Rocky Ford enterprise., 1898-07-07

sun firing at intervals, those who
We're not working the bow guns
crowding forward to escape the
smoke and fire aft.
The OIuendo was ashore. her guns
silent and smoke rising in thick
black clouds. There was n thunder
Ing of guns to the westward now, and
flashes In the smother told that Ger
vera still fought. but to the eastward
of his ship lay the burning wrecks of
his two dcstroyers. The torpedo boat
Ericsson wns seen coming along with
the New York.
The Oqucndo was helpless. The
Indiana and the Iowa We're closing in
and shell after shell burst above and
aboard the ViZcayn. Eulnte hoisted a
white flag ns his ship went ashore to
save the remainder of his men, and
simultaneously up went n flag OF
white on the Oquendo ana down
came the flag of Spain. An hour and
n half had elapsed since Cervera had
left the harbor. ana of the five ves-
sells which came out, only the flag
ship was still In action. The Moro
battery still stormcd impatiently mt
the New York.
Oquendo had sought refuge, and held
on due westward course close to the
shore, but evidently nourlshing the des.
perate hope that he might break
through the line and reach free water.
He had passed In succession the 1ndi-
ana and the Iowa and the Texas, not
to speak of the little Gloucester. which
spouted G-pounders Mt him. Since his
flag had appeared outside of the har-
Dor his ship had been struck again and
again.
xy.t.
Oquendo were practically beaten. but.
In spite Of the IL and 13-inch shells
that were reaIned upon him mt range
which was very short for such guns.
In spite Of the fact that his boilers and
machinery We're damaged, he held his
course.
At half past II Cervera saw the Ore
gon cutting In shore ahead OF him TO
round him to. The smoke was very
thick. The firing was incessant. Ger
vera's available guns We're no longer
well served. Shells had set fire to his
ship near the stern. and the flames
were controlled with difficulty. but the
Spanish admiral altered his course and
headed OF from the const as II to nt-
tempt to pass through the two ships
and run for 1t.
1t was impossible. The Iowa and
the Texas were already moving down
to close the gap: and the Spanish flag
ship. raked by the Oregon and the
Brooklyn Mt from n thousand TO three
thousand yards. and by the Iowa and
Texas ut longer range. turned in shore
again and ran for the rocks, and in n
few minutes flames enveloped the big
ship.
Admiral Cervera. after making rs
pIucky fight against overwhelming
odds as Is recorded In naval history.
was compelled to surrender. He was
taken as prisoner of war, together
with every man in his fleet not
drowned or killed In action. The Span
ish admiral was wounded in one of his
arms. His splendid ships. the Cristo-
bal Colon. flagship: the Vizcaya, Almi-
rante OQucndo and Infanta Maria
Teresa and the torpedo boat destroy
ers Furor and Pluton lie on the Cuban
rocks shell l-riddled, smoking hulls.
As the Golden Rod, the New York
Herald's dispatch boat, steamed past
the flagship after the battle, was in
formed by an officer on the deck that
Admiral Cervera, with 1900 of his
men had surrendered.
OF the prisoners more than 400 of the
crew of the ViZcaya We're taken by the
Iowa. Captain Evans.
Every vessel In Admiral Simpsons
fleet went through the fierce engage
ment without injury. But one man on
the American fleet was killed and TWO
were injured.