Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-08-06

Licspating the appearance of the Plu-
ton and Furor. the Gloucester was
slowed, thereby gaining more rapidly
a high pressure of steam. and when
the destroyers came out she steamed
for them at full speed, and was able
to close at short range, where her fire
was accurate. deadly and of great vol
ume. During this fight the Gloucester
was under the fire of the Socapa bat
terry Within 20 minutes from the time
they emerged from Santiago harbor the
careers OF the Furor and the Pluton
were ended. and two-thirds Of their
people killed The Furor was beached
and sunk I'm the surf; the Pluton sank
in deep water a few minutes later The
destroyers probably suffered much in
Jury from the fires OF the secondary
batteries of the battieshiDs Iowa. In
diana and the Texas. vet l think a
very considerable factor in their speedy
destruction was the fire. at close range,
Of the Gloucester's battery. After res
cuing the survivors OF the destroyers
the Gloucester did excellent service I'm
landing and securing the crew OF the
Infanta Maria Teresa.
The method Of escape by the Span
isrds-all steering in the same direc-
ton. and in formation, removed all |
tactical doubts or difficulties. and made
plain the duty of every United States |
vessel to close in. Immediately engage |
and pursue. This was promptly and |
effectively done. AS already stated, !
the first rush of the Spanish squadron |
carried II past a number OF the block |
aiding ships. which could not immedi- |
ately work up to their best speed, but |
they suffered heavily in passing, and |
the Infanta Maria Teresa and the
Oquendo were probably set on fire by
shells fired during the first is minutes
of the engagement. 1t was afterwards
learned that the Infanta Maria Teresa's
fire main had been cut by one of our
first shots, and that she was unable TO
extinguish the fire. With large VOL
umes OF smoke rising from their lower
decks aft. these vessels gave UP both
fight and flight and ran in on the
beach-the Infanta Maria Teresa at
about 1915 a. m, at Nina Nina, six
and one-half miles from Santiago har-
Dor entrance, and the Almirante Oquen-
do at about 1880 a. m, at Juan Con
zales, seven miles from the port.
Increasing the Bloclnde's Vigilance.
The Vizcaya was still under the fire
| OF the leading vessels. The Cristobal
| Colon had drawn ahead. leading the
| chase, and soon passed beyond the
range of some of the guns Of the lead
| ing American ships. The Vizcaya was
soon set on fire. and at 11:15 she turned
| in shore and was beached at Ascerra-
deros, Is miles from Santiago, burning
! fiercely, and with her reserves of am
| munition on deck already beginning TO
! explode When about ten miles west
of Santiago the Indiana had been sig
| nailed to go back to the harbor en-
trance, and at Ascerraderos the Iowa
was signaled to resume blockading
station" The Iowa, assisted by the
Ericsson and the Hist, took off the
| crew of the Vizcaya, while the Har-
! ward and the Gloucester rescued those
of the Infanta Maria Teresa and the
Almirante Oquendo. This rescue OF
prisoners, including the wounded from
the burning Spanish vessels, was the
occasion of some of the most daring
and gallant conduct Of the day. The
ships were burning fore and aft, their
guns and reserve ammunition were ex-
ploding, and It was not known at what
moment the fire would reach the main
magazines. In addition to this, heavy
surf was running just inside OF the
Spanish ships. But nothing deferred
our officers and men until their worn
|. Of humanity was complete.
There remained now OF the Spanish
ships only the Cristobal Colon, but she
; was their best and fastest vessel
Forced by the situation to hug the Gu
ban coast, her only chance Of escape
!. was by superior and sustained speed
When the Vizcaya went ashore the
Colon was about six miles ahead OF thu
Brooklyn and Oregon, but her spur
was finished and the American ship.
were now gaining upon her. BEHIND
| the Brooklyn and the Oregon cam'
the Texas, Vixen and New York /
} ! was evident from the bridge OF tn
; New York that all the American ship
were gradually overhauling the chase
and that she had no chance OF escape
, At 1880 the Brooklyn and the Oregon
D opened fire and got her range-th
Oregon's heavy shell striking beyon
5 her-and at 1920 she gave up withou
. firing another shot, hauled down he
= colors, and ran ashore at Rio Torquinc
a as miles from Santiago. Captain Cool
2 of the Brooklyn, went on board 60 re
ceive the surrender. While his boa
was alongside I came up in the NeN
: York, received his report and place
the Oregon in charge of the wreck
9 save her, If possible. and directed tn
/. prisoners to be transferred to the Resc
. lutte, which had followed the chas'
Commodore Schley, whose chief {
STAFF had gone on board to receive til
: surrender, had directed that all the
!, personal effects should be retained b
: the officers. This order did not moo
= fly.
k SIIgne INJURY 90 rne Cr1srobaI Color
z The Cristobsi Colon wassnot injure
ie by our firing. and probably is not muc
IS injured by bleaching, though she IA
4. ashore at high speed. The beach wa
lie SO steep that she came off by the work
d ing OF the sea- But her sea valves weI
: opened and broken, treacherously,