The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1898-07-22
rAE BATTLE OF SANTIAGO.
A Letter From One Who Participated.
Ox BoAED TIE OrHGoN'
Santiago dc Cnna July y. lVln ,

-
on my powers (?l of description
At nine o'clock on that memorable
Sunday morning we stood on the lore
castle all ready for muster, dressed III
our clean, white shirts, a feeling OF
pleasantness in our hearts anu
smiles on our faces, for | believe we
are the most contented boys In the
navy. | was looking at a picture OF
my best girl, with my chum sharing
my pleasure, when on looking up we
saw a ship coming out of the channel,
with several following Immediately
behind her. l became so excited In an
instant that | felt my nostrlls dllate,
as | have seen a horses when he
scents danger. The gong sounded lor
quarters, and just two minutes aiter'
there went whizzing through the ar
the first shot from the six FOUNDER on
our starward side. 10 most rapid sue
cession shot after shot was fired, until
two of their torpedo boats sunk out oil
sight beneath the waves. Then we
started on a chase. The heaving OF
the great engines, the continued firing
from our guns, landing n boat then
another, for flfty-seven miles, em'
braced such a terrible amount of eX-
citemeut that every nerve in my body
seemed stretched to its utmost power.
The terrible noise, caused by the firing
of one of the l3-inch guns, is positive
~ indescribie. l seemed surrounded,
filed, held, by some terrible monster ;
the sound seemed to die away, only to
return with renewed force, that grasp
ed and CHOPPED 4; and this great struct-
ure of iron and steel trembled as with
an ague.
Then we came up to the Christobol
Colon, and fred two 13-inch guns, both
missing the mark. Then my gun sent
forth all S-inch shell and caught it
astern. As soon as it was struck, it
hauled down its colors and sent up a
white flag.
In the chase we were third to leave,
with the Brooklyn to our portabout.
She is suppose to make p knots per
hours. Ahead Of us was the New
York, a 22-knotter, and the Iowa,
bearing the great fighting Bob
Evans. Well, we went ahead of them
all, aud we are only considered a II
knotter, and we stopped every ship 10
the Spanish feet one after another
| tell you our tiremen worked nObly,
and all The men were doing the same.
When we left the last boat we were
going at a higher speed than the yes
sci had ever made before, and as this
mighty thing Of life, with pulses
throbblng plOughed through the sea
I the water came over the |fOrecastlt
and flew way up in the air. We were
distant from the Christob0l when sh'
heayed to, about three land miles. "A
the sight Of the lowering of her fla!
a shout arose that would have waket
the dead. In a short while we we"
all out to see what had happened, an'
as we stood watching the ship run u
on shore, our. noble, manly cOmnlan
der came out on the forward turret
and as he stepped his foot on tia
great steel turret, cheer after chez
went up for our undaunted captain
Other ships caught our wild cnthus.
asm and our forces seemed to blend
one mighty shout of victory. Whe
we finished cheering and the k0da
iends nothing dauutcd) caught tn
picturesque groups, our captain mao
! us one of his characteristic littl
speeches. and when he finished thanl
I ing us for our mobile" work, he said
! "Now, boys, give three cheers for OF
Chicago boys )" and you bet they dix
We then got into our cutters an
went over to cur "meat," and captu
ed $50 Spanish prisoners and put the
y aboard the ResOlute. The Office.
were taken on board the New Yor
, Well, the prize was left there, al
after we worked on her a day and
= night we sailed back to Santiag
" where we now lay.
!" | would like to give you a more q
tailed account, but l have just WRITE
II from my own observation. | I'm
glad to have had the good fortune
!, being placed on the Oregon. We fla
r. well and have a good place to slice
a, aud not very much to do.
A., | received all your letters and lite
ia allure and we all want all the readi.
matter you can spare.
Mother, can you possibly imagi
n. the great pity that swelled our hear
or until unshed tears stood In our ey'
IS. while the air was r%esounding with 0
II. cheers of victory. Oh, just to dwell
We an instant on the possibility Of a
n. versed order Of thugs. Can you VIC
m der that that brave commander, G,
is. vera's heart broke? / looked at 0
handsome captain and dared n
think what my personal feelir
I'd would have been had Cervera been I
to victor. There is a good moral less
he here.
lis With love and kisses for my dc
tie mother, father, brothers and sister,
lie am as ever your devoted son,
", SULLIVAN CONVERSE