Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1898-07-14

loWa's helm was put to starbOard and
she ran on a course parallel with the
enemy. Being then abreast of the
Oquendo, at distance of LOO yards,
the Iowa's entire battery, including the
rapid fire guns, was opened on the
Oquendo. The punishment was terrific
Many IL and S-inch shells were seen to
explode inside of her, and smoke came
out through her matches. Two l2-inch
shells from the Iowa pierced the Amir
ante Oquendo at the same moment, one
forward and the other aft. The
Oquendo seemed to stop her engines for
a moment, she Immediately started and
gradually drew ahead Of the Iowa, and
came under the terrific fire of the Ore
gon and Texas
Torpedo Boat Alarm.
cat this moment the alarm of tor
pedo boats was sounded and two tor
pedo boat destroyers were discovered in
the starboard quarters at a distance of
1000 yards. Fire was opened on them
with the after battery and a 12-inch
shell cut the stern of one destroyer
squarely off. AS the shell struck she
fired back at US, sending shell close to
my head. said to Executive Officer
Rogers, ''That little chap has got lot
of cheek Rogers shouted back, She
shoots very well, all the same. Well
up among the advancing cruisers, spit
ting shots at one and then another, was
the little Gloucester, shooting first at a
cruiser and then at torpedo boat and
hitting q head wherever she saw it,
The marvel was that she was not de-
stroyed by the rain of Shells In the
meantime the Vizcaya was slowly
drawing abeam Of the Iowa and for the
space of Is minutes it was give and take
between the two. The Vizcaya fired
rapidly but wildly, not one shot taking
effect on the Iowa, while the shells from
the Iowa were tearing great rents in the
sides of the Vizcaya AS the latter
passed ahead OF the Iowa she came un
der the murderous fire Of the Oregon
Headed For the Beach.
Sat this time the Infanta Maria
Teresa and the Almirante Oquendc
leading the enemy's column We're seen
to be heading for the beach and in
flames. The Texas, Oregon and Iowa
pounded them numerically They
ceased to reply, and in few minutes
the Spanish cruisers were a mass of
flames and on the rocks with their col
ors down, the Teresa flying q white
flag at the fore. The crews Of the
enemy's ships stripped themselves and
began jumping overheard, and some of
the smaller magazines began to explode.
Meantime the Brooklyn and the
Cristobal Colon were exchanging COM
pliments in lively fashion at apparently
long range, and the Oregon, with her
locomotive speed, was hanging we'll on
the Colon, also paying attention to the
Vizcaya. The Teresa and the Ouuendo
were in flames on the beach Just 20
minutes after the first shot was fired.
Fifty minutes after the first shot was
fired, the Vizcaya put her helm to port,
with great burst Of flame from the
after part of the ship and headed slowly
for the rocks, where she found her last
resting place.
\ Gas it was apparent that the Iowa
could not catch the Cristobal Colon and
that the Oregon and Blooklyn undoubt-
edly would, and as the fast New York
was on her trail, I decided that the calls
Of humanity should be answered and
attention given to the 1900 or 1900
Spanish officers and men who had
struck their colors. therefore headed
for the wreck of the Vizcaya, now burn
ing furiously fore and aft. When
was i'll as far as the depth of water
would admit, lowered all my boats
and sent them to the assistance of the
unfortunate men who We're being
drowned by dozens or roasted on deck.
l soon discovered that insurgent Cubans
We're shooting on the men who had sur
rendered to us. I Immediately put a
stop to this, but I could not put a stop
to the mutilation of many bodies by the
sharks inside the reef. These creatures
had become excited by the blood from
the wounded mixing in the water.
''My boats crews worked manfully
and succeeded in saving many of the
wounded. One man who will be recon-
mended for promotion clambered up the
Vizcaya and saved three men. The
smaller magazines of the Vizcaya were