The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-06-22

suppose never viii. but j know IL must
have been over 500 1t WAS nothing in
the world bat a miracle that brought rs
out without loss. We were under fire for
over four hours, and shells simply rained
al around rs 1 don't believe there IS
hattie in the history Of the world where
the destruction was 50 complete on one
side aud the loss nothing on the other
Most OF the bosts were shot away from
our ships. but. ~o far ~ the fighting q lai-
tiles of the ships -. we are as well of
to-day as before tbs engagement, except
that over one half "a sur amunition is
gone. However, we will have no more
fighting out hare. for thsre is nothing to
fight.
Until last night I hadn't haG my
clothes off for four Gays and hadn't been
in bed since last Friday. Tonight I
hopeto get 4 good nights sleep, but 1t
must be nearly twelve o'clock now.
Wednesday morning.
1--WE have jus. heard that we can send
mail 10 Hong Kong tomorrow, so
will finish this letter this morning.
To-day seems hotter than ever. The
skin is all coming off the back Of my
neck from exposure to the sun, but that
is too small matter 70 consider. The
night of May lst was one of the most
beautiful have ever seen, and never
again expect 20 see as grand sight and
at the same time as sad sight, especial
ly 10 a naval officer. We sat up on deck
smoking and talking just as though moth
ing had happened. while in front Of US
was the entire Spanish fleet in flames.
The steel ships had about burned out,
but were red hot and looked like huge
skeletons of ships. Then several maga-
zines blew up that sent a cloud of flames
up into the clouds. Il didn't and doesn't
seem possible that we could sit there
with our fleet absolutely uniDjured and
see such destruction before Us. Before l
forget it, get the New York Herald and
read the account of the fight. That will
be accurate and probably the only one
that will. Mr.. Stickney, the representa-
tive for that paper was with US all during
the fight on the flagship and he took
numerous photographs. He is a graduate
of the Naval Academy and his descrip-
tion can be relied upon; also, for descrip-
tion of Manila and the Spanish rule here,
get a copy ofthe Cosmopolitan for October
1897. The Zafiro spoken of there is the
same that now belongs to US and is one
of our store ships.
''Since Sunday we have been busy de-
stroying batteries on shore. and have now
finished that. 1 have never in my life
felt so sorry for any men as 1 have for
several Spanish officers L have met. Not
that don't condemn their whole policy,
but, there are men among them. Yes
terday went ashore at FL Fraile-that is
the battery that first fired at us-and de-
stroyed the guns there. A Spanish officer
went with us and showed us where the
guns were, and then stood by while we
broke them to pieces and threw every
movable part overheard. The poor man
had tears in his eyes l hope will never
live TO see the day when 1 must stand by
any guns have commanded and see
lot of foreigners destroy them.
Monday we went ashore-the Captain,
Navigator, Davidson and myself-to take
look around. OF course we wore side
arms, with a revolver. on the beach we
saw a party coming towards us with a
hospital flag. They were two doctors and
three Sisters of Charity. and think they
really feared we were coming ashore to
murder the wounded in the hospitals.
That proclamation of the beggarly gov
ernor gave them the idea. He is the only
man here for whom 1 don't feel sorry.
would like to make him eat that procla-
nation. When We got it we called all
hands TO muster on the ships and read it
TO the crews think it did US more good
than it did him.
Manila proper has not surrendered, be-
cause we don't want it. If fitsurrendered
10 US we would be responsible for the pO-
licing of it, and we haven't the men, nor
have we orders. to take il. Our orders
we're You must capture or destroy the
Spanish fleet;'' and never have orders
been more effectualiy carried out.
"How long we will be here, where we
viii go, or what we will do, are questions
/ that we can not answer. The war out
here is over, because there is nothing left
to oppose US. only hope the North At
lantic fieet has been as successful.
"Yery affectionately,
"ORLo KNEPPER."