The record-union., 1898-08-11
All Showed UnfIinching Courage
During the Battle.
Private MacNeaI Performs a Heroic Act N
Removing Cartridge From 4 Six.
Founder While Shells Were Flying
Thick About the Ship.

| WASHINGTON, Aug. 10.-Thei foIa
lowing report has been made public by
the Navy. Department:
Flagship, North Atlantic Station,
July IL, 1898. United States Flagship
Brooklyn, Guantanamo Bay. Cuba, July
., 1S9S-Sir: / have the honor to SUBJ
init the following report of the part
| taken by the marine guard of this ves-
| sci on the I'd instant, in the action
which resulted i'm the destruction of the
Spanish squadron.
AT the moment the alarm was given
that the enemy's ships We're coming out
| OF the harbor the guard was at quar-
ters ready for inspection. 1t was imme-
diately dismissed and the men sent to
their stations for battle.
THE men were full of enthusiasm,
but there was no excitement or dis
order and apparently no concern for
personal safety. The battery was
handled with admirable coolness and
| elaboration. Greater care could not be
| taken in setting sights and aiming if
the men had been at target practice.
and each striving to make record
| score.
Considering the fact that the enemy
was within effective range during the
greater part of the action, the fire of
the secondary battery must have been
most destructive to his men and ma
| terial, and contributed its full share to
hrir r,eriy =
;ly and with so little loss to ourselves.
1t is reported that the Spanish officers
have stated that so deadly was the
effect of our secondary battery fire that
it was impossible to keep their men at
the guns.
Where all did their duty manfully,
it is a difficult matter to select individ-
uals for special mention. There are
some, however, who deserve to be
brought to your notice by name for
conduct that displayed in conspicuous
manner the courage, intelligence and
devotion to duty during the action.
"A cartridge during the action was
in the bore of a 6-pounder, and in the
effort to withdraw it the case became
detached from the projectile, leaving
the latter fast in the bore and impos-
sible to eXtricate from the rear. Corr
poral Robert Guy of the port gun
asked and received permission to at
tempt to drive the shell out by means
esssary to go out on the gun, and the
undertaking was full of difficulty and
danger, the latter due in a great
measure to the blast of the turret gulls
firing overhead. The gun was hot. and
it was necessary to cling to the Jacob
ladder with one hand while endeavor-
ing with the other to manipulate the
long rammer. After a brave effort he
was forced to give up, and was ordered
in.
Ihe quarter gunner, w. IT. Smith,
then was sent by the eecutive officer
and promptly placed himself in the
dangerous positions outside the gun
port, where he worked and failed as
the Corporal had done. Neither had
been able to get the rammer into the
bore, and there seemed nothing left to
do but dismount the gun.
AT this juncture Private MacNeal.
one of the crew, volunteered to go out
and make final effort. The gun was
so important, the Starboard battery
being engaged, that he was permitted
to make the attempt. He pushed out
boldly and set to work The guns of
the forward turret were firing, the
blast nearly knocking him overheard,
and the enemy's shots We're coming
with frequency into his immediate
neighborhood. tt was at this time that
Chief Yeoman Ellis was killed on the
other side of the deck MacNeal never
paused in his work. The rammer was
finally placed in the bore and the shell
elected. The gum was Immediately put
in action, and MacNeal resumed his
duties as coolly as though what he had
done were a matter of everyday rou-
tine
The battle orderlies we'll merit q
place among those whose conduct is
worthy of special mention. They were
on the move continuously, bearing bat.
tie orders to all parts of the ship and
in no instance did they fail in the
prompt and intelligent performance Of
their responsible duty.
''The signal men occupied very ex-
posed positions during the action ard
rendered excellent service. Signal hall
yards and numbers, battleflags and
speed cones were riddled by small pro-
jectiles and fragments of bursting she'll