The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-05-11
Can Be so Good a Story as That of
the Spanish Defeat in
Manila Bay.
FROM THE MCULLOCH
John S. MCCutCheon Witnessed the CatacIysm and
Tells How the Yankees Fought and the Span
iards Died-How the Bay Was Entered.
BY JOHN T. MCUTcHEoN.


Copyright. 1898, by w, R. Hearst)
Hong Kong, May 1o-This is the result
Of the great fight in Manila bay:
Eleven Spanish ships destroyed
Eight Spanish ships captured.
Four shore batteries at Cavite dernol
ished.
Three forts or Corregidor Island re
duced.
Four hundred Spaniards killed.
Six hundred Spaniards wounded.
Spanish supplies lost and captured to Cht
amount Of S5,OOO,O0O.
American loss:
Eight men slightly wounded.
One thousand dollars damage~
Those are the figures Of victory.
The story ofthe battle will live forever
The names of Its heroes can never die.
We steamed Into the harbor at night
Wit honly a stray shot or two from the
forts at Corregidor. None of their shots
struck home. Their fire was wild.
With the graw of the dawn, May /
we began theattack. moving on the Span
ISL fleet and the batteries at Cavite. I'M
der which Admiral Montejo had taken
shelter.
BY noon the Spanish had surrendered
what was left of their fleet. Ten warships
had been totally destroyed and sunk, their
batteries demolished, their crews killed or
in flight. One large steamer had been
burned.
One hundred and forty men, including
Captain Cadarso. were killed on the Span
ish flagship, Reina Christina. and in addi-
ton over 80 were seriously wounded.
This loss out of a crew Of 400, shows
the effectiveness Of the American fire.
The whole number killed on the other
Spanish vessels approximates 800, with 600
wounded.
Yet out Of this tremendous engagement
the American ships came out almost I'M
injured. Not one life was lost, and only
eight men were slightly injured. All Of
the Injured fought TO the end Of the en-
gagement.
The remaining Notifications Of the city
of Manila are weak The complete sur
render OF thecity may be forced by
blockade.
commodore Dewey ca neasily take the
place at any time. hut does not care to
lombard the property of the noncombat-
ants.
All the ships were darkened as we pre-
nared to force the entrance to the bay.
The Spaniards on Corregidor and Rulo-
cabiIla did not see the Olympia, Baltimore
Releigh. Petrol, Concord and Boston. So
they passed in safely.
But the McCulloch wa ssighted and fired
on eineffectuany from the south batter.
The shots fell short.
The Boston. McCulloch and Concord at
once replied, and the shots evidently
struck home, as the shore firing ceased.
and the fleet proceeded seventeen miles
ND the bay unmolested, making 70 rthe
naval station and arsenal at Cavite.
There the Spanish fleet were protected
by four batteries. We arrived just at
dwan.
Two mines were exploded. but they
wasted their energies, far from any Amer
lean ship.
Then at $40 the spanisrds opened their
fire.
Admiral Dewey set the signals and tho
entire squadron advanced TO short range,
but reserved their fire for twenty-five
minutes. while the Spanlards hammered
wildly away.
It was $50 when the Olympia opened
with her S-inch guns. an dthe American
feet swung in front OF the Spanish ships
and forts in single file, firing their port
guns Then. wheeling, the passed back,
firing their starboard guns.
This maneuver was repeated Eve times,
the entire American feet passing all the
spanishr ships and batteries at each ma
neuver. an deach time drawing in closer
and closer. and delivering q IRE at more
deadly range.
During two hours and a half there was
tremendous resistance by the Spaniards.
They had eleven ships and five land bat
teries in full play, against six American
warships.
But the American Tnarksmar ship was
faultless. Every shot seemed 70 count
against ship or shore battery, while most
of the Spanish powder was burned in
vain.
At 7:E a. m. the American feet with /
drew 10 ascertain damages and permit
the smoke 20 clear. II was seen that sew
eraI Spanish ships weer crippled or burn /
{ns and IL was found that our vessels /
mad suffered hardly at all.
Admiral Dewey called his captains into 1
consultation an arrangements were made 4
FOR another attack.
At 1910 we attacked again, this time I
the Baltimore leading. She advanced /
right upon the enemy, Smelling them con- /
stantiy. and the other Americans followed /
working their guns as rapidly as they /
could load ana FIRE.
The effect of this assault was terrific. I
Ship after ship OF the Span!ards sank
or was run ashore 10 keep them from
sinking or falling into our hands.
At I2;S ?. m, the Spaniards struek
their colors in token OF surrender. Ad-
miral PatrIco Montejo fed 70 Manila and
most Of the survivors fed with him.
This ended the work Of May I, a day
ever TO be glorious in American history
Thenext day. Nay >, Admiral Dewey
landed a force OF marinese at Csvite-
They completed the destruction o. the
Spanish flet and batteries. and established
a guard for the protection of the Spanish
hospitals.
All the American damage was praeti-
cally on the cruiser Baltimore When she
made her gallant dash in the second en-
Eagement some Ammunition on her deck
exploded, and this was what Injured most
Of the Americans who were hurt.
The Spanish ships had been anchored
behind stone and timber breakwaters or
ravite. but no patrol had been establish