The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-07-12

where she went ashore. The Brooklyn
did not stop. but went on the chase af-
ter the CristOba1 Colon, the Oregon
closing rapidly up and following her
The other vessels at this time were
from six to eight miles behind and Ad-
miral Simpsons flagship, the New
York, was not in sight At II O5 the
Brooklyn slightly injured by the hail
of Spanish shells, stopped firing and the
chase DeSah- ne men cdiAS upon uSSA
and began to cheer, never needing the
whistle of the Spanish shells. They
cheered for Schley and Clark and the
Oregon, and the Oregon's men returned
the cheer.
Up to the mast head forward went a
pennant. Remember the Maine" read
the signal officer. Tell them We
have" said Schley and there was
roar as the answer went up. The chase
was in full force at 1855 the men out
on the decks watching with great in
terest and as happy as larks- The
Colon, at a distance Of I'VE miles mug
ged the shore, but Schley ordered the
Oregon to follow her and then, with the
Brooklyn he made a straight course for
Cape Cruz around which she would
have to steer on long detour to get
away.
Ali three ships were pumping along
at great speed, the smoke pouring out
of their tunnels. In an hour the Brook
Ign had gained appreciably and so had
the Oregon, and Captain Clark of the
latter ship Signalled over a strange
ship looking like an Italian in the dis
lance" He alluded to the fact that the
Cristobal Colon was bought from Italy
Schley. sitting on the edge OF the for
ward eight inch turreU. swinging mis- legs
and happy. said: TEL the Oregon she can
try one of those 13-inch railroad trains on
There was a terrible roar as the big
shell went by the BroOkiyn moment or
suspense and watching and then hearty
cheer as the big thing struck the water
close astern of the Colon, four miles away
Another was tried, which reached the
the Br0oI11Vn onened her forward and
= 81
seen TO go through the Colon at the top
At los p m. both the Brooklyn and the
and in another ten minutes, after return
ing the fire in a desuItory sort of way
ward shore. At ills she hauled down her
ed out of the turrets of the two ships
and when a bomb went up at the main
mast of the Brooklyn they began to cheer
and did not stop for ten minutes.
We're the Vixen, about miles away, and
the Texas, about seven miles away. The
New York was not in sight. As the big
ships moved in on the quarry the smoke
of the New York could be seen coming
over the horizon from the east, but she
was fully twelve miles away. A boat
was lowered from the Brooklyn and Cap
tain Cook went aboard to receive the sur
render. The rear admiral in charge said,
tionally to Commodore Schley- We We're
badly hurt and could not get away
While Captain Cooks boat was coming
Bravo Americana and the crew responds
ed Brave SpaniardO.' (Sic). While
Captain Cook was returning to the Brook
lyn. the New York. with Admiral Samp-
son, came along. ran in between the
Brooklyn and the prize, and ordered Cap
tain Cook to send the prisoners on board
the New York
Commodore ,schley, seeing this. mega
phOned over, 4 request the honor of re-
e ceiving the surrender of the officers of the
CristObal Colon"
No answer was. vouchsafed him from
the New York and the ship that had not
fired a shot took the honor. Commodore
/ Schley then raised the pennant "A glori-
Gus victory has been wOn-details later
The answer from the New York was, Re
port your casualties.
The Brooklyn was hit 26 times. but only
one man, G. H. Ellis. was killed, and only
one man, J. H Burns, a fireman, wound
The Colon went ashore at the place
+ where the Virginius expedition tried to
land and was captured years ago. The
chase had lasted four hours and the
Brooklyn, Oregon, Texas and Gloucester
had saved the United States fleet from the
stain of allowing the Spanish vessels to
escape-the Oregon and Brooklyn by their
splendid chase and great gunnerY, the
Texas by her determined work the first
two ships and the Gloucester by her
marvellous attack on the destroyers.
The Almirante OquendO at 1890 o'clock
in the evening turned over on her side
and is now being beaten to pieces by the
waves. Her crew scuttled her before
/ hauling down her flag. The paymaster
divided up the money on board and all
the Spanish sailors were well supplied.