La Junta tribune. (La Junta, Bent County, Colo.) 1881-1939, 1898-07-09
CERVERA'S FLEET NO MORE.
THEY SAILED OUT AND WERE DESTROYED
The Spanish Admiral Took Desperate Chances to Escape Bu
Our Ships Under Schley Promptly Drove Them
the Beach and They Are Now Battered Huln.

tonic. Jamaica. thence 10 Kingston. ia
naica. MOnday.-Scattered along the
shore FOR "A distance of two miles 10 the
west Of Moro castle now lie the ar
mored cruisers aud torpedo boa; de-
s,roycrs that composed Admiral Ger
vera's fleet.
In running fight OF two hours these
vessels. the cream Of the Spanish navy,
We're almost annllilated this morning
10y the powerful ships OF Admiral
SampSoa's fleet. under the immediate
command OF Commodore Schley.
Sunday quiet rested over the en-
trance to Santiago barbor, and no
signs Of life were visible about old
Morro. Beyond and toward the city
of Santiago all was still. After two
days OF fighting the armies of both
nations were resting in their trenches.
on this way for Il distance of half
n dozen miles from shore the vessels
of admiral SIMPSONS fleet lay lazily
at anchor.
Admiral Sampson. desiring to aEcer-
tain the exact condition OF the Span
ish coast dcfenses about Agnad0res.
ordered the flagship to 20 that way.
Weighing anchor. the New York leis-
ureiy steamed Off 10 the eastward.
Idle thoughts occupied the minds Of
the men In the fleet They were spec
ulating, as they had been for weeks,
when would come their opportunity to
get at the Spanish ieet in the inner
iarbor
suddenly as n fash, nt half past o
o'clock, vessel appeared near the en-
trance to the harbor She was throw
ing out great black clouds OF smoke
aud WIS pointing straight toward the
American fleet
The ease of the American officers
and sailors WAS rudcly disturbed.
They had grabbed their glasses. scan
ned the barbor entrance. and were
amazed TO discover that an armored
cruiser was coming out.
In the absence OF Admiral Sampson,
Commodore Schley. from the Brook
lyn, ordered the American warships to
rush in shore. In few moments 1t
was seen that the vessel emitting such
clouds OF smoke was the Crlstobll Coz
lon. Admiral Cerycra's ilngshlp.. She
had passed the wreck of the Merriinac
and was making FOR the sea ut full
speed.
Before Commodore Schley and his
men could recover from their surprise
other clouds of smoke came into view
beyond the Cristohal Colon. With II
rush fully equal to that OF the Span
ish flagship, the Almirantc Oqucndo
came toward the open sea.
Behind her came the Nizcaya. also n.
fun speed. while the rear WAS brought
mp by the Infanta Maria Teresa an,!
the TWO torpedo boat destroyers, The
Furor and the Pluton This stirring
scene. 80 dramatic and so unexpected.
quickly put the captain of every Amer.
lean vessel OH his Iuettle.
..Cerrcra's trying to escape" was the
cry that resounded through the fleet.
Every American vessel quickly
weighed anchor. The engines were
| started. and one hy one the c,rca,
American warslips made ready FOR
battle. Every man scampered to his
gun and the captains. knowing that
Admiral Sampson had gone along the
coast, eagerly watched the Brooklyn,
| Commodore Sclllcy's flagship.
In n few moments the Resolu,e YVES
| speeding to the eastward after the
| New York, but the advance of the
| Spanish fleet was so rapid that our
men could not wait for Admiral Samp.
| son to get back. Just as the Cristobal
| Colon was pOklng her nose ont into the
open sea, Commodore Schlcy sent The
! Brooklyn madly rushing to the west.
ward to head of Cervera's flagship. He
| ordered the Massachusetts and Oregon
TO follow after. nj the same time order
| ing the Indiana. Iowa and Texas to in.
| tercept the other ships OF the escaping
/ tieet. Then began one of the creates:
sea fights In history
Ii Is not known whether Admiral
| Cervera had blown up the Mcrrimnc or
| passed 1t In single column. His ship
| the Crisiota! Colon. glidcd ont of the
| harbor and shot to the westward. her
two tunnels and hight black bulwarks
showing plain against the green hills
her pennant and the Spanish red and
yellow ensign lashing out. In n few
seconds the American fleet was In mo.
tion. the Indiana. which was closest.
heading straight In shore to get close
range
The Spanlard opened fire with an IL.
inch Honotorla and mighty fountains OF
water rose about the bnttleship's !
weather decks. The shell fell near her
bow. The Indiana replied with her 13.
inch guns. and a monument later let 60
everything that could he brought IA
hear. One OF the first shells fell on the
Spanish cruisers deck
Cervcrn was going past and the In.
diann rounded to give him n hroadsifle
and then. as the Iowa and the Texns
opened on him. the doomed admiral
turned to the harbor mouth, where the
Almirante oquendo was just coming
into view.
| At first one could scarcely believe
his eyes. but when the Oquendo np.
Deared and steamed swiftly westward
into the smoke and lightning where
Ccrverns flag still few. II flashed upon
,'s that there was to be history max
ing indeed. II was sublime spectacle
OF desperate admiral who had de-
cided to give battle against ovcrwhelm-
Ing odds In the open water rather than
remain and blow mp his own ships in
the harbor OF the beleaeuered city.
Ccrvern's flag was hidden for a time
as he fed westward. his port broad.
side emitting flashes md tongues OF
flames which marked his progress.
For the next five minutes he ran a