Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-05-21
WILMINGT0N'S SHELLS
BURN CARDENAS
The Fate Of the WinsIow Is Quick
ly Avenged by Her Fight
ing Mate.
SOON SiLENCED The BATTERIES
Burning Town Lighted the Heavens
For Hours Demonstrating
Work Well Done.
SOON slLENCeD The BATTERIES
DISPATCH BOAT WITH PARTICULARS
WinslOw Was Alone Damaged
Smokeless Powder Used by
the Spaniards In the
Fight.

Key West, May 1G.-The Associated
Press dispatch boat Kate Spencer fur
nishes the following in relation TO the
engagement at Cardenas in which the
torpedo boat Winslow was so badly
used:
Cardenas bay, in which the encoun
ter took place, Is a picturesque harbor,
seventy miles west of Havana. II is
broad and shallow, with two jutting
fangs OF land close at the mouth and
"A picket line Of coral keys outside, and
it's surface Is studded with other green
crowned keys through which the tor
tuous channel scarcely two fathOms
deep winds and twists it's way to whore
the city Of Cardenas lies nestled in the
sloping hills, fully seven miles from
the entrance. The Spaniards, since the
blockade was ~inauguratcd, have grad
ually withdrawn, abandoning their
lighthouse at the entrance 10 the bay
and destroying all the buoys and other
aids to navigation as they went.
Two sloops whose naked spars
emerge from the water were sunk in
the main channel 10 prevent the en-
trance of invading ships, but the Span
ish left enough space between the OBJ
structions TO allow the passage Of a
friendly vessel If such could get
through the blockade, provided ii was
guided from the signal station in oper-
alton on Diana bay. Until Wednesday
it was supposed also that mines had
been planted.
When Captain Todd. of the Whining
on, and Commander Merry, of the
Machias, decided 10 run into the har-
Dor on Wednesday il was with the in
lention of destroying the signal sta
ton and rounding up the three little
gunboats which had chased the Wins
low to the mouth of the harbor on
Sunday. The American ships went in
with the Winslow in the van, the llud-
son next, followed 10y the Wilmington
and the MachiaS bringing up the rear.
The MachiaS, however, which draws
thirteen feet, soon found the water toe
shallow and gave IL up. The Whining
ton, which draws but a fraction over
nine feet, steamed TO within 800
Yards Of the water front of the city,
when her keel sCrapcd and she could
go no further. The Winslow, followed
closely by the Hudson, was then 800
Yards ahead Of the Wilmington. The
three Spanish gunboats which had
been sighted Sneaking about among
the KEYS when the ships entered the
harbor, considering discretion the bet
ter part az yalor. had skunk away, and
when the Wilmington grounded, were
huddled, like storm driven sheep, 10
the shelter of the wharyes and NOES
which line the water front.
Ordered the Winsiow to Proceed
Captain Todd signaled the WiuslOw
to proceed and she moved forward I'M
til within less than 1000 yards Of the
gunboats and some of the Whining
tons officers say that the distance was
less than 500 yards. " was then that
the first shot was fired, whether from
one of the gunboats or a gun mounted
i'm one of the warehouses on the shore,
conflict. 1t may have been the
first shot-it certainly was among the
first three that carried away the steam
steering gear Of the Winslow, and Il
later, while the quartermaSter
was engaged in hooking mp the hand
il too was shot away, the cNplO-
sion of the shell severely wOundiug the
uu"artcrmaster in the breast. The
Winslow at the very outset Of the IN
gagement, which lasted over an hour.
was therefore almost helpless, at the
mercy of the gunboats and shore bat
whose firing was searching her
But the intrepid commander,
severely wounded in the leg though he
from a shell that exploded in the
forward coming tower, gamely stop
ped the flow Of blood by means of Il
frightened with Il loaded l.
pound shell and remained pluckily AT
post, directing the firing of the
1-pounders and maneuver-
ing his little craft as best he could by
means of her screw propcllers. With
the fire from the gunboatS, the guns
mounted i'm warehouses aud the fusil-
'adc of aus rifles the air was as fun
Df lead as a shot tower. The Whining
ton steaming back and fourth across
he line of fire, ovcr Il radius Of 1000
was smashing I-pound shells
INTO the warehouses and dropping
them over the molcS behind which
we're the gunboats. As her broadsides
swung she let 90 starbOard and then
port. Her machine guns were useless
1t the distance.
The little Hudson, with her G-pound-
IRIS. stood Loyalty by the Winslow
throughout the action, but the Spanish
ire was almost entirely concentrated
IN the Winslow.
Pierced by projcctiies.
\ perfect death hail fell upon her.
The proiectiles from the Spanish guns
went through her several times, put