The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1898-07-07
ARE EVEN now
Lieutenant Commander Vain
wright Credited with Saying
the Maine is Avenged.
It was to the Executive Officer OF
That Inflated Vessel Ger
vera Surrendered.
The Old Admiral Put Up a Gal
liant Fight Against Fate
and Odds.
Rather Lose His Ships at Sea
Like a Sailor Than in
a Harb0r.

Ten Miles West of the Entrance Of
the Harbor Of Santiago de Cuba, Sun.
day, July 8, (4p. No. by Associated
Press Dispatch Boat Wanda, to Port
Antonio, via Kingston, Jamaica, July
6.-For hours after Admiral Cervera
went aboard the Gloucester, the In
fanta Maria Teresa, Almirante o quen-
do and V4zcaya continued to burn, and
every now and then deep roar, &C
companied by burst Of fame and
smoke from tho sides Of the ships
would announce the explosion Of more
ammunition or another ma g,zine. As
the flames shot higher aad higher
above the decks of tn, mag icent YES
sells that had composed Admiral Ger
vera's Heet, many " those who wit.
messed the scene fe.r it had strong
connection with tn destruction of the
American b.. ttleshlp Maine in Havana
harbor five mouths ago. Lieutenant
Commander Wainwright, the com.
mander of the Gloucester, was execu.
tive officer of the Maine at the time OF
the disaster, and although he remained
in Havana harbor two months after
the explosion ne lived on board the dis
patch boat Fern, and steadfastly re.
fused to set his foot within the city un.
til, to use his own words, the time
should come when he could go ashore
at the head of landing party of
American blue jackets, Today it was
his ship that sank two of the Spanish
torpedo boat destroyers, and after
wards received the Spanish admiral
aboard as prisoner of war.
The Maine Avenged.
From his pos ition on the bridge OF
the Gloucester, Lieutenant Commander
Wainwright watched the flames and
smoke as they enyeloped the decks OF
the three greatest warships of the Span
ish navy, which were soon to be re-
duced to nothing but shattered masts
and twisted smokestacks protruding
above the water, similar to that other
picture in Havana harbor. 1t is not
strange. therefore, that he remarked to
his brother officers beside him: s.The
Maine is avenged"
just then the Pluton and the Furor
sank. The Gloucester's boat picked up
as many of the survivors as she could
find ON the shore.
The prisoners of war included the
captains of both boats. None offered
any resistance and were glad to go to
the Gloucester, as they feared an at
tack from the Cnbans.
A number of the survivors, including
officers of the Furor, who, it was re-
ported, had their legs shot off, were
scattered all along the coast for som e
distance and could not be found. Three
officers and six men of the Pluton es-
capped from the shore in one of their
own boats, and pulled to the Associated
Press dispatch boat Wanda, where they
remained until their captain, who was
held prisoner on the Gloucester, or
dered them to join him on the latter
vessel.
A Remarkable Feature.
The most remarka Bile feature Of the
combat was the fact that notwithstand-
ing the utter destruction Of the Span
ish feet, and the hard fight those ships
made even after they were on fire. the
American vessels should escape with.
cut injury. The only possible explana-
ton OF this is the poor Workmanship
OF the Spanish summers, which has
been so well demonstrated. in every
other con flict of the war.
The Newark, Commodore Watson's
did not participate in the
great capture, as she was coaling at
Oman IA n a mo 49,. Is z15Es