Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1898-07-05

Ten miles West Entrance of Santiago
Harbor, July 3, via Kingston .-<(Copy-
right. For hours after Admiral Ger
vera beached his flagship, the last of
bis fleet, under the terrible fire of the
American ships, when the Spaniards at
tempted to escape this morning, the In
fanta Maria Teresa, AlmiranteO Oquendo,
and Vizcaya continued to burn and
every now and then deep roar, ac>
companied by burst of fame and
smoke from the sides of the ships,
would announce the explosion of more
ammunition or of another magazine.
As the flames shot higher above the
magnificent vessels that had composed
Admiral Ceryera's feet, many of those
who witnessed the scere, felt it had a
strong connection with
THE DESTRUCTION OF THE MAINE
in Havana harbor five months ago.
Lieut.. Commander Wainwright, COM
mander of the Gloucester, was the ex-
scutive officer of the Maine at the time
of the disaster, and although be re-
inclined in n'Havana two months after
the explosion, he lived on board the
dispatch boat Fern, and steadfastly re-
fused to set foot in the city, until, to-
use his own words, the time should
come when he could go ashore at the
head of landing party of American
blue jackets. To-day it was his ship
that sank two of the Spanish torpedo
boat destroyers, and afterwards received
the Spanish Admiral aboard as pris-
oner of. war. From his position on the
bridge of the Gloucester, Lieut.. Com
mander Wainwright
WATCHED THE FLAMES AND SMOKE
as they enveloped the decks of the three
greatest warships of the Spanish Navy,
which were soon to be reduced to shat
tered masts and twisted smoke stacks
protruding above the water similar to
that ether pictureain Havana harbor.
1t was net strange, therefore, that he
remarked to brother officers, the Maine
is avenged just then The Pluton and
Furor sank Gloucester's boat picked
UP as many survivors as she could find
on the shore Prisoners of war includ-
ed the captains of both boats. None Of
fered any resistance, and were glad to
90 to the Gloucester as they
FEARED ATTACK FROM CUBANs.
The number of survivors, including
officers of the Furor, who it was re-
ported had their legs shot off,were scat
tered along he co9st for some distance,
and could not be found. Three Off
GERS and six men of the Pluton escaped
from the shore in boat and pulled to
the Associated Press Dispatch Boat
Wanda, where they remained until
their captain, who was held prisoner on
the Gloucester ordered them to join
him on the latter vessel. The most re-
markable feature of the combat was
the fact that, notwithstanding the utter
destruction of the Spanish fleet and the
hard fight those ships made even after
they were on ire, the American yes
sells
SHOULD ESCAPE WITHOUT JNJURY.
The only possible explanation was
the poor craftsmanship of the Spanish
gunners. The Newark, Commodore
Watson's flagship, did not participate
in the great capture, as she was coaling
at Guantanamo.
WHAT CERvERA SAYS.
(Copyright) OFF Santiago, July 4, via
Port Antonio, July 5.-The first and
only statement concerning the recent
naval battle made by the Spanish COM
mander, Admiral Ceryera, was to a
correspondent of the Associated Press
on the battleship Iowa. as follows:
would rather lose my ships at sea, like
q sailor. than in harbor. 1t was the
only thing left for me to do.
ENTHUSIASM TREMENDOUS.
copyrighted = Headquarters General
Skaters Army, Before Santiago, July
3. via Kingston Early in the day mar
on the lookout reported that the Span
ish feet had sailed out of the harbor oi
Santiago, but it was not until late this
afternoon that the result was knowr
at the front. As word of the magnifi
cent victory flew from sentry to sentr,
along the firing lines. and was shouted
70 companies, regiments and brigades
weary men, which gathered force as i
went, Until tHu uAttG ~ ~ uahGtiI va
drowned In the roar OF thee1sd fidings
The news was flashed back into th'
underbrush, where the reserves lay an,
the men almost stampeded in their en-
thusiastic desire to get to the front
The cheering continued through th'
evening as the details of the fght cam
in.
Although the firing continued ali da,
between The outposts. very little dam
are was done on either side. Genera