The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1898-07-14

few feet of my head. I said to Exc
cutive Officer Rogers: "That little
chap has got lot of cheek" Rogers
shouted back; She shoots very well,
all the same.
''Well among the advancing crais-
ers, splitting shots at one end and then
at another, was the little Gloucester,
shooting first at cruiser and then at q
cruiser and then at a torpedo boat and
hitting head wherever she saw it.
The marvel was that she was not de-
stroyed by the rain of shells.
In the meantime the Vizcaya was
slowly drawing abeam Of the Iowa, and
for the pace of fifteen minutes it was
give and taken between the two ships
The Vizcaya fred rapidly but wildly.
not one shat taking effect on the Iowa,
while the shells from the Iowa were
tearing great rents in the sides of the
Vizcaya. AS the latter passed ahead
of the Iowa she came under themurder-
GUS fire of the Oregon. At this time
the Infanta Maria Teresa and the AL
marante 0quendo, leaning the enemy's
column, were seen to be heading
for the beach and in flames. The
Texas, Oregon, and Iowa, pounded
them numerically. They ceased to re-
ply to the fire and in few moments The
Spanish crusisers were mass of flames
and on the rocks with their colors
down, the Texas flying white flag at
the fore.
"The crews of the enemy's ships
stripped themselves snd began jumping
overheard and one of the smaller maya
zines began to explode.
"Meanwhile the Brooklyn and the
Cristobal Colon were exchanging COM
pliments in a likely fashion at appa-
rently long range, and the Oregon, with
her locomotive speed, was hanging on
the Colon, and also paying attention
to the Vizcaya.
"The Teresa and Oquendo were in
flames on the beach just twenty min
utes after the first shot was fred the
Vizcaya put her helm to port, when a
great burst of flame from the after part
of the ship, and headed slowly for the
rocks at Aserradero, where she found
her last resting place.
THE END OF THE vIZCAYA.
Gas it was apparent that the Iowa
could not possibly catch the Cristobal
Colon and that the Oregon and Brook
lyn undoubtedly would, and as the fast
New York was on her trail, / decided
that the calls of humanity should be
answered and attention given to the
twelve or fifteen hundred Spanish Off
GERS and men who had struck their
colors to the American squadron COM
manded by Admiral Sampson.
"I therefore headed for the wreck Of
the Vizcaya, now burning furiously
fore and aft. When | was in as far as
the depth of water would admit, / low
cred all my boats and sent them at once
to the assistance of the unfortunate
men, who we've being drowned by doz-
ems or roasted on the decks.
II seon discovered that the insur-
gent Cubans from the shore were shoot
ing on men who were struggling in the
watersafter having surrendered to us. /
Immediately put a stop to this, but l
could not put stop to the mutilation
of many bodies by the sharks inside of
the reef. These creatures had become
excited by the blood from the wounded
mixing in the water.
"My boats crews worked manfully,
and succeeded in saving many of the
wounded from the burning ship.
BRAVERY OF OUR MEN.
"One man who will be recommended
for promotion clambered up the side Of
the Vizcaya and saved three men from
burning to death. The smaller maga-
zines of the Vizacaya were exploding
with magnificent cloud effects. The
boats were coming alongside in steady
string and willing hands were helping
the lacerated Spanish officers and sail
ors on to the Iowa's quarter deck.
'""'he bottoms of the boats held two
or three inches of blood. In many
cases dead men were lying in the bleod,
Five poor chaps died on the way to the
ship. They we're afterward buried with
, military honors from the Iowa. Some
examples of heroism, or more properly
devotion to discipline and duty, could
never be surpassed. One man on the
, lost Vizcaya had his left arm almost
shot off Just below the shoulder. The
fragments were hanging by small
piece of skin.
"Many prisoners had been killed OF
, shore by the fire of the Cubans. Th'
, Harvard came up, and requested Capt
: Cotton to go in and take off the crews
! of the Infanta Maria Teresa and th'
Almirante OquendO. and by midnigh
the Harvard had 976 prisoners aboard,
, a great number of them wounded.
E ADMIRATION FOR THE SPANISH ADMIRAL
0 "For courage and dash there is nj
t parallel in history to this action Of th'
/ Spanish Admiral. He came as he knew