The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-05-14
THE WlNSLOW AVENGED.
Wilmington Turns the Apparent De.
feat Into a Victory.
THE GUNS AT CARDENAS SlLENCEI
Commander kept III the Fight After
the Winslow Left Disabled and
Is Now in Possession.

! via IVY NCSt'- NSoPs ilSHt 1880 AsoOCidteu
! Press, The Associated Press dispatch boat
Kate Spencer this morning visited the
scene Of the fight which occurred Wednes-
day between the torpedo boat Winslow and
the three Spanish gunboats supported by
shore batteries, and several hundred Span
ish riflemen in Cardenas harbor.
The gunboat Wilmington, whose four
inch shells at last silen--d the guns of the
enemy and allowed the torn, blood smeared
ana powder begrimed torpedo boat TO be
hauled oil by the little converted revenue
cutter Hudson, was lying majestically in-
side the lower bay in command OF the sit
uation.
AT the upper end of the harbor the
partly burned city of Cardenas, set on fire
by the Wilnlington's shells, still smoui-
dered, while within cable length lay the
ruins Of the signal station upon Diana Caya.
which had been destroyed after the en-
gagement by a force OF marines from the
Machias.
Words can not express the praise which
Captain Todd and the officers o. the VIII
mington bestowed on Lieutenant Bernardou
for the gallant manner in which he han
died and fought the Wnslow as she lay
a cripple exposed to the pitiless fire which
was concentrated upon her nor their keen
regret FOR the death OF Ensign Bagley and
the men who fell at his side. 1t WAS
fierce test that Lieutenant Bernardou en-
dured.
Cardenas bay, In which the encounter
took place, Ia picturesque harbor west OF
Havana 1t Is broad and shallow with two
Jutting fangs OF land close at the mouth
and picket line of coral keys outside. and
its surface Is studded with other green
crowned keys, where chalmets are two
fathoms deep, on which the city lies
nestled on the slipping hills. The Spaniards
since the blockade was inaugurated, have
gradually withdrawn, abandoning their
lighthouse at the entrance to the bay and
destroying all the buoys and other aids to
navigation as they went TWO sloops with
naked spars emerge from the water. sunk
to prevent the entrance to the harbor Dut
the Spanlards left enough space between
the distractions to allow the passage of a
friendly vessel II such vessel could get
through the blockade provided it was di-
rected from the signal station in operation
in the Diana Caya. Until Wednesday !.
was supposed that mines had been planted.
When Captain Todd OF the Wilmington and
Commander Merry of the Machas decided
TO run into the harbor on Wednesday it
was with the intent OF destroying the sig
nal station and rounding up the three
guntoats in the harbor
The American ships went in with the
Wnslow in the van. the Hudson next,
followed by the Wilmington and the Ma
chias bringing UP the rear. The Machiar,
however. which draws thirteen feet, soon
found the water too shallow and gave 1t
up.
The Wilmington. which draws but
fraction over nine feet, steamed 10 within
1900 yards OF the water front of the city
when her, keels scraped and she could go
no further. The Winslow, followed close
~ by the Hudson was then 500 wards
ahead of the Wilmington. TIE three
Spanish gunboats, which had been sighted
sneaking about among the keys when the
ships entered the harbor. cons dering dis
erection the better part of valor, had skunk
away, and when the Wilmington grounded
were huddled like storm driven ships to
shelter close TO the wharves. Captain Todd
signalled the Wlnslow to proceed. and she
moved forward until within 1000 yards of
the boats and the Wilmington's officers
say that the distance was les, than 500 |
yards. 1t was then that the first shot was
fired, whether from one of the gunboats
or from gun mounted in one Of the ware |
houses on shore the reports conflict II
may have been the first shot, it was GER
tainly among the first three that carried |
the steam gearing of the Winslow and |
minute later. while the quartermaster was
NHS"hcu III HoUhlNS up the gear, it, too. |
was shot away, the explosion Of the shell |
severely woundlng the quartermaster in |
the breast
The Winslow at the very outset was |
therefore, almost a helpless wreck. and al
the mercy of the gunboats and shore bat
teries, whose firing was searching her vi
tails, But her commander. seyereIy wound
ed in the leg though he was, from a piece
OF she'll gamely stopped the flow of \
Diood by means OF tournique and re-
malnea AT ms post, maneuvering the craft |
with her screws. With the fire from tbe
suhpoats, the guns mounted in the ware
pousss and the fusillade of the Mauser
tower. " sNo'
The, Wilmington steamed back and forth
across the line Of fire over a radius NJ a
thousand yards, was smashing four pound
sheils INTO the warehouses and dropnine |
them over the moles behind which we're
the gunboats. AS her broadsides swung she
iet go starboard and TO the port. Her ma
distance ~ ''e
The little Hudson. with her six-pounaers
stood loyalty by the Winslow throughout
the action, but the Spanish fire was almost
entirely concentrated on the Winslow A |
perfect death hail fell upon her The pro
)eetiles from the Spanish guns went
Inrough her several times. putting both her
Doilers and engine out of commission Eor |
lunately 1t was the after boiler and engine
Which we're being used. The accuracy Of
the Spanish gunners in this case is ac-
counted for by the fact that buoys in con-
centric circles have been located In tho
upper bay 10 give them an exact range.
When their guns were trained on the VIII
nington. they either oyershot or their shot
ell short. Fragments of bursting shells
however. were time and time again show.
ered upon the decks of the Hudson and
wilmington, but not man was touched
'h poaro either ship, nor piece of rig
IN the Wilmington near the port bow AFT
cut Captain Tod thinks they were made nv
shells bursting He says he fired over q
hundred shots before the guns were ST.
enced |