The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-07-10
"Fighting Bob" Evans Tells the Story
OF the Sinking of Cervera's Fleet
From the Standpoint of Naval rlan

Copyright. 1893 by the Associated Press)
Off Santiago de Cuba. per the Associat-
ed Press Dispatch Boat Dauntless, via
Port Antonio Jamaica. July S. and
Kingston. Jamaica. July $40 p. m).-
The battleship Iowa was the first ship to
see the Spanish fleet coming out OF the
harbor. moment later her crew was at
general quarters and at s:33 a. m. gun
was fired to attract the attention of the
feet.
Captain Evans account of the battle,
as told in the cabin to correspondent
of the Associated Press, is intensely in
teresting. He said:
"At the time general quarters was
sounded the engine bell rang full speed
ahead and l put the helm TO starboard
and the Iowa crossed the bows OF the
Infanta Maria Teresa. the first ship out.
AS the Spanish admiral swung to the
westward the Pinch shells from the for
ward turret of the Iowa seemed to strike
him fair in the bow and the fight was
spectacle.
las the squadron came out in column,
the ships beautifully spaced as to dis
lance AID gradually increasing their
speed TO - knots. it was superb.
1.-The Iowa from this moment kept up
steady fire from her heavy guns, heading
all the time TO keep the Infanta Maria
Teresa on her starboard bow and hoping
to ram one Of the leading ships.
an the meantime the Oregon, Indiana,
Brooklyn and Texas were doing excellent
work with their heavy guns.
IN very snort space of time the en-
emy's ships were all clear Of the harbor
mouth and it became evidently impossible
for the Iowa to ram either the first or the
second ship. on account of the speed.
THE range at this time was 1000 yards
fro mthe leading ship. The Iowa's helm
was Immediately put hard 10 starboard
and the entire sta. board broadside was
poured into the Infanta Maria Teresa.
The helm was then quickly shipted to
port and the ship went across the stern
Of the Teresa in an effort to head off the
Oquendo. All the engines We're driving at
full speed ahead. a perfect torrent Of
shells from the enemy passed over the
smokestacks and superstructure of the
ship. but none struck her
1.-The Cristobal Colon, being much faster
than the rest Of the Spanish ships. passed
rapidly 70 the front in an effort to es-
cape. In passing the Iowa, the Colon
placed two 6-lnch shells fairly in our
starboard bow. One passed through the
cofferdam and dispensary. wrecklng the
latter and bursting on the berth deck
doing considerable damage. The other
passed through the side 1T the water line
within the cofferdam, where it still re-
mains
LAS ii was now obviously Impossible to
ram any Of the Spanish ships on account
of their superior speA I'd. the Iowd's nelm
was put to = arboard and she ran on a
course parallel with the enemy. Being
then abreast of the AlmiranJe Oquendp,
at a distance of 100 yards, the Iowa 5
entire battery. including the rapid-fire
guns. was opened on the Oquendo. The
punishment was terrific. Many y and s.
inch shells were seen TO explode inside of
her and smoioe came out Of her matches.
Twelve-inch sh alls from the Iowa pierced
the Almirante Oquendo at the same mo-
ment, one forward and the other aft.