The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1898-05-13

/ Us or burst close abOard from bOtb
the batteries and the Spanish YES
sells.
The heat was intense. Men
stripped "a ali clothing except
their trousers.
As the olympia drew nearer all
was as sIleat on board as " the
ships had been empty, except for
the whIr OF blowers and the throb
Of the engines.
Suddenly shell burst directly
over Us.
-REMRNBER TnE MAINE"
From the boatswain's mate at
the after flve-ineh gun came a
hoarss cry, Remember the
Maine." -Remember the Malne?"
a.css from ti.c threats Of 200 men
at the guns.
This watchword was caught up
In turrets and fir,-rooms, wherever
seamen or firemen stood at their
posts.
"Remember the Manner had
rung out for defiance and revenge.
Its utteranee seemed unpremedi-
tated, but was evidently In every
mans mind, and now that the mo-
ment hal come to make adequate
reply TO the murder Of the Main e'r
crew, every man shouted what
was In his heart.
The Olympia was now ready to
begin the fight.
Commodore Dewey, his chief Of
staff Commander Lamberton, and
aide and myself, with Executive
Onlcer Lieut.. Roes and Navigator
Lieut.. Calklns, who conned the
ship most admirably, were on the
forward bridge. Capt. Gridley was
in the coming tower, as Il was
thought unsafe TO risk losing all
the senior officers by one shell.
"You may FIRE when ready, Grid
ley said the Commodore, and at
forty-one minutes past 5, at dis
tance Of 5, 800 yards, the starboard
eight-Ineh gun In the forward tur-
ret rOared forth compliment TO
the Spanish forts.
Presently similar guns from the
Baltimore and the Boston sent $50
pound shells hurllng toward the
Castillo and the Reina Christina
for accuracy.
The Spaniards seemed encourag-
ed TO fre faster, knowing exactly
our distance, while we had 20 guess
theirs. Their ships and shore
guns were making things hot for
us.
The piercing scream OF shot was
varied often by the bursting OF
time fuse shells, fragments Of
which would lash the water like
shrapneI or cut our hull and rig
giags.
One large shell that was coming
straight At the Olympia's for
ward bridge fortunately fell with
In less than 100 feet away. One
fragment cut the rigging exactly
over the heads OF IAmberton, Rees
and myself.
Another struck the bridge graf
ings in line with it. A third pass
cd under Commodore Dewey and
gouged . hole in the deck. Incl
dents like these were plentiful.
MIN LAUGHED AT DANGER.
Our men naturally chafed at be-
ting exposed without returning flra
from all our guns, but laughed at
danger and ehatted gOOd-humOrsd-
ly. A few nervous fellows could
not help dodging, mechanically,
uheu sLells would burst right over
them, or close aboard, or would
strike the water. or pass overhead
with the peculiar spluttering roar
made by tumblIng rified proiec-
lille.
Siill the flagship steered for the
center OF the Spanish line. and, as
0ur other ships werc as;ern, the
Olympia received most of the
Spaniards' attention.
Owing 10 our deep draught, Com
modOre Dewey iclt constrained to
change his course at "a distsuce Of
1000 yards anL run parallel to the
Spanish column.
@oPen With all guns" he said,
and the ship brought her port to
brOadside bearing.
The roar oi all the flagship's Ave
inch rapid.are was followed by a
deep diapason OF her turrst S.ineh.
crs. Soon our other vessels were
equally as hard at work, and We
could see that some ot our shells
were rendering the harDOr Of Cavi.
to hotter Tor the Spaniards than
that the Spaniards had madc Out
advance h,r us.
| Protected by their shore batter
les aud made safe from close attack
by shallow water, tho Spanlarls
were In a strong position. They pni
Up a strong light.
The Spanish ships were sailing
backward aud forward behiuj N,
the CasllllA. aud their nre was too
hot,
Ono shot struck tho nallImor,
land nnsaod clcnn lhrouuh hor. .iOrln