The Monte Vista journal., 1898-07-09

lereHA ana SPANS two much dreaded
torpedo boat destroyers, perhaps 200
yards apart. The Maria Teresa was
received with a terrific storm Of shells.
Smashed and on fire, she was beached
close to the Morro.
The Iowa steamed for time for
ward with the Oquendo, and the In
diana d'd the same with the Vizcuyn.
but as the fight thus moved westward
1t became clear that the Americans
were willing that the Spanish ships
should run far enough from Moro TO
lose the aid Of the guns there and In
twenty minutes this was done.
This was n hit Of strategy which
WIS developed under fire. and which
was adopted ut once by all the Amer
lem ships without orders: In fact, the
smoke often made 1t impossible to see
the signnls which Commodore Schley
was making from the Brooklyn, 10
tremendous was the firing NIL along the
line. Both tile Oluendo and Vazcaya
were sometimes within thousand
yards OF the Indiana. The range var
extremely Geadiy: nevertheless the
high speed and thick nrmor Of their
class stood the Spanish In good stead
|
marked out by Admiral Ccrvera.
Three-quarters OF an hour after the
action began II was evident the Span
ish had many guns disabled and
would have to surrender. There were
terrible casualties on the cnemy's
ships.
As the smoke cleared little one
could see the Spanish flagship. her
port broadsIdc spoutins smoke, still
holding on to the westward. The Tex.
as and Massachusetts Joined the In
diana and the Iowa. The Oquendo and
the Vizcaya hugged the shore and
steamed after Ccrvera. pledged TO go
with him to defeat and death.
Shells burst on the deck Of the Span
ish cruisers mt short Intervals. Often
they were on fire. but again and again
they cxtingulshed the flames and man
| ned again and again the guns from
which they had been driven.
The green coast on their starboard
| smoked with the shells which flew
over. md crashing sounds heard amid
the thunder Of great rifles told Of arm.
| or piercing shells driven Into and
! through their protected Sides.
Two dcstroyers coming on after the
NiZcaya were headed on and pcrfor-
aicd by the guns Of the Indiana and
Gloucester. They ran upon the shore
and blew up.
The New York was six miles away
when the dcstroyers saw her. The
MORO thundcrcd mt Sampson ms he
came within range. but the admiral
never hecdcc. seeing only In the dis
tnncc the dim forms OF the vixcaya
and OIucndo. hopcicssiy hcmmed IN
by n circle Of fire. and In the fore
ground the Gloucester fighting two
dcstroycrs nj short range.
The Spanish admiral was lost IN
| smoke To the westward. when. at a
| quarter before eleven o'clock, the
Nizcayn hoisted n white fing. This
was followed by the OVucndo's go
Ing ashore with flames bursting from
her dcckn.
The Iowa. Indiana. Texas and Mas
sacliusetts ceased firing. the MnsRa-
chusctts going nt once to Join the Or.
cgon nnd the Brooklyn In pounding
up and smashing Cerycra's ship.
Once headed on. the Oquenio
turned Into small hay fonr or Ave
miles west OF Santiago. where she
lny close to land.
With mn cver-wcnkcninc brondsiie
the Vizcayn followed. first heading
, out ns II TO break through the line Of
1 battle. The Indiana and Iowa closed
In. md their formation made her es.
cape In that direction impossible.
Captain Eulatc then attempted TO
rcncfi the east sid. OF the hay. Occ,i-
pied by the oIuendo. but In vain
With n glass I could see that the
Vixcayn's bulwarks near the stern
Ind been torn away. Smoke poured
out where shells had exploded inside.
and she was on fire. Her guns, with
the exception Of those forward, were
out Of nction. Her how guns were
sun firing Mt intervals. those who
were not working. the low guns
crowilng forward TO escape the
smoke and fire aft.
The Oqucndo was ashore. her guns
silent and smoke rising In thick
black clouds. There was n thunder.
Ing of guns to the westward now. and
flashes In the smother told TINT Ger.
vera siIli fought. hut to the eastward
Of his ship lay the burning wrecks of
his two destroycrs. The torpedo boat
Ericsson wns seen coming nlong with
the New York.
The OIucndo was hclpicss. Tho
Indiana and the Iowa were closing I'm
nnd shell after shell burst above und
aboard the Hixcnyn. Eulatc hoistcl a
white mag ms his ship went ashore 10
save the remainder Of his men. anJ
simultaneously up went a fing Of
white On the oqmndo and down
came the Nag NJ Spain. An hour aud
u hnlf had elapsed since Ccrvcrs had
left the hnrl'or. and Of the Ave YES.
sells which came out. only the finx.
.lir WAS siili In action. The Morru
battery silil h,ormcd impaticutly st
tho New York.
ccrvcrn passed the hay In which the
oducndo Ind sought refuge. and held
an due westward course close 10 the
shore. but evidently nourishins III. t|cs.
t,ernfr hops that he might break
through the line and reach free water.
lie Ind rnsscd In succession the tpti.
nnn and tho Town nn,i the Texas. mot
To speak of the little Gloucester. which
.pouted disountlcru nj him. Since his
nag had appeared outside of the har.
'or his ship Int, been struck again and
agnin.
by this time tho vis~nyn and the
Oqucnd0 were practically ls.nt~n, hut.
IN spite of the u and iJ.iuch shrlis
that were rcainrtl upon him as range
which WAS very short for such guna,
10 spite 0s the fact that his l,0jjrfs end
machinery were damaged. b. held his
cousse.
A. half past II s;rrvera aaw The Or
eon cuttlng IN StN 70 ahead Of hin 10
rpund him Ia. Tke s0oka was yeey
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