The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-06-06

tended hands OF his shipna.es. more than
enc Lad turned 20 hide the unbliden tears
But tho lieutenant babe shen aiieu with
smile on bis handsome fare.
This morning the Me-rfnac started IN
shortly after O'Clock. The fal MOON had
disappeared behind L black cloud bank
In the west IL was thas cain hour before
dawn when life IS al It's lowest ehS and
the tide runs out. carrying r1ortsls with
-
Slowly the seconds OF fate t.eked On. and
for ar hour 3,so strained eyes strove 10
perez the deep veil OF night. Suddenly
several blood red tongues OF tire shot
down from the rocky eu1.nsnce On which
Moro is situated. They were followed by
jets and streams Of ere from the batteries
opposite.
The Merrimac had reached the entrance
/ OF The harsor. She must have passed 50
close that = stone ioosezei from tbs
frowRing parapet % the castle would have
fallen OF her deck.
Into the nurderous han showered down
on her the Merrtnac passed ani moved on
a full quarter OF a nile. ennladed from
sides. rear and front. with q plung.ng fire
from the batteries that surrounded her.
Il seems a miracle that the apparently rid
died hun could have reached the goal.
After five minutes the fire ceased and
ali became dark again Then. among the
watchers Of the flees arose the question
as 10 whether those five minutes of muir
widows, or orphans.
Mother, wife, sister or sweetheart may
have been dreaming OF her loved one. all
unconscious OF the fact that the object OF
her dream was earning fame perhaps with
his life.
During the next half hour. while the
fleet silently waited In suspense for the
coming of the day. many fingers i.ched at
the lanyards of the guns, and many gun
ner sought permission TO fire.
But nothing could be done. An El-dirsct-
ed shot might kill our men. possibly strug
Cling in the water toward the open sea.
When the curtain OF the nigh, was at last
lifted. the Light disclosed tiny steam
launch riding the waves, at the very
throat OF the entrance of the harbor. In
an instant the guns of the shors batteries
were turned upon her. and with last
lingering, vain look for the men of the
Merrimac. Ensign Powell headed his
launch close along shore to the westward.
In this lay salvation. The guns OF the
batteries to the westward could not be
depressed enough to hit the little launch
and the guns on Moro castle could not
bear upon her.
But the Spaniards. nevertheless. fred
wildly, overshooting the launch, until the
latter was fully two miles up the coast
Then some Of the shells began 20 drop
fairly close, and one Of them threw cloud
Of spray on board the small craft. In the
meantime. the ships of the fleet had drawn
In until thu New York. Massachusetts,
Texas and Marblehead were nearly three
miles OF Moro castle. The firing of the
guns continued. but the gunnery seemed
To grow, worse until the Spaniards be-
came tired.
Up to the time the Associated Press boat
left the feet this morning the admiral had
NOT given any orders for the hombardment
Of Santiago de Cuba's forts, but the spirit
OF revenge seemed TO hang over the feet,
and by this time Moro castle and the Span
ish batteries may be in ruins.
The American sailors would think Il
yetributive justice IL part OF the score
owed by Spain was wiped out at Santiago
de Cuba, where, twenty-five years ago.
the forty-nine men of the Virglnius were
shot 10 death.