Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-06-24
y. y. u IN Z III w Elm
Successful In Everything.
Z. >. 5. olympia,
Manila Bay, May II. 1898


Manila Bay, May II. 1898.
We have been very successful here in
everything so far. AT present l am very
hard at work taking all the guns out of the
Spanish men-ofwar which we have sunk in
this harbor. and there are about eleven of
them, all having from six to fourteen guns
on board. We are going to send them all
home on steamer which we captured to-
day Early this morning We captured fine
Spanish .yunboat, only firing four shots to
do it. when they hauled down their flag
without firing a shot This afternoon l
was sent out in charge of a tug, with about
ten men, TO run around the bay to see If
could not find some small steam launches.
Well, did find one launch only, but cap
tured two very fine tugs, better, both of
them, than the one we had. We are get
ting to have fleet here, and we are max
ing 1t all ourselves. Every tug we capture
we convert into small gunboat at once
and the way we do 1t is to go on board one
of the sunken Spanish men-of-war. take a
few good guns out of her and mount them,
and there is a new addition to our fleet.
This harbor at present is afioat with the
American flag, and long may she wave. /
also secured a large Spanish man-of-war
flag from one of the tugs captured which
of course. is my own. and which l shall
take home. l.. j. @. KUHLWEIN.
As Walter Peck Saw 1t.
Here Is one from Walter A. Peck, on
board the Baltimore, who writes his moth
as follows:
u D. bdltlnOTe,
Manila Harbor,
Tuesday, May 3, 1893.
We have had a very hard and dangerous
time of it, but came through with all the
success that was possible even II we had
had three times the force that we did. /
only hope that the ships east made out as
well as we did. for have captured the
islands end forts and destroyed the latter:
also all of their ships, together with 1900
men and about 100000 worth of property.
1 hear that We are going to receive years
pay as bonus. Just before the war / was
made petty officer, which is something
that they never did before in the navy
since the last war. No one but experienced
men are supposed to get that office, so you
see 1 was very highly honored, and, be-
sides, my pay is increased 50 per month.
/ We made, according to our admiral, the
most strategical piece of naval maneuvering
the world has ever known, by steaming
past eight forts with modern guns on them.
We passed them at - o'clock at night We
destroyed the navy yard and eight men-of
war, killed mary of their officers and
about two thousand men in three hours and
quarter. Then we went out and captured
the forts next day with ship and the
Raleigh
The Baltimore caught most of the shells,
because they thought we were the Oregon.
She is as strong as four ordinary ships and
they tried to destroy us first. but they
didn't. About seven shots went through
and three of them stayed on board,
doing a little damage to men and ship.
We are the envy OF all the ships here,
because we carried off most of the honOrs.
l had the honor Of running the flag to the
masthead at the beginning Of the battle,
which began at am on May 1, 1895. Our
captain, who is the only one here who was
in the civil war. took our ship and did
things to suit himself, and we were not
sorry he did. 1 could not try to describe
what it is to hear shells within a few feet
of your head or send one and see it blow
up a ship and see it sink out of sight be-
fore the smoke was hardly cleared away.
l hope to be home in a few months and
then can tell you all about our conflict bet
ter than l can write. Do not expect me
home on time. l may surprise you, and
would much rather do that than disappoint
you all.
George ID. Zeis' Experience.
Here's one from George B. Zeis, mail
agent on board the Baltimore, to relatives
at Sag Harbor: