The Indianapolis journal., 1898-07-12
OREGON DID BEST WORK.
Story of the Naval Battle That Differs
Materially from Others.

StOEy OI tne NNVul bOttLe Inab DIMCES
Materially from others.
PORTSMOUTH, N. H., July 1.-THE few
officers who came in on the auxiliary cruis-
er ST. Louis and who had participated in
the fight with the Spanish cruisers off San
tiago, were obliged to tell the whole story
of the memorable contest While in the
n ain their accounts did not differ material
~ from the press dispatches, yet they seem
to give credit to the work of the Oregon.
From an account as given by one officer it
appears that on the morning of the fight
fC ur American war ships lay off the en-
trance of the harbor. The Oregon was
slightly to the east; then to the westward
came the converted yacht Gloucester, lying
between the Oregon and Iowa. To the west
ward Of the Iowa was the Texas, while fur
ther along, in fact eight or ten miles to the
west of the harbor, was the Brooklyn, with
Commodore Schley on board.
The position of the fleet was in keeping
with the plan mapped out by Admiral
Sampson, and his command had definite or
ders, in case the Spanish fleet made dash
out of the hacbor. While all the ships had
steam up, none Of them, with the exception
of the Brooklyn, was under way. The lat
ter had, few minutes previous to the
sighting of the Spaniards, turned away to
heard from the Iowa she was going away
frcm the fleet at about an eighteen-knot
gait. Just why the Brooklyn was steaning
off to the west at this time is not known,
but, although she had not gone far, and
was still probably quite near the station
designated by Admiral Sampson, her COM
mander nevertheless had to swing round,
and in doing SO he put his helm to star
board and made a long sweep to port, going
mile or more off shore in the maneuver.
The first Spaniard that came rushing out
of the harbor's mouth was the Cristobal
Colon, with Admiral Cervera on board; the
Vizcaya was second the Almirante Oquen-
do third and the Maria Teresa the fourth,
while two torpedo boat destroyers brought
up the rear. While the Iowa got in the first
lick at the fleet as they came dashing by,
the Oregon the first American outside
the Brooklyn in motion She gathered head
way so fast that she came in between the
Iowa and the fleet and pumped
in good thirteen-inch shell at the
Colon before, she had gone by. The
Oregon was, therefore, in a most excellent
position to meet the Vizcaya when she came
along, and with the help of the Texas
tackled her so tiercely that she was on fire
in a few minutes and had headed for the
beach.
While the Oregon's whole forward star
board battery was banging at the ViZcaya,
the after guns had swung around and were
pumping shells into the Ouuendo which had
also been tackled by the Iowa. which, in
the meantime, had disposed of the Teresa
The wreck of the three Spaniards was ac-
complished in about fifteen or twenty min
utes, and by this time the Oregon had at
tanned her maximum speed. With her
forced draught on and every pound of steam
up, the big Pacific coast battle ship plowed
through the water as she never did before,
except, perhaps, on her speed trial three
years ago.
Leaving the Texas and Iowa 10 complete
the destruction of the nf ha
Spaniards and the rescue of the unfortu-
nate sailors, Captain Clark headed the Ore
gon after the Colon. The Brooklyn, at this
time had taken her wide sweep off shore
and was headed in for the Colon opening up
on that vessel with her port broadside. AS
the Colon ran by the Brooklyn she gave the
latter the benefit of her big guns and no
less than thirty shots took effect on the
pasnE clear PO the Ya0e OF frer
AS the Colon went by the Brooklyn, the
latter turned her starboard guns on the
Brooklyn was hit q dozen times on her
starboard side, while all three of her tall
smolkestacks showed the effects of the
The superior speed of the Brooklyn and
after run of forty miles Admiral Ceryera
ordered the flagship to be headed for the
shore. The Colon struck about $50 yards
from the beach, and as soon as she had
one to jump overheard and plunged into the
sea himself, followed by all his officers
Inc little gloucester, after destroying the
torpedo boat deStroyerS. turned after the
Oregon and made such good time that she
was up even with the Colon when she ran
ashore AS she drew considerable less water
than either the Oregon or Brooklyn her
commander, Lieutenant Commander VAIN
wright. able to in quite close to the
stranded Spaniard and the Gloucesters S boat
was sent out after the swimming crew Ad-
miral Cervera was picked up just outside of
the surf about ten yards from shore. and,
after his long swim, was thoroughly ex-
hauSted
The Colon had just turned in shore when
the New York came up after long and
quick The flagship was enabled to get
in dozen good shots before the Colons
flag came down. so that Admiral Sampson
had a hand in the fight although il was a
brief one 1t will be seen. therefore that
the. Oregon. while the most eastern of ali
the American ships, nevertheless was en-
abled by her superior speed, to have hand
in the destruction Of all four of the Spanish
cruisers and was the only one of the fleet
that did.