Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1898-07-07
LETTER FROM DEWEY'S FLEET,
Joshua Jordan Receives Letter
From an Old COmrade.

U. S. S. Concord at Manila, PHILIPPINES.
DEAR FRIEND JOSHUA:
/ pencil you few lines and
let you know that we are the victorious
party. We came in on Sunday morning
at half past five, that is, in the bay.
We passed the fort in the night and they
came near letting US in without seeing
us. But when it was too late they sent a
shot at us and we returned it, and pas
sed on up the bay to the feet which was
ready to receive us, and we went in and
at once. They opened up on US and
when we opened up you bet 1t was quick
and fast and in few minutes we had
two of them sunk and a few OF them on
fire and in two hours and forty-five
minutes we had the Spanish fleet burn
ing and sunk. We hauled off for little
while for hard tack and coffee and then
went at them again, that is the towns
and forts, and they quit and it was not
long before they hauled down their
flags and we made several OF them haul
dawn their castles. How Is that old
boy? And now we are masters of it all in
these waters. 1t was lively fight and
let me say JOSHUA, old boy, when they
would 60 down how all hands would
shout and yell and yesterday, May 3rd.,
we was all day and late In the night
destroying forts and guns and making
the pepper eating skunks destroy their
own powder and shells, blow up their
magazines and at the present time the
wind is blowing through our whiskers;
we have not had time to shave, and last
night was the first that we have had any
thing like eating and our hammccks,
We slept under arms and at our station
and it was as hot as h. Let me tell
you il came near playing me out, that is
the heat and the water, and how often ]
wished for cool drink. 1t is no fun
but one of the most exciting scenes of a
mans life. How they did whistle shot
and shell but theYanks are too smart for
the Spanish sailors. They cannot come
up to our people for shooting. Either
too high or too snort, but when II
started every man of us was at his
station and we got them. We have de
stroyed many small boats in the last two
days and we have ten or twelve anchored
around the fleet, and we are the proudes
sailors in the field today. This is brie
as our dispatch boat leaves for Hons
Kong tomorrow so let you see that
and many others stand yet, but L woult
like to drop OH you and Anna for lite
while this evening, and how is the ole
cave holding out and the cannedsfruit
We haven't any stamps so if you have t.
pay postage charge to the U. 5. as W,
| - wi q
have others to drop few lines to. 81
old boy, have seen what l have Deer
wanting to see for the last twenty-fiv,
years and that is to sink those pepper
eating Spanish and we have done tina
at last. So now, remember me to Will
son and Adams and tell them that w
done them up.
We changed and got to see it all ant
it was sight that one will never forget
Our men put shot and shell home ever.
time, only few poor shots made on GU
side. One of the Concord's guns sen
one of them down in hurry and wher
the torpedo boats would come out at u
they would soon go down. They sent
torpedo at us from shore but it wen
down within Is yards Of US, and that
1 was good. / wonder if they thought 0
our men they sent to the other shore a
Havana. We did and many times. W.
killed from fourteen to fifteen hundred
men. One of the Baltimore's 8 inc
guns killed two hundred men at on
shot. We have them down now. Think
there is only two thousand of US agains
thirty thousand of them and we hav
them right where we know. PLEASE
remember me to Mr. and Mrs. Aldricl
and your family.
As ever your friend,
IouN RPoruERTON