The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1898-05-14
BATTLE IN MANILA BAY

10 glance atthc "daiiies we p"o'isn
The following description of the great
eel navy battle eyer fought:
Special to N Y. Herald and n. o Picayune.
Manila, Philippine Islands, May z,
via Hong Kong. May ton board
the flagship Olympia)-Not one Span
ish flag flies IN Manila bay to-day.
Not one Spanish warship floats, ex-
cept as our prize.
More than three hundred Spanish
dead aud five hundred TO Seven hun
dred wounded attest 10 the accuracy
Of the American fire.
Commodore Dewey attacked the
Spanish position at Casite this morn
ing. lie swept five times along the
line and scored one Of the most bril-
liant successes in modern warfare.
That our loss islriiling adds TO the
pleasure of victory without detractiDg
from its value. The number of hits
ourgcsscls received proved how brave
and Stubborn was The defense made by
The Spanish forces.
Miraculous as il may appear, none
of our men were killed, aud only eight
were wounded. Those who were
wounded suffered only slight injuries.
Il was bright. moonlight night.
But the flagship passed Corregidor
island without a sign being given that
The Spaniards were aware OF lis APP
procch.
Not until the flagship was mile be-
sond Corregidor WAS gun fired.
Then enc heavy shot went screaming
over tie Raleigh and The Olympia, fol-
lowed by a second, which fell farther
asteru.
The Raleigh, The Concord and the
Boston replied, the Concord's shell ex-
plodiug apparently exactly inside The
shore battery, which fred no more.
Our squadron slowed down IL bare
ly steerage way, aud the men were
allowed 10 sleep along side their guns.
Commodore Dewey had timed our
arrival so that we were within FIVE
miles of the city of Manila at day.
break
We then sighted The Spanish squad
ron, Rear Animal Moniiio, command
ing, off Caviie pronounced kayeolay,
) with accent Oh the "vee") Here the
Spaniards had well equipped navy
ward called Caviie arsenal.
Admiral Montiju's flag was flying on
the 30O0-,on projected cruiser Reina
Maria Christina. The protected
cruiser Castilis, of $500 tons, was
moored ahead, and astern TO the port
battery and to seward were the
cruisers Don Juan de Austria, Don
Antonio dc Ulloa, Tsla de Cuba, Isla
dc Luzon, Quiros. Marquis del Onero
and General Lezo.
These ships aud the flagship remain
ed under way during most Of the
action.
With the United States flag flying al
all their masisheads, our ships moved
20 the attack in line ahead, with a
specd OF eight knots, first passing III
trent of Manila, where The action was
begun by three batteries, mounting
guns powerful enough TO send shell
over us
The Concord's guns. doomed out a
reply 10 these batteries with two
SLOTS. No more were fred. because
Commodore Dewey could not engage
with these batteries without sending
death aud destruction into the crowded
city.
As We reared Cavite, two very pow
.crful sub marine mines were exploded
ahead of The flagship. This was six
minutes past five o'clock.
The Spaniards evidently had mis-.
Judged our position. Immense vol
umcs of water were thrown high in
tho air by these deslroyers, but nc
harm was done 10 our ships.
Commodore Dewey had fought with
Farragut at New Orleans aud Mobile
bay, where lie had his first experieuct
with torpedocs. Mol knowing how
many more mines there might be, be
still kept on without ialiering.
No other mines exploded, however
and ii Is believed that the Spaniarl,
Fad only these two in place.
DULY few minutes later the shore
battery al Caviie point sent over The
flagship q shot that nearly hi the bat.
terry in Manila, bun soon the guns goI
a better range, aud tho shell- began Il
strike near us or burst close aboart
from both the batteries and tho Span
ish vessels.
The heat was Intense. Men strip
ped off all clothing, except their irous
ers.
Asthe Olympus drew nearer al wa
MS Silent on board as If the ship bat
been empty, except for the whirr 0
blowers aud the throb of the engines
Suddenly shell hurst directly over us
Commodore Dewey, his chief stat
commander, Lamberton, and aid ant
myself, with Executive Officer Lieu
tenant Recs, aud Navigator Lieuien
ant Cn!kins, who handled the shiI
most admirably, were on the forwar'
bridge. Capisin Gridley was in tn
coming tower, as it was thought un
safe to risk losing all the senior officer
BY one shell.
lyon may fire When ready. Grid
lew enid HE commodore, and at 81
.ssssssS IA; s'issarcc Of $500 ards, Cd
stalboaFd a.inch gun in the forwar'
,uwet reared forth compliment I
the Spanish forts.
Presently similar guns from the la
timore and the Boston seut 250-ponn
thelIs hurting towards the Castillo an
the Iscina Maria Christina for accuracy