Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1898-05-11
IRAN INTO Spanish JAWS.
TWO AMERICAN WAR VESSELS.
The Vicksburg and the Cutter Nor
rill Lured by a Cunning Bait---
shore Batteries Found the Range
and Nearly Sunk the Bold Ships
Schooner.

iards saved the Vicksburg and the cut
ter Morrill, from destruction in Havana
harbor yesterday morning. For over
half an hour they were under the fire of
the guns of the Santa Clara water bat
teries but both escaped without mater
ial injury, although shrapnel from
eight-inch guns exploded all about them
and both now show the sears of the
Spanish bullets. The willy Spaniards
had arranged trap to send couple Of
our ships TO the bottom. They baited
it as man would bait trap.
A small schooner was sent out from
Havana harbor shortly before daylight
yesterday morning to draw some of the
Americans into the ambuscade. The ruse
worked like a charm. The Vicksburg
and the Morrill,. in the heat of the chase
and in their contempt for Spanish gun
merry, walked straight into the trap that
had been set for them. Had the Span
iards possessed their souls in patience
but five minutes longer not even the bad
gun practice would have saved our ships
and this morning two more OF our vessels
would lie at the bottom within two
lengths OF the Maine.
Lured the warships In.
Friday evening the Nicksburg and
Morrill,, cruising to the west Of Moro
castle, were fired upon by the big guns
of the Cojimar batteries. Two shots
we're fired at the Vicksburg and one at
the Morrill,. Both vessels, without re-
turning the fire, steamed out of range.
But yesterday morning the Spaniards
had better luck. The schooner they had
sent out before daylight ran off to the
eastward, hugging the shore and with
the wind on her starboard quarter. About
three miles east of the entrance Of the
A haze fringed the horizon and she was
not discovered until three miles off
shore, when the Mayflower made her out
and signalled the Morrill, and Nicksburg.
Captain Smith of the Morrill, and Com
mander Tilly of the Vicksburg immedi
ately slapped OH all steam and started in
pursuit. The schooner instantly put
about and ran for Moro castle before
the wind. In doing 80 she would, ac'
cvrding to the well-conceived Spanish
P'o., 'e'1 'n' wv ~ a. Sa".I ,,,
Ia battery. These works are a short
i,ihe "est '" 'io'io "ru "'e p, y.
.he ''''po' o.'.n' ii.
'ei'es' one at ''e '"o,'' ",'.n mas 49,
'eee"''! '"'o"" "p' VI ''"u "u
wiz" ",ue .'" ;
guns VI. o'n.' ~" " ,,',s
WING" Jura ou' '"'v ."o gun ~ ", u'
l'oi",, me upP,a :n ''y "'., ,a w.
ein ~ ''sn anu IN" n.uPp s""s -,
',hu ''N. a" '. pMn ,1 -
y, M" s - ;,an TN. ,a,,a,a
oe''"s VI ,".,'o'u '.o", r.
~ eo,i''ueieu '"e '"o'. ~, ,"'D'e "
."''a u,''n,S .Np' 49, -. -
Is ,i's'ne" anu "a' nv. wv" at:' !. "
ca'.u py ,ne n" .hn ., 49,, a. G.
p'oo"oy uuo " sns "a "a;
iafus a'a no' ue,". - .Ni " Pc
tioh .ia' '"e '''N'os anu '''''"' "''
h'" si""''
Into the h"rn"r After "er'
The Morrill, and Vicksburg were about
u, ., n. l.
at fnI, sneed the Morrill, leading until
n,;,h;n m;lo and a half Of The Santa
fYara ha,,or;.s rommonder smith of
,bo y;ctshuro waa Tho first IN realize
,ho d,noor int wb;ch tho reckIeas nur.
s,,;, haa La ,hnn, IT. ooroIndod n wos
go. 49, bal, and sor, shot ac,oss tho
,,.,. - A.. aohoo,o, Tho Snan;,rd In.
s,an,,' hro,0ht h;s vosael ahont but
Mill she was still rolling in the trough
~ a.. 80. TT ho, III. 0.no;no On
o;oh,';,oh shronneI sheI, came hurting
.,,.,.,, a.. al. ,ro,,, ,ho ,,a,o. ho,,orv
= LII and h,,t aw,y
=. - 80. ,ho Mil, ho, tho
~. - - - -, -, 81 xxr,o,,o,,
- .,,on IN Co., on ,ho nor, nrart.r
,rso nn .n"I .n :. .,.,.I IT,. IL. la
=. - 81, IT, rnoro sho,s
.1u", =, -. s,aooss;on ho,h
'oo" IT,. -. - 81. ,ha
-, eu;,. .,a n,o,;no
';.,. az -. as ,h. ox,,os;on .,
I'm ~ III a. - III. do e.,
ms .ne s,.n - anu W, u ".,,odod ;ns, hovonJ
P'''''
sp"n'ar"s mn" 'he "~"@e'
The Spanish gunners had the range
and their time fuses were accurately set.
The crews of both ships were at their
guns. Lieutenant Craig, who was in