The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-10
Further Details of the Destruction of
the Spanish Auxiliary Cruiser
Few Miles West of Havana.
CHASED BY THE LITTLE HAWK
FORCED TO RUN ASHORE, AND THEN
RIDDLED WITH SHELLS.
The Prairie and Castine Forced to
Fight Forts, Gunboats and the
Stranded Vessel, but Victorious.

tails of the sinking of the Spanish steamer
off Mariel were brought here last night.
These details show the steamer was de-
stroycd shortly before midnight Tuesday.
The Hawk was cruising about two miles off
shore, six miles west of MORO Castle when
she sighted the Spaniard heading toward
Havana under slow steam and with all her
lights out The Hawk gave chase, but the
stranger ran in toward the harbor of Mariel
and grounded on a sandbar just west of the
entrance 1t was bright moonlight night
and the Hawk sent in two small boatloads
of men, who were driven back by a heavy
fire from the steamer. The men returned
to the Hawk, which lay outside until day
break keeping watch She then returned to
the blockade lines and asked for help. The
Castine accompanied her back, but as both
ships approached the shore the fve-inch
guns on Martelle tower at the east side of
the harbor, a sand battery on the west and
two gunboats in the harbor opened brisk
fire. The American ships guns were not
strong enough to contest with this and the
Hawk ran back, returning with the Prairie
with her six-inch guns. The latter sent
thirty-eight shells crashing into the forti-
fications and gunboats and slenced them
after lively engagement. The three ships
then turned on the steamer and literally
riddled her, the Castine alone firing over
two hundred shots The fight lasted until
after o'clock in the afternoon, when the
Spaniard was left burning on the beach.
The American ships could not get close
enough to learn her name. None of the
three American ships was struck.
6 p. m.-There is now little doubt that the
Spanish steamer destroyed by the Hawk,
Prairie and Castine at Mariel. on Wednes-
day last, was the transatlantic liner AL
fonso XII, of nearly 5000 tons. Although
the steamer and the shore batteries, her APP
proach close enough to clearly establish her
identity, on account of the brisk fire from
the steamer and the shore batteries, he ap-
pearance correspondent almost exactly with
the description of the Alfonso XII as given
in Lloyds'. The destruction Of the Ship the
chief details of which have already been
telegraphed, was q daring piece of work.
The credit, does not all belong to the
Prairie, whose big guns finally encompassed
the Spaniards ruin and left her a mass of
blazing wreckage on the beach. The work
of the little converted yacht Hawk was he
roic to degree. 1t was she who first dis
covered the enemy and alone gave chase.
running back for the assistance of the two
larger gunboats only when the Spaniard
drew in under the Mariel batteries and close
to two Spanish gunboats lying in the har-
Dor. Before seeking aid, however, the
Hawk lowered small boat, manned by En-
sign Schofield and a crew of six. In the
bright light of the tropical moon they
pulled boldly to within a ships length of
the Spaniard after she had gone aground,
their mission being to learn her name. From
the time they left the Hawk until their re-
turn the small boat and her crew made a
brilliant target for the machine guns and
small arms aboard the steamer, and an in
cessant fire was directed al them Nothing
daunted, they drew close enough to hear
spoken orders on the enemy's Geek. Shots
were flying all around them, but none
struck, and they were eventually compelled
to return to their ship without having full
filed their purpose. The fire, not only from
the Spaniards, but also from the Mariel
tower sand battery and Spanish gum
boats, continued until the Castine and
Prairie came up and silenced them and de-
stroyed the Alfonso XII.
One of the ships which witnessed but did
not participate in the destruction of Ger
vera's squadron arrived to-day from Santa
go, but brought no further details than
those already cabled. Those aboard were
of the opinion that the Cristobal Colon
might be saved for the American navy.
They also state that the auxiliary cruiser
ST. Louis left Guantanamo Monday after
noon with Spanish prisoners and mail for
the north.
Robert Hunter, colored, a private of Com
pany H. Twenty-fifth Infantry, died from
typhoid fever in the Convent Hospital to-
day Hunter was suffering from the disease
when brought here by the Iroquois with the
other Santiago wounded and sick His home
was in Bardstown, Ky.
Major Hall, in charge of the hospital
service here, said to-day that he had re-
ceived word that the Tampa authorities will
quarantine transports bearing wounded SOL
diers, several of which are due there If they
have not already arrived. such a proceed
ing may have terrible results he added,
for those men require immediate atten-
ton" DIR. Hall said he had ready an isO-
lated yellow fever hospital here should any
cases of the dread malady come over
The Cuban population of Key West to-day
offered to the government for use a hos
pital San Carlos Hall, heretofore used as
a free school for Cuban children and place
of amusement. They will continue to pay
it's running expenses during such use.
Y. P. S. c. E. CONVENTION.