The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-08-21

Lieut.. ]. B. Bernadou, who command
ed the valiant but luckIess torpedo boat
Winslow, which narrowly averted de-
struction in the harbor of Cardenas on
May II, during a heavy engagement, in
which Ensign Worth Bagley and four of
the crew lost their lives, is convalescing
at the Army and Navy Club.
The lieutenant received an ugly thigh
wound during the fight, and his escape
was little less than miraculous. He stood
within several feet of the little cluster
of heroes when the shell which caused
such terrible devastation and loss of life
exploded.
Lieut.. Bernadau has been in the Ma
rine Hospital at Key West ever since
the occurrence. This is his first visit to
Washington since the beginning of the
war. When pressed for a story of the
engagement the young officer gave a
very graphic description of the Kidding
of the Winslow and her narrow escape
from destruction
I'VE went into the harbor of Carde-
mas under orders, he said. Three yes
sells took part in the affair, the gunboat
Wilmington, the converted revenue cut
ter Hudson. and the Winslow. These
vessels stood in for Cardenas, threading
Diana Pass at the entrance to the bay.
The Maehias was astern of us, but she
took no part in the engagement, hav-
ing been directed to another part of the
bay.
THE squadron made its way through
Blanco Channel to the shoal waters near
the city, where the Wilmington slowed
her engines, and by signal ordered the
Winslow to skirt the eastern shore of the
bay and reconnoiter the western coast.
we were to learn if any Spanish gun
boats had taken refuge there, and if so
to destroy them, The gunboat Hudson
was also ordered to the same duty, and
with the Winslow steamed 10 within 2,4G0
yards of Cardenas. We were under a
full head of steam and as soon as we were
within range the enemy fired upon US.
The Spanish boats were anchored
ahead of US, and had fair range. 1t
was afterwards learned that two of the
boats, which were anchored out in the
stream, had been deserted and that they
had been purposely placed there to show
the range.
The fire of the enemy was erratic I'M
til they got the range and then it was
deadly and effective. One OF the shells
struck on the starboard beam of the
Winslow and exploded in the boiler-room
disabling one of our boilers and an engine
Another shot carried away the steering
gear, and within a few minutes the
Winslow, was struck in a score of
places
Finding that he could not use his en-
gines, Lieut.. Bernadou, bleeding from a
dangerous shell wound, signaled to the
Hudson for assistance, which was
promptly given. He said that most of
the crew was clustered amidship when
a shell struck one of the Winslow's
stacks, killing five Of his men and wound
ing as many more. Ensign Bagley was
killed outright.
1.-The men who were killed" continued
Bernadou. "fell together. We were stand
ing in a group and the shell burst in
our faces. The men behaved nobly and
CALAMITY"
Lieut.. Bernadou was in the fight from
start to finish. and after he had become
faint and weak from loss of blood he
limped along the deck of the crippled
torpedo boat. giving words of encourage
ment and delivering orders. BY doing
this he probably saved his boat from be-
ing sunk for the Hudson hurried to its
and when he signaled for assistance, and
lowed the Winslow out of range. She
was then taken TO Pedras Key, and
afterwards 10 Key West for repairs.
Bernadou was d devoted friend TO En-
sign Bagley, and spoke very highly of
his GOODNESS and judgment, as well as his
daring in battle.