Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-05-19
DIED FOR HIS COUNTRY.
Ensign Bagley and Four Of the Tor
pedo Boat WinslOw's Crew
Killed in a Fight.
BRIEF ACCOUNT OF The ENGAGEMENT.
The Wilmington, WInslow and Hudson En-
ter the Harbor of CardenaS for the Pur-
pose of Attacking Some Spanish Gum
bOats-The WInslOw Knocked Helpless
by the Enemy.

bOats-The WlnSlOW Knocked helpless
by the Enemy.
WASHINGTON, May l3.-Sad news
came to the navy department this
morning from the blockading fleet
upon the Cuban coast, telling of the
death in action of five American sail
ors, the first to shed their life blood
for their country since the outbreak Of
war. The press kilograms had already
announced that the Hudson had ar
rived at Key West, bringing in the body
of Ensign Worth Bagley, but as no
other names were given at first, the
officials were keenly anxious to learn
who the other victims were. At 1890
o'clock a brief telegram came adj
dressed to the secretary OF the navy
1t read as follows:
KEY WEST, Fla May 12.-Secretary Of the
Navy: In an action In Cardenas harbOr yester-
day between Spanish gunboats and shore bat
/ terles and the blockading vessels the following
named men were killed upon the torpedo boat
Winslow: Worth Bagley, ensign u 5. M;
John Varvols, oiler. j. Denfee fireman OF the
/, nfSt class; Elllan Is. Iuun6ll, CdDln COONt anu
| George b. Meek fireman of the first class The
wounded are: j. b. Bernardou, lieutenant
commanding Winslow; William Patterson, Sc
, riously but not fatally; Daniel w. Mckeown,
quartermaster FIRST class. slightly hurt Dead
and wounded arrived on United States steamer
| Hudson this morning. Dead will be buried to-
| day -REMEY.
Secretary Long promptly wired to
Commodore Remey at Key West for
details of the affair.
Account of the Engagement
KEY WEST, Fla, May 13.-There was
an engagement off Cardenas yesterday
at one o'clock in the afternoon. 1t
took place inside the harbor of Car.
denas The gunboat Wilmington, the
torpedo boat Winslow and the gunboat
Hudson were the only boats en-
| gagged. They entered the harbor
for the purpose of attacking some
Spanish gunboats which were
known to be there. These latter,
however, were not discovered by the
American force until the Spaniards
opened fire The land batteries OF
Cardenas supported the fire of the
Spanish gunboats. The battle, while
it lasted, was terrific The Whining,
ton and the Hudson were ahead and
opened fire upon the Spanish boats,
which were lying at the docks The
firing began at range of $500 yards.
A few minutes later the Winslow came
up and also opened fire, In an instant
the entire attention of the Spanish
gunboats and land batteries was di
rected upon her.
From all sides shot and shell poured
in on the little torpedo boat. The
Wilmington and Hudson still kept Ut
their fire, but they could not turn
aside the terrible storm of fire and
death pouring in upon the torpedo
boat. The crew of the Winslow, how.
ever, never faltered for a second. At
1885 a solid shot crashed into the hull
of the Winslow and knocked out her
boiler In an instant she began to roll
and drift helplessly. Then there was
a moment of awful suspense. A fierce
cheer of triumph went up from the
Spaniards on the gunboats and in the
batteries and again storm of fire was
opened upon the helpless boat.
The gun boat Hudson, which was ly-
ing near by, started to the assistance
of the Winslow and approached near
enough to throw a line. About the
same instant shell burst in the very
~ It of the group of men on board
tno Yinslow.
Bagley was instantly killed and a
few others dropped about him. Half
dozen more fell grooming upon the
blood-stained deck One of the dead
men pitched headlong over the side of
the boat, but his feet caught in the
iron rail and he was hauled back.
Bagley lay stretched upon the deck,
with his face completely torn away
and the upper part of his body shat
tered.
1t was a terrible moment The tor
pedo boat, disabled and helpless,
rolled and swayed under the fury of
the fire from the Spanish gunboats.
When the she'll burst in the group on
board the Winslow. another wild
bnOuL OF triumph W6uJ up from bnb
Spanish boats and batteries and again
heavy fire was opened on the torpedo
boat Finally, the Hudson succeeded
in getting a line on board the
Winslow and was towing her out
Of the deadly range when the
line parted, and again both boats were
at the mercy Of the Spanish fire. The
line was finally secured and the Win
slow was towed up to Pedras island,
where she was anchored with her dead
and wounded on her decks. Then
some men from the Hudson went on
board the Winslow and took the most
seriously wounded men of. Three
who were taken on board the gunboat
Maehias died shortly afterward. At
O:15 o'clock last night the Hudson,
with the dead bodies and some OF the
wounded, started Tor Key West srriV-
ing here at eight o'clock this morning.