The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-05-13

Key West, Fla, May i2.--Amerlca's first
dead fell yesterday in a fierce and bloody
combat off cardenas, on the north coast OF
Cuba. Five men we're blown to pieces and
Ave were wounded on the torpedo boat
Winslow.
The dead are:
Worth Bagley. ensign.
.thn valvcroIs, oiler.
John Daniel. first-class fireman.
J. V, Meek, tirst-cass fireman.
Josiah Tunnel colored cabin cook.
The wounded arc:
X. e. Cox, gunners mate,
d. MoKeown. quartermaster.
J. X. Patterson, fireman.
j.. Gray.
Lieutenant j. b. Bernandou
The hattle lasted thirty-hve minutes. Il
was between the torpedo boat Wlnslow. the
auxiliary tug Hudson and the sunboat VII.
mington on one side and the Cardenas. bat
tcries and four Spanish gunboats on the
other.
The Winslow was the main target for the
enemy and was put out of service The
other American vessels were not damaged,
except that the Hudson's two sides were
slightly scratched by flying shrapnel. The
enemy's loss is largely coniectural One OF
their gunboats caught frc and the men of
he Hudson think Il sunk b gt
The flames spread to the barracks and
,wept away several small buildings and
for time the whole water front was
ablaze. The Hudson's crew also believe
that two Spanish torpedo boat dostroyers
were disabled. but they admit that their
estimate OF the damage done Is largely
guess work. as the action was too sharp
for much observance The Winslnw was
within 1000 yards OF tho shore when the
shell struck her. How she came to be 40
close was told by her commander Lieu
tenant John b, Hernandez. He said.
I'VE were making observations when thu
enemy opened fire on us, The Whining.
ton ordered us to go In and attack the
gunboats We went In under full steam
and there's the result"
He was on the Hudson when he said
This and with the Anal words he pointed
70 a bundle OF American flags on the deck
near by. Under the Stars and Stripes were
outlined Ave rigid forms. The story OF the
eight as told by the Hudson's men is as
follows.
The Winslow, tho Hudson. the Machias
nd the Wilmington We're among the ships
OF Cardenas on the blockade the Whining
.on acting as flagship Tho Machas lay
about twelve miles cut. the Wilmington
500 yards and the Hudson and Winslow
icing small boats. were stationed close in,
IN what is called tie inside line, At
s:45 o'clock yesterday morning the IIud-
ION. under Captain Newton was making
,oundings In Diana and Romero bay Just
outside Cardenas, SO clrse to shore thai
The grounded once. but toated off easily
nto the shallow water.
AT 1880 the Wilmington spoke the Hud-
on and assigned them TO duty, the Wins
ow to start to the eastern shore OF Car
lenas buy and the Hudson to tho western
hore. while the Wilmington took her sta
ion in mid-channel. This work took two
iours Nothing was discovered on either
,hore and the boats were approaching each
ther on their return when puff of smoke
vas observed on shore at Cardenas and n
hell whistled over them, The WINSTON
vas on the inside nearer shore, The
hudson and the Winslow reported to the
Wilmington and orders came promptly ia
70 In and open IRE. but the Spaniards
tad not waited for reply to their arss
hot. The Cardenas harbor shore had al
eady become one dense cloud OF smoke,
Nth flashes Of fire and an avalanche Of
hell was bursting around the little Wins
ow. This was 2:ob and for twenty min
ites the sighting lasted from the shore
aennwhile tho Hudson's two Founders
yere banging away at terrific rate. How
1any - ne torpedo boats shots took e.
4 M T. ~ known. The first two Of the
6heIla fell short. but after
;l}' @ m 4SoFy ~ Jew straight into tina
ia -. elpFa The spaniArd's aim
~ 9oe ie>pEevine ard Il was