The Springfield herald., 1898-05-06

be the Don Juan De Austria, was
blown up. There was considerable
loss of life. Captain CadnrZo. com
handing the Maria Christina, Is
among the killed. | cannot now give
further details. The spirit of the
army, navy and volunteers is excel
lent"
An official telegram received at n
late hour from the governor general
of the Philippines says:
admiral Montcjo has transferred
his flag ship to the cruiser Isle De
Cuba from the cruiser Reina Maria
Christina. The Reina Maria Christina
was completely burned. rs was also
the cruiser Caslilln. the other ships
having to retire from the combat.
and some being sunk to avoid their
falling into the hands of the enemy"
1t seems that the American squad
ron was sighted off Subic last even
ing Apparently its commander eX-
pccted to find the Spanish there, but
Admiral MontejO had retired to Ma
Mia and the protection of the forts on
the bar.
So Admiral Dewey kept on and
passed the forts at the entrance to
the bay, just before dawn. There was
some firing from the batteries, but the
squadron did not reply. and there has
been no report whether the shots took
effect.
With the dawn Cavite opened fire
from her heaviest guns. and nj once
the Olympia replied with her eight
inch forward cannon. From this time
the fighting became general Admiral
Montejo in the Maria Christina, went
boldly to meet the foe. He was soon
an hn mi ,r,,is
of much superior force. and though he
inflicted much injury, his ship was set
on fire and crippled by the Olympia's
heavy guns.
Admiral Montejo was forced 10 leave
the ship, which was in Il sinking condi-
ton. and was at last forced to trans
fer his flag. The captain was shot
dead by the admiral's side as he was
leaving the doomed flagship. and de-
voted men We're falling all around
him. The transfer of the flag was n
deed of desperate daring.
The admiral was forced to seek the
armed transport lglc de Cuba. winch
had suffered less damage than the 9TH
crs. Meantime some of the American
ships withdrew to the west of the bay
and the Olympia and Baltimore fol-
lowed.
ne Nohh'tu WEI . Seiit hshoIe III IL
position out of danger of the Spanish
fire and the Americans returned to the
attack. With the Reina Christina de-
stroyed and many of his other ships
shattered, gallant Admiral Montejo
was hard put to ii for defense.
He forced the Americans to maneu-
yer, however. and forced them into
positions of great danger from the fire
of the forts. In the second attack the
Baltimore, Olympia, Concord and
Boston made straight for the Spanish
crippled ships. firing their heavy guns
with great rapidity.
The Spanish gunners stood nobly to
their guns and answered shot for shot
as best they might. But weight was
on the American side and soon the
large wooden cruiser Castine was on
fire and all the efforts of the crew to
cNinguish the blaze We're unavailing.
The Americans continued to pour
their fire upon the devoted vessel and
To prevent the magazine from explod.
ing she was scuttled and the crew
made for their shores in their boats or
upon pieces of the shattered spars.
The Don Juan de Austria was even
less fortunate. She. too, was crippled
| by the shot of the Americans and in
her crippled condition could not escape
the storm of shot and shells. Sudden
| ly her magazine exploded.