The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-06-13
DEWEY'S GREAT VICTORY
FIRST GRAPHIC STORY OF THE
REMARKABLE BATTLE

How Eleven Spanish Warships Were
Destroyed and Many Forts Silence
ed Without the Loss of an Amer
lean Life-Warm Work mt Close
Quarters-Destruc of a Dam
gerOus Spanish Torpedo Boat.
The following graphic description of
the battle at Manila is given by an eye
witness in special correspondence to
the Associated Press:
IN Manila a Bay, May Wia Hong Kong. May
1Q). With decks cleared for action, guns
shotted. crews all at quarters and eagerly
Peerlng through the port holes, Commodore
Dewey, having made a signal to follow the
bay. between the batteries on the islands OF
Pueblo Cabelo and Ell Frafle, at l p. m, on
Saturday night last, April 80. Here were the
guns that were to blow us out of the water
and the much-vaunted mines that it was i'm
possible to pass over without a skilled pilot.
AT 1920 signal light and a gun on the
peach announced that we had probably been
seen. The night was bright moonlight and
unfavorable for us, but the dark gray-green
paint and the inky darkness on board shin
prevented any estimate being made of our
character.
The Olympia and Baltimore slipped through
unseen by the gunners on Ell Fraile, but a
sudden roar, flash, and an eight-inch
shell Whistled over the Raleigh, exploding
c.ose alongside. The ball was opened, and a
hve-inch shell from her broke the silence
OF the American fleet, but the course or
speed was not changed. Three more shots
were fired at the Concord and Boston and
they were promptly replied to, after which
the fleet was out of range. Speed was then
slackened and the column headed up the bay
for Manila. thirty miles distant
SPANISH FLEET SIGHTED.
The commodore skirted the city at early
dawn. but the Spanish fleet was not there.
Soon afterwards it was distinguished, drawn
up In line Of battle off the strongly fortified
arsenal OF Cavite. seven miles from Manila
The signal prepare for general action and
close up was then foated from the flagship
olympia, and in unison bugle and drum
caleo TO general quarters" and the glori-
Masthead and gaff of the six ships of the
SQUADRON as the Olympia headed for their
line OF battle. Our formation was in column.
4oO yards apart, with slackened speed OF six
The fullness Of day revealed the Spanish
aeet OF nine vessels-the Reina Christina.
nagshlp; the Castillo, Don Antonio de Ulioa,
asia ae cuba, Isia de Luzon and four small
aanao was also in line, having been hastily
ntted with guns. Each end of their line was
projected p by batteries of six and eight-inch
tlila was moorcd head and stern, and the
other ships had steam up in order to be
ape to retreat behind the mole and batteries
b b oavlte 10 repair accidents and take a
breathing spell. The shore batteries opened
on US long before we were in range. Our
guns were silent until at $500 yards. when
Tn. sid olympia swung around her port broad
guns. The Baltimore, Raleigh Petrol Con
cord and Boston, in succession, followed the
nagsh1p and opened fire as soon as their
guns would bear on the enemy.
WARM WORK.
The engagement was general as the Ameri-
cans swept down parallel to the Spanish line
out was fought at long range, owing to our
ships being kept away from the enemy nv
shallow water. The modern high power guns
anu aho excelent gunnery Of the Americans soon
showed their effects while the Spaniards'
our heads. A' 0'ei
The end of their line being reached. we
turned shifted our batteries and stood down
the line until we were at from I. 500 n snd
yaras. 1t Is hardly conceivable with what
raplolty and accuracy our guns were ssflred
~ me sioes OF the Raleigh, which has battery
tlnuous sheet of fame. and the eieht-inch
guns OF the Olympia, Boston and Baltimore
a td an unbi oxen stream Of 25O-pound she Ia
at the doomed sh FPS OF the enemy!i - -
Six times the commodore led the. fleet IN
ana down the Spanish line, after which we
hauled out to. breakfast, but the victory was
ours. was
The Castillo was riddled and burn;np A
smell through the steam pipe of the -Reina
Christina showed she was in troubI Two
hours later she burst into flames cad both
sn SHIPS we're burned to the waters edge The
other Spanish craft had been handled so Sc
verely that they had retired behind the mole
OF the navy yard. The Mndanao was beached.
BLOWN TO PIECES.
One torpedo boat, early in the fight. tried
to slip out and attack our reserve SQUADRON
composed Of the McCulloch and the trans
ports Nanshan and Zefario which had STAYED
out OF range OF action. She had hardly made
clear her burst before the small rapid fire
guns OF all Our ships were concentrated on
onto the beach.
At 7:SO the commodore made signal to retire
IN order to give the crews rest and break
Iast. Ihey had been standing by their guns
al night, and had been fighting them for
three hours. The rest was welcomed by all
After breakfast and a council of war. 1t
was decided to attack and destroy the shore
n pa ere a. Cavite On signal the Baltimore
leo the way, ran up to within 1000 yards.
received their concentrated fire and literally
smothered them with shell.
me other ships quickly took their places.
was fired from the shore
me Don Antonio de Ulloa still foated the
d dag OF ws Spain nu and fred few shots Her
she sank riddled with she'll. The wreck of
the big ships was over. The Raleigh, Con-
c e.a. ana Petrei were then ordered inside to
RasirSs tapt1 s.at But the draft of the
her to get over the shoal water, and after
getting around twice the attempt was aban.
aoned. The Concord ran over and found the
Mlndanao, while the Petrol went I'D to the
navy yard. The enemy, however, had an.
ticipated them, and all the gunboats were
on fire or scuttled. The arsenal was in ruins
from the Smelling.
SPANIARDS SURRENDER.
At 1920 the Spanish flag was hauled down,
and the Petrol signaled 1.-THE enemy has
surrendered" A mighty cheer went up
from all the ships. most extraordinary
victory was ours-not one man did we lose.
ed on the Baltimore, while from last ac-
counts the Spaniards lost between 900 and
LOO men killed and wounded.
:. The Spanish commodore was wounded, and
the captain, lieutenant, the chaplain and
a midshfpman were killed by shell strik-
ing the bridge of the Reina Christina. She
lost besides e, eighty men killed and sixty
wounded. The Castillo lost ITO men killed
and wounded The shore batteries suffered
badly.
Had we been able to engage their ships
have been more quickly over; but our loss
of life would in all probability have been
considerable. As It was, the Spanish fleet
side, and only a few shot holes through the
upper works of our ships.
That night we anchored off Manila, leaving
the Boston and Concord to watch Cavite
arsenal.
MANILA SPARED.
Negotiations were opened with the author
tiles ashore, and it was earnestly desired on
our part that it would not be necessary to
lombard Manila.
On the Lunetta in front Of Manila is bat
terry of ten-inch Krupp guns. These guns
opened on the feet as 1t passed in the early
morning and by SO doing exposed the city to