The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1898-07-08
answer to an inquiry he shouted
through the megaphone:

| tiO
81 left the Cristobal Colon far to
the westward an hour ago, and the
Oregon was giving her hell. She has
undoubtedly gone down with the 9TH
ers, and we will have Fourth of July
celebration in Santiago tomorrow.
Captain who had been in the thick
of the engagement up to the time he
took the Vizcaya's officers and crew
from the shore, said to the best of his
knowledge not one American ship had
been struck.
1t was about 8 o'clock this morning
when the flagship Maria Teresa passed
under the wall of Moro castle and
steamed out to sea. She was followed
by the Cristobal Colon, Vizcaya and
Oquendo, and lastly by the Furor and
Pluton. The outlook on the American
vessels, which were lying five or 10
miles off the harbor entrance, sighted
them Immediately. Most of the Amer
ican cruisers were at the usual Sunday
morning quarters, without thought of
anything as surprising as the Spanish
fleet getting past the sunken collier
Merrimac, which they had been delud-
ed into believing effectually blocked
the exit.
There was great excitement at once,
and very rapid action along the Ameri-
can line. The signal for full speed
ahead was running from bridge to en-
gine-room; every ship in the fleet com
menced to move In shore, toward the
Spaniards, and the great 13inch guns
of the battle-ships and the smaller bat
teries on the other vessels fired shot
after shot at long range. AS the ships
ran In toward the shore, it soon be-
came evident that the Spaniards had
not come out to make an aggressive
fight, for they had cleared the harbor,
and started on their race for safety, at
the same time sending shots at the
Americans as fast as the men could
load and fire the guns.
The Brooklyn, Massachusetts,, Texas,
Oregon and Iowa were nearer the
| Spanish than any others of the Ameri
can vessels, but still most of them were
too far away to get an effective range.
They crowded on all steam, however,
in preparation for the chase, never
stopping their fire for one moment.
The Gloucester, fast little yacht that
cannot boast of any heavier battery
than several six-pounders and three
Founders, was lying off Aguadores,
three miles east of Moro, where the
Spaniards came out. At first she
joined in the attack on the leading
vessels, and then held off, Captain
Wainwright concluding to reserve his
efforts for the two destroyers in the
! rear.
The Gloucester steamed after them
when they appeared, and chased them
to point five miles west of Moro
castle, pouring shot after shot into
them all the time. Her efforts bore
abundant fruit, for to her belongs the
credit for the destruction of both of
the destroyers. She fred 1,4OO shots
during the chase, and it was not long
before both destroyers were on fire,
and plainly disabled. Notwithstand-
ing that, they both returned the fire.
The Gloucester did not go any fur
ther west, but lay off shore and sent
in a boat to the assistance of the
crews of the destroyers. 1t did not
take the flames long to reach the Fur
or's magazines, and there were two
terrific explosions, probably of gun
cotton on board of her, which blew
holes in her bottom. Her stern sunk
Immediately, and, as it settled in the
water, her bow arose straight in the
air, and she went to the bottom in per-
petual oblivion, giving kissing,
scalding sound as she disappeared be-
low the surface.
Meantime, the larger American
ships we're gaining on the Spanish
cruisers, and a storm of shots were
passing between the pursuers and the
pursued. The American fire was SO
rapid, that the ships were enveloped in
thick clouds of smoke, and it was i'm
possible to tell at the distance which
vessels were doing the greater execu
ton. The Brooklyn and the battle
ships were keeping up an incessant fire
upon the 1nfanta Maria Teresa, the
Vizcaya and the Almirante Oquendo,
and the latter was returning it brave
ly, though with no success.
The Spanish gunners seemed unable
to get the range. and many of their
shots were very wild, though a num-
Der of them fell dangerously near
them.
The guns of the battery just east of
Moro also took part in the game, and
their shells fell around the American
ships. Many Of them struck the upper
works of the fleeing Spaniards, and
must have killed or wounded many of
their men. The Spanish ships had
now reached point about seven miles
west of Moro, and mile or two be-
~, Ho
burning, and the Pluton lay broken in
two against the cliff. The flagship and
the Oquendo were the first to show
singals of distress.
Two 13-inch shells from one of the
battle-ships had struck the Maria
Teresa at the water line, tearing great
holes in her side, and causing her to
fill rapidly. The Oquendo suffered
about the same fate, and both ships |
headed for a small cove and went
aground 200 yards from the shore,
flames shooting from them in every di-
rection.
-9he officers and crew must have been
aware of the fate which seemed to be
before them, but it was not until the !
ships were on fire and enveloped in !
flames and smoke that the men ceased |
firing. The Gloucester, after sending
a boat ashore to the Pluton. steamed !
along the coast to where the arm ored |
cruisers were stranded, and went to
their assistance. The Gloucester had |
all her boats out. and one seaman
swan through the surf with line
from the Maria Teresa, making it fast
to tree on the shore. By this means ,
many of the fagshlp's crew, including