The record-union., 1898-06-13

turned, shifted our batteries and stood
down the line until we were at from
1900 to $500 yards from them. IT is
inconceivable with what accuracy ana
rapidity our guns We're fired. The sice
of the Raleigh, which has battery OF
ten 5-inch rapid fire guns, were con-
tinuous flame and the S-inch guns OF
the Olympia, Boston and Baltimore
hurled an unbrOken stream of -ou-
pound shell at the doomed ships of the
enemy.
Six times the Commodore led the fleet
up and down the Spanish line. after
which we hauled out to breakfast, but
the victory was ours.
The Castillo was riddled and burning.
A shell through the steam pipe of the
Reina Christina showed she was in
trouble Two hours later she burst
into flames, and both ships were burn
ed to the waters edge
The other Spanish craft had been
handled so severely that they retired
behind the mole of the navy yard. The
Mindano was beached
One torpedo-boat early in the fight
tried to slip out and attack our reserve
squadron, composed of the McCullOCh
and the transports NanShan and Ia
fro, which we had left out of range Of
the action. She had hardly made clear
her purpose before the small rapidfi fire
guns of all our ships were concentrated
on her, and she was fairly blown out
of the water on to the beach.
AT 1:30 the Commodore made signal
to retire. to give the crews a rest and
breakfast. They had been standing by
their guns all night, and had been
fighting for three hours. The rest was
welcomed by ALL
After breakfast, and council Of war,
it was decided to attack and destroy
the shore batteries at Cavite On sig
nal the Baltimore led the way ran up
to within 2,C00 yards, reserved her con-
centrated fire and literally smothered
them with shell. The other ships quick
ly took their places. and within thirty
minutes not another shot was fired
from the shore.
The Don Antonio Ulloa still floated
the flag of Spain, and fired a few shots.
Her decks We're swept of every living
soul, and she sank riddled with shell
The work of the ships was over.
The Raleigh, Concord and Petrol were
then ordered inside to destroy ship
ping" But the draught of the Ra
leigh, twenty feet, was too great to
allow her to get over the shOal water,
and after getting aground twice the at
tempt had to be abandoned. The Con-
cord ran over and found the Min
danao, while the Petrol went up to the
navy yard. The enemy however. had
anticipated them, and all the gunbOats
were on fire or scuttled. The arsenal
was in ruins from the shelling.
At 1O:30 the Spanish flag was hauled
down, and the Petrol signaled: The
enemy has surrendered"
A mighty cheer went up from all the
ships. :.
A most extraordinary victory was
ours-not one man did we lose, and
there were only six men slightly
wounded on the Baltimore while from
last accounts the Spanish lost between
$50 and LOCO men killed and wounded.
The Spanish Commodore was wound
ed. and Captain Lieutenant, the
Chaplain and a midshipman were
killed by a shell striking the bridge
of the Reina Christina. She lost
besides eighty men killed. and had six
ty men wounded. The Castillo lost 10
men killed and wounded The shore
batteries suffered badly
Had we been able to engage their
ships and batteries at short range the
battle would have been more quickly
over, but our loss of life would in all
probability have been considerable. AS
it was. the Spanish fleet was destroyed,
without one death on our side. and
only few shot-holes through the upper
works of our ships
That night we anchored off Manila.
leaving the Boston and Concord to
watch Cavite Arsenal
Negotiations We're opened with the
authorities ashore. and it was earnestly
desired on our part that it would not
be necessary to lombard Manila
On the Lunetta in front of Manila
is battery of 1O-inch Krupp guns.
These guns opened on the fleet as it
passed in the early morning and by so
doing exposed the city to a merciless
bombardment, which. but for the hu-
manity of our commander, might have
put to death thousands of the inhabi-
tants and laid the city in ruins Even
after the first half of the battle was
over that battery kept firing But
after the final destruction Of the naval
station and the silencing of the Span
ish ships off the city, white flag was
hoisted over this battery and not gun
was thereafter fired
During Monday, May ID. the Raleigh
and Baltimore We're sent down to de-
mand the surrender or to DESTROY the
forts at the mouth Of the bay. Ar
rived off the principal fort and head
quarters on Corregidor Island, a flag
OF truce was sent in and the surrender
of the Spaniards was demanded. where