The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-07-09
FIGHTING BOB EVANS NARRATES
THE STORY OF The FIGHT.
The Spanish Cruisers Running the Gauntlet Of Fire Of the
American BattleShips Engaging Each In
Turn-The Oregon Outruns
the Iowa.

A0misal sampson. i tncfexoIe ue1ue1 1oE
the wreck Of the vizcaya, now burning
furiousiy fore and Aft.
when I was In as far - the depth Of
water would admit Of. I lowered all my
beats and sent them At once to the assist
ance Of the men who were being drowned
By dozens o. roasted On the decks. ! soon
discovered that the insurgent Cubans from
the shore were shooting on men who were
struggling In the water. after having SIR
rendered to U.s. / Immediately put a stop
to this. but / could rot put q stop to the
mutilations Of many bodies by the sharks
inside the reefs. These creatures had be-
come excited BY the blood from the wound
ed, mixing In the water.
MY boats crews worked manfully and
succeeded In saving many OF the wounded
from the burning ship. One man. who viii
be recognized for promotion. ciambered up
men from burning to death. The smaller
magazines Of the yizcaya were exploding
with magnificent cloud effects. The boats
were coming alongside in a steady string
and willing hands were helping the lacer-
ased Spanish officers and sailors on the
Iowa's quarterback.
.Ali the spAniards were absolutely with
out clothes Some had their legs torn
OF by fragments OF shells. Others were
mut.lafed in every conceivable way. AZ
/ knew the crew OF the first two ships
wrecked had not been visited by any of
our vessels. 1 ran down to them. ! found
the Gloucester. with Admiral Cervera and
Q number Of his officers aboard and also
. large number Of wounded, some in
frightfuly mangled condition. Many
prisoners had been killed on shore by the
fre of the Cubana The Harvard came
OF. and requested Capt. Cotton to go in
and take or the crews OF the Infanta
Maria Teresa and Almlrante Oquendo. and
BY midnight the Harvard had y7A prisoners
aboard. q great number Of them wounded.
For courage and dash there is no par
arel In history to this action Of the Span
ish admiral. He came, as he knew, to
absolute destruction. There was a single
hope-that was that the Cristobal Colon
Il took Admiral Cervera aboard from the
Gloucester. which had rescued him, and
received him with full admirars guard.
The crew OF the Iowa crowded close to the
turrets. half naked and black with DOW
der. as Cervera stepped over the side, bare
headed.
"One OF the twelve-inch shells from the
Iowa exploded torpedo in the vizcaya's
bow. blowing twenty-one men against the
deck above ana dropping them dead and
mangled into the fire which at once start
ed below
The torpedo boat Ericsson was sent by
the flagship to the help Of the Iowa In the
rescue OF the Vizcaya's crew. Her men
saw terrible sight. The flames Ieaping
out from the huge shot holes in the Viz
caya's side licked up tho decks. sizzling
the flesh OF the wounded. who were lying
there shreking for help. Between the fire.
Guent explosions there came awful cries
and groans from the men pinned in below.
This carnage was chiefly due TO the rapid.
lily of the American fire.
three Inches OF blood. In many cases, dead
men were lying in the blood. Five poor
chaps died on the way to the ship. They
were afterwards buried with military hon
ors from the Iowa. Some examples of
hefo'sm. or mere properly. devotion TO dis
ciplne and duty could never be SURPASSED
One man on the host vizcaya had his left
arm almost slfo; OFF. just below the shout
der. The fragments were hanging By A
snaal. piece OF skin. But he climbed uuas-
SISTED over the side and saluted as IL on a
visit OF ceremony. Immediately after him
came strong hearted sailor whose lef,
leg had been shot OF above the knee. lie
was hoisted on board the Iowa with 4
tackle, but never a whimper came from
him. Gradually the manglea bodies and
naked men accumulated. until 1t would
have been difficult to recognize the Iowa
as 4 United States hattIeship
Blood was over her usually white quar-
ter~decks, ard 20 naked men were being
supplied with wafer ard .ood Finally
catae the beats with Cart Euiate. com.
Inander Of the vizcaya. for whom, A chair
was lowered over the side, as Ne was evil
IDENTITY wounded. The captains guard Of
marines were swung UP on the quarter
deck 20 salute HIN and stood waiting
90 welcome him. As the chair was placed
on deck the marines presented arms. Capt.
Hgate slowly raised himsest from the
chair, saiutei ME with grave dignity, I'M
hackled HIS sword hel;, and holding the
AiIs 81 tho sword before him, kissed I.
reverent,y with tears Ia bis eyes, and then
surrendered Il 20 me-.
OF course declined 20 r71-eIv. his
sword. and then. "a the crew 81 the Iowa
saw this. they cheewea like wild .aea.
Ia the meantime thir;y ofyicsrs 90 the
NiEcaya had been picked ny. besides - %
her crew, Oar war'!roon and s;eerase OF.
aeers gave aP the,r state rooms and fur
vasHed food clothing ard tol,acco 70 these
NAKED ofEi,ers FROM The v:scsya, TIE pay
masters asSsIed uniforms 90 the naked sail.