Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1898-05-13

it interesting for the remainder OF the
Spanish boats. The Petrol was not
idle, nor was the MeCulloch, which
lodged in and out among the fleet,
doing its work of dispatch boat. The
noise of the bombardment YVES deafen-
ing on both sides, and the firing, con-
sidering the dense smoke which soon
arose and obscured the fleets from each
other, was well nigh continuous, al
though every shot was intended to
count. The noise was plainly heard at
Manila, each shot being easily noted,
although, of course, the result was not
known.
Suddenly a Spanish ship, which
proved afterward to be the Don Juan
de Austria, ran down the Spanish line
under a mistaken signal from the adj
miral 1t was struck at least three
times by the American shells, one Of
which was plainly seen to hit one of its
guns, disabling It, It fired as it went,
but shot from an eight-pounder on
the Olympia struck the Spanish boat
near the waterline. Watchers saw the
Don Juan culver as horse does when
shot in battle. Then in a sudden ces-
sation of firing on both sides, which
seemed almost for the purpose OF
watching what followed, the Spanish
cruiser exploded with a noise which
made all the cannonading that had
gone before sound like the popping of
so many cOrks. The tearing Of Steel
the splitting Of timbers, even the
shrieks OF the wounded could be plain
ly heard following this awful noise.
Dead bodies of men were seen lying
through the air, while the survivors
were noticed jumping from the decks.
The Don Juan careened over to port,
righted again and dipped once more
and began to sink rapidly. Hardly a
seconds time elapsed between the |
striking of the fatal shot and the ex-
plosion, but it seemed to the watchers |
that 1t was five minutes.
The shot undoubtedly penetrated |
and exploded the Don Juan's maya
zines. The Americans had an oppor-
tunity to see this, for at that moment
the dense clouds of smoke had settled |
in the direction of the Spanish line,
while the American ships were COM
paratively free. The vice consul's re-
port says: "The VIGOROUSLY bad
workmanship of the Spaniards was
from the start. The fleet was
with daring and skill, but al
though numerically stronger than its
enemy, it was no match for 1t in gun
merry. The latter was splendid, and
much regret is expressed that our naval
were not given better
to take note of an engage
nent which must mark an epoch in
naval warfare" AS a matter of fact,
he Raleigh, Boston and Baltimore
we're reported to have been struck by
spanish shells and several men killed
)een landed at a distant point upon
he shore, the names could not be as
ertained at the time the Spanish au-
horiues cut the cable or at least stop
,ed its use at Manila.
When the Don Juan blew up a cheer
rose from each of the American feet
nd again the cry went up, "Remem
er the Maine. The Maine is avenged"
rom his post Commodore Dewey gave
ut his orders and these commands
Tere to keep maneuvering. 1t was this
rider which rendered the shots from
he Spanish gunners so ineffective.
hey and their commanding officers
eemed unable to locate any of the
merican ships in time to deliver the
where they intended. No ,
ooner would a gun be sighted than {
le whole American squadron would ,
ave seemed to change position. and !
le Spanish shots simply churned the 8
alter in the bay. Those shells which g
ID take effect did so almost without
lception merely by chance. and 1t is =
ute likely that some of them came :
ON the land batteries. When the !
paniards heard the explosion of the r
on Juan they gave shouts Of joy,