The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-07-04
FIGHT At MANZANILLO
Three American Vessels Stirred Up
a Hornets Nest.
FOUND ENEMY IN FORCE
SUNK FOUR OF THE SPANISH
GUNBOATS.
Disabled Torpedo Boat and Dam
aged Other Vessels - Discovered
That Manzanillo Was Strongly
Defended-Hornet Disabled By a
Shell-Troop Ship Run Ashore.

New York, July ga dispatch to the
Herald from off Santiago (via Playa del
Este July p. says:
Three vessels of Admiral SIMPSONS
fleet have just returned from an adj
venturous expedition to Manzanillo. dur
ing which they sunk two Spanish gun
boats, one sloop and one pontoon, disabled
damaged several of the enemy's gun
/ boats and compelled the captain of a
troop ship to run toward shore.
One of Admiral SIMPSONS vessels. the
Hist. was struck IL times and another,
the Hornet. was disabled by a shell which
hit her main steam pipe. She was towed
out of danger.
Admiral Sampson sent the Hist. the
Hornet and the Wampatuck to Man
zanillo to destroy four Spanish gunboats
which the admiral had been informed
were lying in that harbor. Instead of en-
cOuntering that number of vessels, the
Americans. encountered nine vessels, in
Guiding . torpedo boat and a cruiser.
They also found the most of the vessels
fianked. by the land batteries and armed
pontoons, while a heavy battery of field
artillery was in position on the water
front to aid in making warm the receD-
ton of Simpsons vessels.
In ADDITION to this formidable display
the Spaniards showed several guns in the
fort on the HILL while the shore for two
miles was lined with soldiers, who main
tanned a fierce fire.
Undaunted by this formidable array the
the pier and began the attack. Their
fire was returned by the Spanish vessels
and for two hours a hot fight was waged.
Shots repeatedly went straight from the
guns of each combatant. doing much
damage when they struck.
During the engagement the Hist was
made the main target for the Spanish
gunners, who showed greater adeDtness
in their aim than have the Spanish gun
ners stationed in the forts along the
coast. They succeeded in hitting the
Hist IL times but the plucky. little craft
withstood the heavy fire gallantly.
Again and again she ran close up to the
enemy's vessels, perSistently refusing to
draw away Because OF the accuracy of
the Spanish aim. But for the accident
to the Hornet the American vessels would
not have Withdrawn from the scene after
fighting two hours. When the firing was
hottest a shell went Scurrying in the di-
rection of the Hornet. striking the main
steam pipe OF that vessel, scattering over
,the deck and doing great damage.
As soon as the Hist and the Wampatuck
discovered that the Hornet was disabled,
their captains decided that il would be
useless TO fight longer against such a su-
periOr enemy. Accordingly the Wampa-
tuck FASTENED to the rescue of the HOr-
net, the HIST meantime keeping up its
sharpest fire.
After the Wampatuck had succeeded in
getting a line on the Hornet she steamed
out to sea with the disabled vessel in
tow. The Hist followed close after. pour
ing shot at the enemy until out of range.
During the engagement the American
vessels succeeded in sinking one OF the
Spanish gunboatS, one siOop and damaged
one torpedo boat. They also did much
damage to several gunboats in the har-
Dor and made a marked impression on
the Spanish land batteries. They also
discovered the Purisima Conception and
two large transports lying in the harbOr.
AS if this was not enough excitement
for one small auxiliary cruiser. the Hist
poked her nose into Neguira bay and dis
covered u Spanish gunboat lying there.
She Immediately opened fire on the Span
lard, which, taken so completely by sur
prise. replied feebly and inaccurately. She
was sunk by the Hist in zen minutes.
The Hist subsequently had another ex-
citing experience with a ship laden with
Spanish troops and again the little fighter
came out with new Iaurels. She discov-
cred the troop ship some distance out
from shore and promptly challenged her.
The ship did not stop when the Hist fired
a shot across her bow. Instead, her cap
tain sent her toward shore.
The captain OF the Hist knew that he
could take his little craft just as far in
as the Spaniards could go with the troop
ship. so he started In hot pursuit after
the larger vessel He could not capture
the ship. but he drove her aground. With
out attempting to save their vessel. the
Spaniards scrambled ashore and diSap-
peared in the woods.