Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1898-07-15

was also on her trail, decided the calls
of humanity should be heard and assist
ance gwen TO the 1900 or 1oOO officers
and men who had struck their colors TO
the American squadron, commanded by
| Admiral Sampson. l therefore headed Tor
the wreck of the Nizcaya, now burning
furiouslv fore and aft. When l was III
as far as the depth OF the water wont
permit. | lowered all my boats and sent
| them at once to the assistance OF the men
who were being drowned by dozens or
| roa ed on the decks. l soon discovered
| that the insurgent Cubans from the shore
were shooting on men who were struS-
Cling in the water, after having surren-
dered TO us. l Immediately put stop
to this, but ! could not put a stop to the
mutilation of many bodies by the sharks
inside the reefs. These creatures had be-
come excited by the blood from the
wounded men in the water. The boat
crews worked manfully and succeeded IN
saving many from the burning ship. One
man who will be recommended for pro-
motion clambered up the side OF the VIZ
caya and saved three men from burning
to death. The smaller magazines OF the
Vizcaya were exploding with magnificent
cloud effects. The boats were coming
alongside in steady string and willing
hands were helping the lacerated Span
ish officers and sailors on the Iowas quar-
ter deck.
"All the Spaniards were absolutely
without clothes. Some had their legs
torn off by fragments of shells. Others
were mutilated in every conceivable way.
As knew the crews of the first two ships
wrecked had not been visited by any OF
our vessels l ran down to them. found
the Gloucester with Admiral Cervera and
number of his officers aboard and also
large number of wounded, some in a
frightfully mansled condition. Many pris-
oners had been killed on shore by the
fire of the Cubans. The Harvard came up
and requested Captain Cotton to 60
in and take off the crews of the 1nfanta
Maria Teresa and the Almirante Oquen-
do, and by midnight the Harvard had
974 prisoners aboard, great number 0f
them wounded.
! Examples Of Hereism.
"For courage and dash there is no par
allel in history to this action of the Span
ish admiral. He came, as he knew, to ali.
solute destruction. There was one single
hope-that was that the Cristobal Colon
would steam faster than the Brooklyn.
The spectacle OF two torpedo boat de-
stroyers, paper shells at best, deliberately
steaming out in broad daylight in the
face Of the fire of battleship can be de-
scribed in only one way: 1t was Spanish
and it was ordered by Blanco.' The same
must be said OF the entire movement. i
took Admiral Cervera from the Glouces-
ter, which had rescued him, and received
him with full admiral's guard. The crew
of the Iowa crowded close to the turrets,
half-naked and black with powder, as
Cervera stepped over the side, bare
headed.
Zone of the l2-inch shells from the
Iowa exploded torpedo in the Vizcaya's
bow, blowing Il men against the deck
above and dropping them dead and man
gled into the fire which at once started
below. The torpedo boat Ericsson was
sent to the help OF the Iowa in the rescue
Of the Vizcaya's crew. Her men saw a
terrible sight. The flames leaping out
from the huge shot holes in the Vizcayas
side. licked up the decks, sizzling the flesh
of the wounded who We're lying there,
shrieking for help. Between the frequent
explosions there came awful cries and
groans from the men penned in below.
This carnage was chiefly due to rapidity
of the Americans fire. The bottoms of the
boats held two or three inches of blood.
In many cases dead men were living in
the blood. Five poor chaps died on the
way 70 the ship. They were afterwards
buried with military honors from the
Iowa.
Spanish Courage unsurpassed.
"Some examples of heroism, or, more
properly. devotion to discipline and duty,
could never be surpassed. One man on the
lost Nizcaya had his left arm shot off
just below the shoulder. The fragments
were hanging by small piece of skin.
But he climbed unassisted over the side
OF the ship and saluted his superior Of
ficers. One man whose leg had been shot
of was hOisted aboard the Iowa with a
tackle. but never whimper came from
him.
Gradually the mangled bodies and
naked well men accumulated until it
would have been most difficult to recoy.
nize the Iowa As United States battle.
ship. Blood was all over her usually white
quarter deck and 272 naked men were
being supplied with food and water. Final.
~ came the boats with Captain Euhte
commander 81 the Vizcaya, for whom a
chair was lowered over the side, a. he
was evidently wounded. The captains
guard of marines We're swung up on the
quarter deck to salute him, and | stood
waiting to welcome him. As the chair
was placed on deck. the marines pre.
sented arms. Captain Eulate slowly raised
himself from the chair, saluted me with
dignity, unbuckled his sword belt and
holding the hilt Of the sword before him
Kissed it reverently, with tears in his ewes
and then surrendered it to me.
OF course declined to receive his
sword, and, as the crew of the Iowa saw
thas' they cheered like wild men.
| destroyer Became Friend.