The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1898-05-20

not be Estimated,
Key West. Fla, May 14.-America's
first dead fell yesterday in fierce and
bloody combat off Cardenas, on the
north coast Of Cuba. Five men
were blown to pieces and FIVE men
were wounded on the torpedo boat
Winslow. The dead are Worth Bagley,
ensign; John Varveres, oiler; John
Daniels and John Meek, frst-class
fremen; Josiah Tunnel (colored) cabin
cook.
The wounded are r. E. Cox. gun
ners mate; D. McKewon, quarter
master; j. Patterson, fireman, L. Gray
and Lieut.. ]. B. Bernardou.
The battle lasted thirty-five minutes.
1t was between the torpedo boat Wins
low, the auxiliary tug Hudson and the
gunboat Wilmington on one side and
the Cardenas batteries and four Span
ish gunboats on the other. The Wins
low was the main target of the enemy
and was put out of service The other
american vessels were not damaged
except that the Hudson's two ventila-
tors were slightly scratched by flying
shrapnel. The enemy's loss is largely
conjectural. One Of their gunboats
caught fire. The flames spread to the
barracks and swept away several
small warehouses, and for time the
whole water front seemed to be ablaze.
The Hudson's crew also believe that
two Spanish torpedo boat destroyers
were disabled, but they admit that
their estimate of the damage is large
~ guess work as the action was too
sharp for outside observations to be
made. The Winslow was within $500
yards Of shore when the shells struck.
How she came to be so close was told
by her commander, Lieut.. John Ber-
nadou! He said: I'VE We're making
observations when
The Enemy Opened Fire
on us. The Wilmington ordered US to
60 in and attack the gunboats. We
went in under full steam and there is
the result" He was on the Hudson
when he said this, and with the final
words he pointed to huddle of Amer
lean flags on the deck nearby. Under
the stars and stripes were outlined
five rigid forms. The story of the
fight 2s told by the Hudson's men is
as follows:
THE Winslow, the Hudson, the Ha,
,chias and the Wilmington We're among
the ships of Cardenas on the blockade,
the Wilmington acting as flagship.
The Machias lay about twelve miles
out, the Wilmington 500 yards and
the Hudson and Winslow being sta
toned close in, on what is called the
inside line. At $40 in the morning
the Hudson, under Capt. Newton, was
taking soundings in Diana Caypars
and Romero Cay, just outside Carde-
mas. SO close to shore that she ground
ed, but fioated off easily into the shall
low water. At 7:3O the Wilmington
spoke to the Hudson and the Winslow
and assigned them to duty, the Wins
low to start to the eastern shores of
Cardenas bay and the Hudson to the
western shore, while the Wilmington
took her station in the middle channel.
This work occupied two hours. Moth
ing was discovered on either shore
and the boats were approaching each
other on their return when a puff of
smoke was observed on shore at Car
denas and shell whistled over them.
The Winslow was on the inside, near
est shore. The Hudson and the Wins
low reported to the Wilmington and
Orders Came Promptly
to go in and open fire, but the Span
iards had not waited for a reply to
their first shot. The Cardenas harbor
shore had already become one dense
cloud Of smoke. Shot with flashes Of
fire and an avalanche of shells was
bursting toward the little Winslow.
This was five minutes past 2 O'Clock.
and for twenty minutes the fire con-
tinued from the shore without cessa-
ton, but none of the shot had at that
time found their mark, though they
were striking dangerously near.
Meanwhile the Hudson's two six
Founders We're banging away at ter
rifle rate. How many Of the torpedo
boats shots took effect is not known.
The first two Of the Hudson's shots
fell short, but after these two every
one fioated straight into the smoke.
clouded shore. The Spaniards aim in
the meantime was improved and it
was presently seen that two empty
parks had been anchored off shore as
ranges. 1t was twenty-five minutes
before three o'clock when a four-inch
she'll struck the Winslow on the star
board beam, knocking out her forward
boiler and starboard engine and Grip
ping her steering gear, but no one
was injured. Lieut.. Bernardou was
standing forward watching the battle
with calm interest and directing his
men as If they were at target practice.
By the one-pounder amidships stood
Ensign Bagley, the oiler, the two fire.
--->.----
u The Oregon Coming.
Rio de Janeiro, May IA. The battle
ship Oregon and the gunboat Mariet-
Eta, having coaleds to their fullest ca