore
had suffered in any way from the fire
of the enemy. A shot which struck
her exploded some ammunition near
one of her guns and slightly injured a
dozen of the crew.
Shots passed dangerously close to
Commodore Dewey. but little or no
damage was done on board the flagship.
On the other hand, about $50 men
are said to have been killed on board
the Spanish flagship, which was to-
tally destroyed. Admiral Montejo,
the Spanish admiral, transferred his
caught fire, but the latter was also de-
stroyed in due course of time. The
Reina Cristina lost her captain, lieu
tenant, her chaplain, and midship-
man by one shot which struck her
bridge. About 100 men were killed
and 80 wounded on board the Castillo.
Indeed, some estimates place the num-
ber of Spanish wounded during the en-
gagement at over 1000 men.
The Olympia was struck five stimes
about her upper works, and a whale
boat of the Raleigh was smashed.
Although the Krupp guns on the es-
planade of Manila were fred continu-
ally during the engagement, Commo-
dore Dewey did not reply to them, and
the battery afterwards hoisted white
flag in token Of surrender
The terms of the capitulation were
still unsettled when the McCulloch
left Manila, but it was said Commo
dore Dewey feared rioting upon the
part of the insurgents if he attempted
a bombardment of the remaining forti-
fcations at Manila.
The forts at the entrance of the bay
were dismantled Wednesday after they
had capitulated.
1t is said the com modore ordered the
cable to be cut, because the Spaniards
refused to permit him to use it pend
ing the complete surrender of the city.
1t is understood that the Spanish
ships did not get under steam until
after the alarm was given.
1t is said, that the Spanish COM
mander Informed the governor-general
that it was advisable to surrender in
the interest of humanity, as it was inn
possible to resist successfully, but that
he and his men were willing enough to
fight and die. Even when the Spanish
flagship was shot half away. her COM
mander, though wounded, refused to
leave the bridge till the ship was
burning and sinking, her stern shat
tered by shell and her steam pipe
burst.
As yet, there are no further details.
After the days fighting had ceased
Commodore Dewey sent an ultimatum
to the city battery, ordering it to cease
firing or he would lombard it. The
Petrol chased gunboat up the river
Pac;cE a,d tho Cra ,airh nn1,taira