Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-03
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A NAVAL SURPRISE.
An Account of Dewey's Fight from
n Manila Paper.

|
| BERRYVILLE, VA. July 2.-(Special.)-
| DR.. X. p. Page, of this place, received
| to-day letter from his son, Assistant
| Surgeon John L. Page, on the flagship
Olympia, with the Asiatic squadron, in
which most interesting account is
| given OF the battle at Manila Surgeon
! Page sent copy of the log of the Olym-
| pia, of April 90th and May 1st, the sub
| stance of which has already been pub
| iished, and also a clipping from the
Diario de Manila, of May 4th, in which
the Spanish view of the battle is given.
An extract from the latter paper fol-
lows, with comments in parenthesis By
Surgeon Page:
"a NAVAL SURPRISE.
when the enemy's squadron was sight
ed in perfect line of battle, through the
clouds OF a misty dawn, on the morning
of the LIST OF May, gloom and surprise
were general among the people Of Manila.
At last these ships had strained treir
holiness TO the point of appearing on
our coasts and defying our batteries.
which showed more courage and valor
than effect when they opened fire on the
squadron. 1t needs something more than
courage 10 make projectles penetrate.
Indeed it does.)
EVERY MAN TO HIS STATION.
THE inequality of our batteries, when
compared with those Of inc squadron
which alarmed the inhabitants Ct Manila
at I'm the morning, was enough 10 trars-
form the tranquil character Of our tropi-
cal temperaments. While ladies and
children in carriages or on .oot fed in
fright 10 seek refuge in the outlying SUI
burbs and adjacent villages around the
capital from danger multiplied by their
imagination, every man from the
stately parsonage TO he most humble
workman. merchants, and mechanics.
Spaniards and natives, soldiers and civil
lians, sought their stations, and put on
their arms. confident that never should
the enemy land in Manila, unless he pass
ed over their corpses. Yet, from the first
moment the strength of the enemy's
armor and the power of his guns demon
strated that his ships were invulnera bic
to our energies and our armaments the
hostile squadron would never have entered
the bay had not its surety been guaran-
teed by It's manifest superiority.
THE city walls, the church towers. the
roofs of high buildings, and all high
places convenient for observation were
occupied by those who were not retained
by their military duties within the walls
Oh the bridges. or al the advanced posts
The slightest details of the enemy's ships
were eagerly noted as they advanced to-
wards Cayite in line parallel with the
beaches OF Manila, as though they had
Just come out OF the Pasig river. There
we've no gaps in the line, but the curious
public hardly realized the disparity be-
tween their great guns and the pieces
mounted on our fortiications. Some had
glasses and others were without but all
seemed TO devour with their eyes these
strangers, who, while brave were not
called upon to show their courage, since
the range Of their guns and the weakness
of our batteries enabled them to preserve
their impunity while doing us as much
harm as they pleased.
ION they came at full speed In column
OF battle heading for Cayite, with the de-
cision due to sense of safety aad q firm
assurance of success. For more than an
hour the Commandment held I'm suspense
those whose souls followed the unequal
struggle, in which the Spanish ships went
down with their glorious banners flying
What was going on in the waters Of Ca
vte? From Manila we saw through
glasses the two squadrons almost min
gled together I'm the clouds OF smoke
This was not far from a triumph for our
ssde, considering the weakness OF our bat
teries. For one alongside the enemy. the
cry OF 'BOardeTs away and the flash OF
cold steel might have enabled our de-
voted seamen 10 disturb the calm I'm which
watches and instruments were regulating
and directing those engines OF destruc-
ton. In the blindness Of our rage, how
should We paint the heroic deeds. the
prowess, the waves of valor which burst
fro or1
fought beneath the Spanish flag bore
themselves like men, as chosen sons OF
our native land. WIN never mea sore
forces, nor yield TO superior force I'm the
fands of an enemy; who would rather
die without ships than live In ships which,
have surrendered When the hostile squad
ron turned toward Cavite. the crew OF the
steamer Isla de Mindanao heard the
drums beating TO quarters, and answered
with enthusiasm. and three rounds OF
cheers for the King. for the Queen. and
for Spain. which echoed along our line.
Later. until a quarter to s. absolute
silence reigned. The idea OF death was
lost In the ardor for the fray. and every
eye was fixed on the battlehag waving
at our mastheads. In perfect and ma
jestic order (why should we deny this?
the nine six Yankee ships advanced in
battle array. The Olympia bearing the
Admirafs flag. led the column, followed
by the other ships steering at full speed
towards Cavite. The Olympia opened
fire, and an instant reply came from the
battery on the mole, which kept on firing
at fire-minute intervals. while the iron
clad shaped her course for the Rena
Christina and Castillo. Into both OF these
ships she poured steady and rapid IRE,
by the ships which followed
in her wake. Another ship which III
rected heavy fire on our line was the
Baltimore. and so the cannonaGc went on
until quarter TO ). Al that moment the
Don Juan de Austria advanced against
the enemy. intending TO board the Oiym-
pia. and II a tremendous broadside had
not stopped her self-devoted charge. both
ships might. perhaps have sunk 10 the