Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-05

One of the Indiana's Wounded Sea-
men Tells of fhe Great Battle.

men Tells of fhe Great Battle.
Mr.. Dixon Lee, fiist-ciass fireman or
board the United States battleship In
diana, who was wounded in the terrific
battle off Santiago harbor July Sd. was
In Richmond yesterday, en- route to his
home. in Iowa, from the hospital at
Portsmouth.
n Mauser ball. and also received pain
fui wound over his right knee-cap. AS he
walked through the streets yesterday
with his seaman's uniform on and his
arm In sling. he attracted considerable
attention, and was frequently interro-
gated by passers-by, who desired TO learn
from one of the participants therein some
Of the details OF the great battle in which
Cervera's fleet was almost annihilated.
Mr. Lee was seen yesterday by q Dis
patch man, TO whom he talked most inte-
restingly concerning the battle He was
on board the Indiana and saw the whole
engagement. Notwithstanding the fact
that he was injured during the latter part
of the fight.
WHAT CURIOSITY DID.
He laughs now over his injuries, and
says they are the result of his own folly,
rather than good Spanish workmanship.
AS fireman It was his duty to bring
ammunition from the powder magazines
and load the guns for the gunners. lie
was engaged in this work when a por-
ton of protecting shield was shot
away. and he walked through the hole
made by the shot to take q look at the
outside He had hardly gotten beyond the
safety mark when he was struck by two
bullets, as described, and he lost no time
in beating hasty retreat to safety.
Mr.. Lee says that in the fight so far
as he could judge, the Oregon and the
Brooklyn bore the brunt OF the battle.
though the Texas did as good work as
any OF the ships. The Indiana also did
some effective work, though the little
Gloucester covered herself with glory.
THE GLOUCESTER's FIGHT.
One of the prettiest features of the
fight. said Mr.. Lee. was the work of the
Gloucester. The big ships would close in
on the Spaniards and throw hot shot into
them for few minutes, and then the
little Gloucester, resembling nothing so
much as she did bantam rooster, would
crawl up alongside the big enemy, and in
less than q moment would have their
decks swept as clear as though a hurri-
cane had passed over them.
The Indiana, Mr.. Lee told the Dispatch
man, was not far from the Texas when
the battle ended, and ne 0.ee) distinctly
heard Captain Philip when he shouted
through the megaphone 10 the men
aboard the ships adjacent to his 20 re-
strain their exhuberant spirits out of re-
spect to the dying Spanlards. Thanks
giving services were held, the sailor SAYS.
on nearly Ill the American ships imme-
diately after the battle, and patriotic
hymns were interspersed with prayers.
RAN AWAY FROM HOME.
Young Lee has had a most eventful ca
reer. He is the son Of a well-to-do cattle
owner at Clarinda, Iowa, and ten years
ago, after having received whipping at
the hands Of his father, ran away from
home and enlisted in the navy. He re-
NAMED away from home for more than
seven years without communicating with
his people, and now, for the first time
since he left, mere boy, he is returning
a wounded veteran. though still the pic
ture of manly vlgor He has served his
full term of service and says he does not
know whether he will rs-enlist or not
that depending largely upon the wishes OF
MS family.