St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-05-11
The Official Account of the Battle.


in the Boston Sunday Herald. We give
it below in full, as it is worth pre-
serving as being probably correct
account of the greatest naval battle in
the worlds history.
Manila Philippine Islands, May /,
via Hong Kong. May 7, 1898.
Not one Spanish flag flies in Manila bay
today. Not one Spanish warship floats
except as our prize. More than 200
Spanish dead and 500 to 700 wounded
attest the accuracy OF the American fire.
Admiral Dewey attacked the Spanish
position at Cavte this morning. He
swept five times along the line, and scored
one OF the most brilliant successes the
world has ever known.
That our loss is trhing adds only to
the pleasure OF victory without detract-
ing in the least from its value. The num-
Der OF hits our vessels received proved
how brave and stubborn was the defence
made by the Spanish forces. Miraculous
as it may appear, none of our men were
killed, and only eight wounded. Those
who were wounded suffered only slight
injuries.
Admiral Dewey arrived off Manila bay
last night, and decided to enter the bay
at once. With all it's lights out, the
squadron steamed into Bocagrande with
crews at the guns.
This was the order of the squadron,
which was kept during the whole time Of
the first battle: The flagship Olympia,
the Baltimore, the Raleigh, the Petrol,
the Concord, the Boston.
1t was just O'Clock, bright moon
light night. But the flagship passed
Corregidor island without a sign being
given that the Spaniards were aware OF
its approach. Not until the flagship was
a mile beyond Corregidor was gun
fired. Then one heevy shot went scream
ing over the Raleigh and the Olympia,
followed by second, which fell further
astern. The Raleigh, the Concord and
the Boston replied, the Concord's shells
exploding, apparently, exactly inside the
battery on shore, which fired no more.
Our squadron slowed down to barely
storage way, and the men were allowed
to sleep alongside their guns. Admiral
Dewey had timed our arrival so that we
were within FIVE miles Of the city of Ma
Mia at daybreak. We then sighted the
Spanish squadron. Rear Admiral Montijo
commanding, off Cavite pronounced
Katveetay, with the accent on the
"vee'). Here the Spaniards had well
equipped navy yard called Cavite ar
senal.
Admiral MontUo's flag was flying on
the 3500ton, protected cruiser Reina
Cristina. The protected cruiser Castillo,
of 5000 tons, was moored ahead, and
astern of the port battery, and to lee
ward were the cruisers Don Juan de
Austria, Don Alonzo de Ulloa, Isla de
Cuba, Isla de Luzon, Quiros, Marquis
Del Onero and Gen. Lezox. These ships
aud the flagstaff remained under way
| dnring most part of the action.
With the United States flag flying at
all their mastheads, our ships moved to
the attack in line ahead, with the speed
of eight knots, first ( assing in front of
| Manila, where the action was begun by
three batteries mounting guns powerful
enough to send shell over us at dis
tance Of FIVE miles. The Concords guns
doomed out reply to these batteries
with two shots. No more were fired,
because the commodore could not engage
|
death and destruction into the crowded
city.
AS we neared Cavite, two very power
full submarine mines were exploded ahead
of the flagship. This was six minutes
past S O'Clock. The Spaniards evidently
had misjudged our position. Immense
volumes of water were thrown high in
the air by these destroyers, but no harm
was done to our ships.
Admiral Dewey had fought with Far
ragut at New Orleans and Mobile bay,
where he had his first experience with
torpedoes. Not knowing how many
more mines there might be ahead he
bravely kept on without faltering. No
other mines exploded, however, and it is
believed that the Spaniards had only
these two in place.
Only few minutes later the shore
battery at Cavite Point sent over the
flagship shot that nearly hit the bat
terry in Manila, but soon the guns got a
better range, and the shells began to
strike near us or burst close aboard from
both the batteries and the Spanish YES
sells.
The heat was intense. Men stripped
off all clothing except their trousers. AS
the Olympia drew nearer, all was silent
on board, as if the ship had been empty,
except for the whirr of blowers and the
throb of the engines. Suddenly shell
burst directly over us.
Remember the Mane!" The cry came
from the boatswain's mate at the after
5inch gun, and then burst from the
threats of 500 men at the guns. This
watchword was caught up in the turrets
and fire rooms, where every seaman and
fireman stood at his post.
Remember the Maine" had rung out
for defiance and revenge. Its utterance
seemed premeditated, but was evil
IDENTIFY in every mans mind, and now
that the moment had come to make ade.
quate reply to the murder of the Maine
crew, every man shouted what was in
his heart.
The Olympia was now ready to begin
the fight. Admiral Dewey, his chief staff
commander, Lamberton, an aide and
myself, with Executive Officer Lieut.
Rces and Navigator Lieut.. Calkins, who
conned the ship most admirably, were
on the forward bridge. Capt. Gridley
was in the coming tower, as it was
thought unsafe to risk losing all the sen
ior officers by one shell.
You may fire when ready, Gridley,
said the admiral. and at 5: Al o'clock
at distance of 500 yards, the starboart
S.nch gun in the forward turret roareo
forth compliment to the Spanish forts
Presently similar guns from the Balti
more and the Boston sent 200'pount
shell hurting toward the Castillo anc
the Reina Cristina with accuracy. The