Morris tribune., 1898-07-06
It was to the Executive Officer OF
That Inflated Vessel Ger
vera Surrendered.
The Old Admiral Put Up a Gal
liant Fight Against Fate
-. and Odds.
Rather Lose His Ships at Sea
Like a Sailor Than in
a HarbOr.

Ten Miles West Of the Entrance OF
Che Harbor of Santiago de Cuba, Sun
day, July 8, zap. NJ by Associated
Press Dispatch Boat Wanda, to Port
Antonio, via Kingston, Jamaica, July
e.-For hours after Admiral Cervera
went aboard the Gloucester, the In
eRnta Maria Teresa, Almirante 0 quen-
do and Vizcaya continued to burn, and
every now and then deep roar, &C.
coznpsnied by burst of fame and
smoke from the sides of the ships
would announce the explosion of more
ammunition or another ma game. AS
tbs flames shot higher and higher
above the decks of the magnificent YES
sells that had composed Admiral Ger
vsra's feet. many of those who wit
asssed the scene felt it had a strong
connection with the destruction of the
American battleship Maine in Havana
harbor Ave months ago. Lieutenant
Commander Wainwright, the COM
mander of the Gloucester, was execu-
tire officer of the Maine at the time Of
the disaster. and although he remained
ia Havana harbor two months after
the explosion he lived on board the dis
patch boat Fern, and steadfastly re-
fused TO set his foot within the city IN
iii, to use his own words, the time
should come when he could go ashore
at che head Of a landing party of
American blue jackets. Today it was
bis ship that sank two of the Spanish
torpedo boat dsstroyers, and after
wards received the Spanish admiral
aboard as a prisoner of war.
The Maine Avenged.
From his pos ition on the bridge of
the Gloucester, Lieutenant Commander
Wainwright watched the flames and
smoke as they enveloped the decks of
the three greatest Warships of the Span
Ssh navy, which were soon to be re-
duoed to nothing but shattered masts
and twisted smokestacks protruding
above the water, similar to that other
picture in Havana harbor. It is not
strange. therefore, that he remarked to
his brother officers beside him: "The
Maine is avenged
Just then the Pluton and the Furor
sank, The Gloucester's boat picked up
as many of the survivors as she could
find on the shore.
The prisoners of war included the
captains of both boats. None offered
any resistance and were glad to go to
the Gloucester, as they feared an at
tack from the Cubans.
A number of the survivors, including
officers Of the Furor, who, it was re.
ported, had their legs shot off, were
scattered all along the coast for some
distance and could not be found. Three
officers and six men of the Pluton es.
capped from the shore In one of their
own boats, and pulled to the Associated
Press dispatch boat Wanda, where they
Eamsined until their captain, who was
held prisoner On the Gloucester, Or
dered them to join him on the latter
vessel
A Remarkable Feature.
The most remarkable feature of the
combat was the fact that notwithstand-
ing the utter destruction of the Span
ksh feet, end the hard fight those ships
made even after they were on fire, the
American vessels should escape with.
out injury. The only possible explana-
ti0n of this is the poor Workmanship
Of the Spanish gunners, which has
been SO well demonstrated in every
other con fiiot of the war.
The Newark. Commodore Watson's
flagship, did not participate in the
great capture, as she was coaling at
Guantanamo.