Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1898-08-05

the following report of that part of
| the squadron under your command
which came under my observation dur
ing the engagement with the Spanish
feet on July 3. 1898:
Second-At 2:35 a. m. Admiral Ger
vera. with the Infanta Maria Teresa,
yizcaya, Oquendo, Cristobol Colon and
! two torpedo-boat destroyers, came out
of the harbor of Santiago de Cuba. in
column at 500 yards distance and at
tempted to escape TO the westward.
Signal was made from the Iowa. that
the enemy was coming out, but his
movements had been discovered from
this ship at the same moment. This
vessel was the farthest west. except
the Vixen. in the blockading line; sig
nal was made to the western division
as prescribed in your general orders
movement inward by your squadron
and a general engagement at ranges
beginning at lio0yards and varying TO
300 until the Vizcaya was destroyed.
about 1850 a. IN. The concentration
of the fire of the squadron on the ships
coming out was most furious and ter
rife, and great damage was done
them.
Tbird-A bout twenty or twenty-five
minutes after the engagement began
two vessels, thought TO be the Teresa
and Oouendo. and since verified as
such, took fire from the effective shell
fire of the squadroDs and were forced
to run on the beach some six or seven
miles west of the harbor entrance.
where they burned and blew up later.
The torpedo-bost destroyers were de-
stroyed early in the action, but the
smoke was so dense in their direction
that / cannot say to what vessel or
vessels the credit belongs This doubt
less was seen better from your flag
ship.
RUNNING FIGHT WITH sPASIARD.
ceiving the disaster to their consorts. |
continued at full speed. to the west |
ward to escape and were followed and |
engaged in running fight with the /
Texas, Iowa and Oregon I'M
til 1880, when the Vizcaya took fire i
from our shells. She put her helm to ;
port and with heavy list to port.
stood in shore and ran aground at Ac-
cerraderos. about tweDty-one miles
west of Santiago. on fire and where
she afterwards blew up during the
night Seeing that she had struck her
colors and that several vessels were
nearing her to capture and save her
crew. signal was made to cease firing.
The Oregon having proved vastly faster
than the other battleships. she and the
BROOKLYN together with the Texas and
another vessel. which proved to be
your flagship, continued westward in
pursuit of the Colon. which had run in
lose in shore, evidently seeking some
good spot to beach II she should fail to
slude her pursuers.
Fifth-Tbis pursuit continued with
Increasing iced in the Brooklyn. Ore
ron and other ships, and soon the
Brooklyn and the Oregon were within
oug range of the Colon and the Oregon
opened fire with her thirteen-ineh
runs. landing a shell close to the
jolon. A moment afterward the Brook
YIN opened fire with her eight-inch
runs. landing a shell just ahead of her
several other shells were fired at the
,olon., now in range of the Brooklyn
nd Oregon's guns.
COLON RAN ASHORE.
Her commander. seeing all chances
f e cut off and the destruction
waiting his ship. fred lee gun and
truck her flag at l:15 p. m. and ran
shore at a point some fifty miles
vest of Santiago harbor. Your flag
hip was coming up rapidly at the
lme. as was also the Texas and
-ixen. A little later. after your ar
wal. the Cristobal Colon. which had
truck TO the Brooklyn and the Oregon.
Ias turned over TO you as one of the !
rophies of this great victory of the
luadron under your command.
Sixth-During my official visit lit 5
e later. Commander Eaton of the Res t
l,,.a q ,,pa,rad and rano,-tad N Won the 3 !.
resence of a Spanish battieship near I
ltares. Your orders to me were to I
de the O,.ernu aud 90 eastward To