The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-05-20

| HlnStOu, the tOfpeuO-DOat NlnSlOW 3n(
the gunboat Hudson were the only vessels
engaged. They entered the harbor 70
the purpose of attacking some Spanisl
gunboats which were known to be there
| These latter, however, were not discov
! cred by the American force until the lat
ter opened fire. The land batteries o
Cardenas supported the fire of the Span
| lSh gunbOatS.
The engagement commenced at 2:O5 p
wounded are:
r. r. Cox. gunner's mate.
D. Mckeown, Quartermaster. i !.
J: Patterson. fireman. IA
+. Gray, and
| Lieut.. J. B. Bernardow.
| All are slightly wounded except Patter
son, whose condition is serious. :.
| Ensign Worth Bagley was appointed
from North Carolina September Z, 1891.
| The battle while it lasted was terrific
The Wilmington and the Hudson were
ahead and opened fire on the Spanist
boats, which We're lying at the docks
| The firing began at range of 35O(
yards.
| A few minutes later, the Winslov
came up and opened fire. For an in
| slant the entire attention of the Spanish
gunboats and land batteries were direct
| cd upon her. From all sides shot and
| she'll poured in on the little torpedo-boat
The Wilmington and Hudson still kept
up their fire, hut they could not turn
aside the terrible storm of fire and bat
teries poured in on the little torpedo-boat
never faltered for a second. At 2:35 D.
M. a solid shot crashed into the hui
of tho Winslow and knocked out her
boiler. In an instant she began to roll
and drift helplessly. Then there was a
moment of awful suspense. A fierce
cheer of triumph went up from the Span
Yards on the gunboats and in the bat.
terles and again storm Of fire was
opened upon the helpless boat.
The gunboat Hudson, which was lying
nearby, started to the assistance of the
Winslow. She ran alongside the torpedo
boat and tried to throw line to the i'm
periled crew. Up to this time with the
exception of the one shot, which disabled
the boiler of the Winslow, the firing OF
the Spanish gunboats had been wild, but
as the Winslow lay rolling in the water
the range grew closer and shells began
to explode all about her.
1t was. difficult for the Hudson to get
near enough to throw line to the Win.
slows crew, so terrible was the fire all
about her. Finally: after about twenty
minutes, the Hudson approached near
enough to throw line. Ensign Bagley
and six men were standing in group on
luC uSCh VI luc w luSlU".
'Heave her! Heave her!' shouted Bag
ley, as he looked towards the commander
of the Hudson and called for a line.
Don't miss it," shouted an officer from
the Hudson, and with smile Bagley
called back Let her come; it's getting too
The line was thrown and about the
midst of the group of men on board the
Winslow.
.Bagley was instantly killed and a few
others dropped about him. Half dozen
more fell groaning on the blood-stained
deck. One of the dead men pitched head
long over the side of the boat, but his feet
caught in the iron rail and he was hauled
back.
Bagley lay stretched on the deck with
his face completely torn away and the
upper part of his body shattered.
It was terrible moment. The torpedo
boat, disabled and helpless, rolled and
swayed under the fury of the fire from
the Spanish gunboats.
When the shell burst in the group on
triumph went up from the Spanish boats
and batteries and again heavy fire was
opened on the t0rpedo-boat.
Finally the Hudson succeeded in getting
a line on board the Winslow and was tow
ing her out of the deadly range when the
line parted and again both boats were at
the mercy Of the Spanish fire.
get another line OH the deck of the Wins
low, but there were only three men left
at that time to make it fast.
The line was finally secured and the
Winslow was lowed up to- Pedras island
where she was anchored, with her dead
and wounded OH her decks. There some
men from the Hudson went on boa I'd the
Winslow and took off the most seriously
wounded men. Three who. were taken on
~ afterward.
At 9:15 p. m. yesterday the Hudson,
with the dead bodies and some of the
wounded, started for Key West, arriving
there at 8 o'clock this morning.
Commander Beruadou of the Winslow
was wounded in the left leg, but not Sc
riously. Lying in the cabin of the Hud-
ative of the Associated press, and told
the latter the story of the fight. He said
I'VE went into the harbor under or
ders. The torpedo-boat Winslow was the
worst injured. She had five of her men
killed, and do not know how many in.
jured.
1.-THE Winslow was ordered by the com
mander of the Wilmington to 60 into the
harbor Of Cardenas and attack the Span.
ish gunboats there. We steamed in un.
der full head of steam, and were fired
upon as soon as we were in range. The
Spanish boats were tied up at the docks
and had q fair range on us. The bat.
teries on shore also opened ON us, and !
think we received most of the fire. do
not know whether any one was hurt on
the Wilmington or on the Hudson, but ]
think not.
Il have no fault to find with the Wins.
lows crew. They acted nobly all the
way through. The men who were killed
fell at the same time. We were standing
in group and the aim of the Spanish
faces"
The dead and wounded brought here by
the Hudson were taken in small boats tC
the government dock. This was the first
West.
No time was lost in ministering to the
wounded. A quick call was sent TO thu
marine hospital and an ambulance came
were taken to an undertaken shop and the
wounded conveyed to the hospital. :
In the meantime the news had spreaG
and crowds gathered about the deck, but
there was no demonstration. The success,
Of the American ships in every actor
thus far has been SO overwhelming thai
it is hard to realize that death has at last
come to some of our men. !; Ensign Bag
ley was about rs years old, and while the
fleet was sta toned here he was one Of The
most popular men in the service. The
news of his death came as d terrible
shock to all who knew him. x-l:z,.sz =
TOrpedo-boat men were among the first
to fall, as their work is most dangerous
but in spite of this, when the feet was
stationed here and changes in assign
ments were frequently made, all the
young men of the service we're eager fol
torpedo-boat duty. 49, ss
The Hudson shows the effects Of the
fight. Her smokestack is punctured with
bulletholes and her cabin and decks are
smashed and splintered. @-~.s =. 5 /
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