The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-05-12

pouring in upon the torpedo boat.
The crew of the Winslow, however,
never faltered for a second. But, at 2.s6
p. M, solid shot crashed into the hull
Of the Winslow and knocked out her boil
er. In an instant she began to roll and
drift hopelessly.
Then there was moment of awful sus-
pense. A fierce cheer of triumph went
up from the Spaniards on the gunboats
and in the batteries and again a storm Of
fire was opened upon the helpless boat.
The gunboat Hudson. which was lying
near by. started to the assistance of the
Winslow. She ran alongside the torpedo
boat and tried to throw line to the i'm
perilled crew.
Up to this time, with the exception of
the one shot which disabled the boiler of
the Winslow, the firing of the Spanish
gunboats had been wild; but. as the
Winslow lay rolling in the water, the
range grew closer and shells began to ex-
plode all about her.
1t was difficulty for the Hudson to get
near enough to throw line to the Win
slows crew, so terrible was the fire all
about her.
Finally, after trying for about twenty
minutes, the Hudson approached near
enough to throw line.
rix
ing in a group on the deck of the Win
slow
.sHeave her! Heave her!' shouted Bag
| ley. as he looked toward the commander
| of the Hudson and called for line.
Don't miss it!' shouted an officer from
the Hudson, and with smile, Bagley
called back
LET her come! It's getting too hot here
| for comfort
instant, a shell burst in the very midst
of the group men on board the Winsiow.
Bagley was instantly killed and a few
others dropped about him. Half dozen
more fell groaning on the blood-stained
| deck. One of the dead men pitched head
long over the side of the boat, but his
feet caught in the iron rail and he was
hauled back.
Bagley lay stretched on the deck, with
his face completely torn away and the
| upper part of his body shattered.
1t was a terrible moment. The torpedo
boat disabled and helpless, rolled and
| swayed under the fury of this fire from
the Spanish. gunboats.
When the shell burst in the group on
| board the Winslow. another wild shout OF
| triumph went up from the Spanish boats
and batteries, and again a heavy fire was
opened on the torpedo boat.
Finally, the Hudson succeeded in get
ting a line on board the " nslow and was
! towing her out of the deadly range when
the line parted, and again both boats
were at the mercy of the Spanish fire.
At $50 P. M. the Hudson managed to
get another line on the deck of the Wins
low. but there were only three men left
| there at that time to make it fast
The line was finally secured and the
Winslow was towed up to Pedras Island
where she was anchored, with her dead
| and wounded on her decks. There some
men from the Hudson went aboard the
Winslow and took the most seriously
| wounded men off. Three of the latter
were taken on board the gunboat Machias
and died there shortly afterwards.
/ AT 9:15 P. M. yesterday the Hudson, with
the five bodies and some of the wounded
started for Key West, arriving here at
O'Clock this morning.
Commander Bernadou of the Winslov
was wounded in the left leg, but not seri
ously. Lying in the cabin of the Hudson
this morning, he received a representative
of the Associated Press and told the lat
ter the story of the fight. He said
1--WE went into the harbor under orders
The torpedo boat Winslow was the wors
inquired. She had five of her people
| killed, and don't know how many in
jured-
.srhe Winslow was ordered by the com
mander Of the Wilmington to go into the
narbor Of Cardenas and attack the Span
ish gumboats there.We steamed in undel
a full head and were fired upon as soor