The age-herald., 1898-07-27

Texas, and yet 1 thlnk very cOnSlderaDle factor in their destruction was the fire at close range of the Gloucester's battery. After rescuing the survivors of the de- stroyers, the Gloucester did excellent serv- ice in landing and securing the crew or the Infanta Maria Teresa.
 8. The attempted escape of the Span iards all steering the same direction and in formation removed all technical douots and difficulties and made plain the duty of every United States vessel to close in immediately and engage and pursue. rms was promptly and effectivel ydone AS al ready stated the first rush of the Spanlsn squadron carried it past number or the b,ockading ships, which could not 1mme- diately work up to their best speed, put they suffered heavily in passing, and the Infanta Maria Teresa and the Oquendo were probably set on fire by shells fired dur ing the first fifteen minutes of the engage mnt It was afterwards learned that the Infanta Maria Teresa's fire main had been cut by one of our first shots and that she was unable to extinguish the f1re. Win large volumes of smoke rising from thelr lower decks aft these vessels gave up po.h fight and flight and ran in on the peaeh. The Infanta Maria Teresa at about 1915 at Nina Nina six and one half miles rom Santiago harbor entrance, and the Aim- rante Oouendo at about 10:SO a. m at Juan Gonzales, seven miles from the port.
 Still Under Fire
 9. The Vizcaya was still under the fire of the leading vessels; the Cristobl Colon had drawn ahead, leading the chase and soon passed beyond the range of the guns or the leading American ships. The Vizcaya was soon set on fire and at 11:15 she turned m shore and was beached at AZerraderos, 10 miles from Santiago, burning fiercely ana with her ammunition on deck beginning 10 explode. When about ten miles west o1 Santiago, the Indiana had been signaled to go back to the harbor entrance and at Ascerraderos the Iowa was signalled 10 resume blockading station. The Iowa, assisted by the Ericsson and the Hist took off the crew nf the Vizcaya, while the liar yard ard the Gloucester rescued those of the Infanta Maria Teresa and the Almi- rante Oquendo.
 This rescue of prisoners included the wounded from the burning Spanish vessels was the occasion of some of the most daring and gallant conduct of the day. The ships were burning fore and aft their guns and reserve ammunition exploding, and it was not known at what moment the fire would reach the magazines. In additionto this a heavy surf was running just inside the Spanish ships. But no risk deterred our officers and men until the work of humanity was complete.
 Their Greatest Vessel
 There remained now of the Spanish ships only the Cristobal Colon, but she was their best and fastest vessel. Forced by the situation to hug the Cuban coast her only chance of escape was by superior and sus- tained speed When the Vizeaya went ashore the Colon was about six miles ahead of the Brooklyn and the Oregon. but her spurt was finished, and the American ships were now gaining on her. Close up came the Texas, New York and Vixen. It was evident from the bridge of the New York that all of the American ships were grad ualy overtaxing the chase, and that she had no chance of escape. At 12:50 the Ore gon and Brooklyn opened fire and got her range, the Oregons heavy shell striking beyond her, and at 1920 she gave up with out firing another shot, hauling down her colors and ran ashore at Rio Torquino, forty-eight miles from Santiago. Captain Cook of the Brooklyn went on board to re- ceive the surrender. While his boat was alongside I came up in the New York, re- ceived his report and placed the Oregon in charge of the wreck to save her if possi- ble, and directed the prisoners to be trans ferred to the Resolute, which had followed the chase. Commodore Schley, whose chief of staff had gone on board to receive the surrender. had directed that all their pera sonal effects should be retained by the off1- cers. This order I did not modify. The Cristobal Colon was not injured by our fir ing, and probably is not much injured by bleaching, though she ran ashore at high speed. The beach was so steep that she came off by the working of the sea. But her valves were opened and broken, treacherousy, 1 am sure, after her surren- de, and despite all efforts she sank. When it became evident that she could not be kept afioat, she was pushed by the New York bodily up on the beach, the New York's stern being placed against her for this purpose the ship being handled by Captain Chadwick with admirable judg- t.. nd be saved. Had this not been done she would have gone down in deep water and would have been to certainty total loss
 The Victory Complete
 Il. I regard this complete and important victory over the Spanish forces as the suc- cessfu finish of several weeks of arduous and close blockade, so stringent and effec- tive during the night that the enemy was deterred from making the attempt to es- cape at night and deliberately elected to make the attempt in daylight That this was the case I was informed by the com- manding officer of the Cristobal Colon. 12. It seems proper to briefly describe the manner in which this was accomplished. The harbor of Santiago is naturally easy to blockade, there being but one entrance, and that a narrow one, and the deep wa ter extending close up to the shore line, presenting difficulties of navigation out side the entrance. At the time of my ar TlNdl DeIOTe tnt port June Ifie moon was at it's full and there was sufficient light during the night to permit any move out side the entrance to be detected, but with the coming of dark nights there was op- portunity for the enemy to escape, or for his torpedo boats to make an attack upon the blockading vessels It was ascertained with fair concusiveness that the Msrri- mac. so gallantly taken into the channel i on June 3, did not obStruct it. I therefore maintained the blockade as fo lows: To ! the battleships was assigned the duty in turn in lighting the channel. Moving up to the post, a distance of from one to two | miles from Morro-dependent upon the ! condition of the atmosphere-they thr7 W a searchlight beam directly up the chan mel and held it steadily there. This light- ed up the entire breadth of the channel for a half mile inside the entrance ST brilliantly that the movement of small boats could be detected. While the bat teries never opened fire, such was a mat ter of surprise to me. Stationed close tc the entrance of the port were three picket launches and at a little distance further out three picket vessels and when they were available one CT two of our torpedo
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