The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1898-07-12

On anticipation of a great battle be-
tween the American fleet and the Cape
Verde squadron commanded by Admiral
Cervera the New York Herald secured
the services of an expert naval authority
on board one of the battleships to write
a technical description of the fight when
it occurred. During the engagement the
writer was at his post of duty and could
not possibly furnish his narrative when
the dispatch boat Golden Rod left the
scene of action to steam at full speed to
Port Antonio and file IN the cable office
the full account of the battle which the
Herald and Pioneer Press printed exclu-
sively on Tuesday morning. When the
writer agreed to furnish the Herald with
the description which follows, he tele-
killed in battle. If anything happens to
me 1 trust one of our officers will be
spared to render the Herald the service
which it requests This account is there
fore the first technical description of the
battle printed anywhere. The Pioneer
Press regrets that it is not able to sign
the name of the writer to the story, but
strict naval regulations prevent)
story of the Spectacle
On Board the Iowa, off Santiago, July
4.-By the Dispatch Boat Sommers N.
Smith to Port Antonio, July Con Sun
day morning, July 3, our watching ships
lay rolling in the easy surges off the
entrance of the harbor of Santiago.
Their distance from the guarded haven
was from four to six thousand yards,
and there, with an unsparing alertness,
they awaited for that promised dash
which all hoped for but feared might
never come. A little after three bells
in the forenoon when the inspection of
ships had been concluded and as Lieut..
Van Duser, the officer of the watch, was
relieving the navigating officer, Lieut..
Scheutze, then officer of the deck, he
heard a quick cry to call the captain,
followed by a shout, There come the
Spaniards out of the harbor!"
The trained eye of the alert officer had
marked the thin trail of drifting smoke,
and before the signals, CLEAR ship for
action, had been given, the boats of
the Spanish vessels, rushing in Zine
ahead" were seen darting around So
capa point for the open sea.
In a moment all was hustle and trained
energy. Men rushed to their quarters,
guns were trained, and in less than twen-
ty seconds the whistling Shrek of
rapid-fire gun warned the startled feet
that hot work was awaiting. In two
minutes every gun on shipboard was cast
loose, manned loaded and ready for the
long-expected signal to fire. At the yard
arm on our battleship a string of signal
flags warned the fleet the enemy was
trying to escape, but even before the
answering remnants Of the other ships
announced their understanding of the
message every vessel was dashing to the
station long before allotted for the
emergency which had come at last. It
was splendid spectacle. The Spaniards
| with bottled steam
Cleared he Harbor Mouth
| seemingly in a moment. Their eager
prows whitened the long pillows and theiF
bubbing wakes left furroW as straight
and sharp as a racing yacht making a
winning run for the finish line. Their
| course was shaped for the westward, but
| fast as they sped in their desperate break
| for freedom, faster flew the shells of the
Americans, The first heavy shell from
| the Iowa's battery fell short, and then
by a lucky mischance, so aid the second.
but afterward the rain of shot fell surely
and unsparingly upon the fleeing foe.
| Not a whit behind in this eager fusillade
rcared the batteries of the Spanish ships.
| Their port broadsides famed and grum-
| bled. But it was more display of fire.
works than a successful effort to damage
the unframed targets of the Yankee
ships.
In fifteen minutes after they were dis
| covered the four Spanish armored cruis-
ers had cleared the wide entrance, and
| five minutes later the torpedo boat de-
| stroyers, hugging the beach and seeking
/ the shelterng broadside of their sister
hips. flew into the turmoil of the action.
| At this time every gun of the American
| squadron that could be brought to bear
was pumping projectiles into the enemy.
In an instant, it almost seemed, one ship
Of the Vizcaya class burst into flames,
caused, undoubtedly, by long, sure shot
| from the Oregon or the Texas. \ minute
dater twelve-inch projeetile sent from
her forward turret struck the flagship,
| Maria Teresa, near her after smoke pipe
/ A tremendous explosion followed Then
| she was shrouded in smoke and was
| ightened with lusid flames, and then,