Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-07-07


beach and rocks, where their destruc
tlon was soon completed,
The officers and men on bOara thei
escaped To the shore ais well az the,
could, with the assistance Of boat
sent from the American men-of-war
and then threw themselves upon Oh,
mercy OF their captors, who not onlN
extended 10 them the gracious hant
OF American chIvalry, but sent then
o guard TO protect chem from IN,
murderous bands OF Cuban soldlert
hiding In the brush ON the hlllslCIen
eager to rush down and ATTACK phs
unarmed, defeated, but WalorouS foo
The Spanish ships becnme the Mo-
Tins OF the awfu1 rain of shells which
the American baIttleShips, cruisers
aud gunbOats poured upon them, AND
two hours after the first OF the deet
had stahted out OF Santlago harboI
three cruisers ana two torpedo boat
destroyers were lying ON the shore
ten 10 fifteen miles west OF MOrrO
castle, smoke and flame pouring from
every part OF them and covering the
entire coast line with a mist which
could I've seen for miles. Heavy ex-
ploslonS OF ammunition occurred
every few minutes, sending curls OF
dense white smoke a hundred feet In
tlhe abr, aud cauSlnW shower OF
broken iron and silcl TO fall in the
water on every side. The bluffs on
The ccast line echoes with the iSar
OF every explosion and the Spanish
vessels sank deeper aud deeper into
tlc sand. or else The rocks ground
their huls to pieces as they rolled or
pitched forward on sideways with
every wave that washed upon them
from the open sea,
Admiral Cervera escaped TO the
shore in boat sent by the Glouces-
Ter to The assistance OF the Infanta
Maria Ieresa. and as soon as he
touched the beach he surrendered
himself aud his command TO Lieu
tenant Morton, and asked to be taken
on board the Gloucester, which was
the only American vessel near him at
Che time, with several OF his officers,
including ihe captain Of the flagship.
The Spanish admiral, who was
wounded In the arm, was taken to
The Gloucester and was received at
her gangway by her commander,
Lieutenant Commander Richard
Wainwright, who grasped the hand
Of the gray-bearded admiral and said
to him;
II congratulate you, sir upon hav-
ing made as gallant fight as was
ever witnessed ON the sea-" Deuten-
ant Commander Wainwright then
placed his cabin at the disposal of the
Spanish officers.
At THAT time the Spanish flagship
and four other Spanish vessels had
been aground and burning for two
hours, and the only one of The escap-
Ing fleet which could not be seen ait
,his point was the Cristobal Colon.
But half a dozen curls OF smoke Tar
1own on the western horizon showed
the fate that was waiting her.
The Cristobal Colon was the fast
,st OF the Spanish ships and she soon
lead over the others after
eaying the harbor and escaped tine
Eject OF the shots which destroyed
he other vessels. She steamed away
Vt great speed, with the Oregon, New
York, Brooklyn and several other
hips in pursuit, all Of them firing at
Ter constantly and receiving fire |
themselves from her after guns.
There seemed no possibility what
'Uer for her escape, and while her
ate is not definitely known at this
lour, 1t can be readily imagined from
he words of Captain Rnbley ID. Ev-
ms of the Iowa, who turned from the
eastward with $50 prisoners from the
'izcaya just as the Associated Press
ispaitch boat Wanda was leaving the
agship. In answer to an inquiry, he
houted through the megaphone:
II left the Cristobal Colon far to
he westward an hour ago and the
'regon was giving her hell, She has
Undoubtedly gone down with the 9TH
rs and we will have Fourth OF
uly celebration in Santiago to-mor-
ow."
Captain Evans, who had been in the
aick of the engagement up to the
me he took the Viscaya officers and
rev from the shore, said to the best
his knowledge not one American
nip had been struck. The torpedo
oat Ericsson, which also returned
'om the westward about the same
me, made a similar report, saying it
as believed no man was injured on
bard the Brooklyn, which could not
verified as this dsatch was sent.
There Us no means OF telling now
hat the Spanish loss was, but it 10
slieved to have been very heavy, as
re prisoners in custody report their
sclOs strewn with dead and wounded
great numbers, and besides there
a statement that many bodies could
seen fastened to the pieces OF
recloage floating in the sea after the
ght was over. "A large number of
e Spanish wounded were removed
the American ships.
There can be no doubt THAT Adj
iral Ceryera's plan to escape from
Intiago harbor was entirely unex-
cited by Admiral Sampson, and the !
st evidence OF this is the fact that
nen the Spanish vessels were seen