The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-07-12
HOW CERYERA FELL.
Further Details of the Great Naval
Victory.

,
Este. July 12-Further details of the
great naval battle which resulted in the
destruction of the Spanish fleet have
been secured. That eventful morning,
on the slightly rolling sea the great
gray battIeships of the American feet
swung lazily at a distance of from four
to five miles from the harbOr entrance.
The line which at all times was sup
posed TO be half circle, inclosing the
harbor entrance as q. central point, was
more than ordinarily broken up this hot
morning. The big battIeships had drift
ed to the east considerably, and the
Massachusetts, the New York, the New
Orleans and the Newark were not in
sight, the New York having taken Ad-
niral Sampson down to AItares, eight
miles east of the Brooklyn to make a
visit to the camp of the American
army; while the other missing vessels
were at Guantanamo, forty miles to the
east.
The vessels on the blockade were the
Iowa. Indiana and Oregon, battleships.
The flagship of Commodore Schley, the
Brooklyn and the small yachts GlOuces-
ter and vixen. The Iowa was swing
inc q mile further out than the rest OF
the squadron trying to fix her forward
12-inch turret, which was out OF re-
Tair: while the Indiana was doing the
same thing to her forward 13-inch tUr-
ret. The absolutely available ships IN
the squadron, therefore, were only the
Oregon, Texas and Brooklyn, although
later both Captain Evans and Captain
Taylor fought their ships.
1t is q custom Of ships, regulated by
the rules. that there shall be a general
muster at least once each three months
ana that the articles OF war ShaH be
read First call had been sounded at
g.15 a. m. and the men were assembling
on the decks. The lookout in the mast
head of the Brooklyn had some time be-
fore reported smoke in the harbOr but
as the same thing had been noticed
several times, no special attention was
paid TO it. The Brooklyn and the Vixen
were the only ships to the west of the
entrance, the other ships having urIfted
we'll to the east. on the bridge NaVi-
gator HOdgesOn of the Brooklyn said
sharply to the lookout: rs not that
smoke mOving?" and the lookout, after
q minutes inspection with the long
glass dropped it exCitedly and fairly
yelled: There's a big ship coming out
OF the harbOr, sir" HOdgesOn, who IS
a particularly cool man, looked once
himself and then. grasping the mega
phone shouted: After bridge there.
Tell the commodore the enemy's fleet
is coming out
Commodore Schley was sitting under
the awning quarterback. Going to the
bridge he said: Raise the signal to the
fleet" and turning to Captain Cook,
who stood near he said: Clear ship
and took his place on a little platform
of wood running on the outside of the
/ coming tower, which had been built
for him He was dressed in blue
I trousers, a black alpaca jacket and the
regulation cap, without the brOa band
/ of gold braid
The men with a yell went to their
! guns and the rapid preliminary orders
J were given. Schley, glasses in hand,
( watched the first ship turn out and
saw her start for the west Still he
/ gave no signal to fire or move The Or
/ egon opened with her 13-inch shells and
the Indiana and Texas followed suit.
1 But the range was a long one. Stil the
/ Brooklyn waited. But down below the
coal was being forced into the furnace,
/ every boiler was being worked and eve
( ~ gun made ready to fire Schley
! wanted to know which way they were
/ all going. or whether they would scat
/ ter In the meantime the Oregon be-
| gan to turn to the west and the Texas
1 had moved in closer and was damaging
/ the leading ship, the Infanta Maria
/ Teresa
"They are all coming west. sir shout
/ ed Lieutenant Sears, and just then the
/ western batteries opened up. Full
| commodore. Fire deliberately and
! don't waste a shot. he added and the
! orderly carried the word to the turrets.
I In an instant the BroOklyn's terrific
/ eight and five inch batteries on her
| port side opened and the cruiser headed
/ for a point in front of the first escap-
/ ing ship. firing at and receiving the
I fire from two of them.
Then Commodore Schley saw that the
/ first ship was coming out from the
( shore. headed directly for the Brook
/ lyu, with the evident intention of ram
ming her. a clever manuever was here
accomplished. Hard apOrt with your
! helm" shouted Schley, and the cruiser
began to go around. the smoke coming
from her tunnels in high volumes.
/ Quickly she turned and quickly her big
/ steel ram was pointing at the first ship.
The Infanta Maria Teresa had to work
] in shore to avoid being rammed. The
/ shells of the Texas and Oregon, with
! the terrible storms of shell from the
( Brooklyn, had done their work, and
! the smoke began to appear pouring
I from her decks
In the meantime the converted yacht
( Gloucester could be seen, with the helI
( of the Iowa, destroying the two torpedo
boat destrOyers that had followed the
last ship out At 10 O'Clock the entire
Cape Verde squadron was outside the
harbOr and going rapidly westward
The Iowa and Indiana could not keeI
up the pace, but the Oregon was com
ing across to the assistance of the Brook
Iyn, which at 1906 was engaging the
first three ships, the Infanta Maria
4 Teresa, CriStObal Colon and the Viz
Z caya. At 10;11, the Spanish ships had
all concentrated their shots on this
Brooklyn and she was in perfect rain
of shells. most Of which went over her
/ Standing in this hail of shells, Com
modOre SchIey asked young mar
named Ellis, who stood near him, with
J a stadimeter. what is the distance &c
+ the Nizcaya2" The man took Observa-
+ ton. ''Twenty-twO hundred yards, sir
/ he said and there was a whistle, follow
ed by a splash is his head was literal
ly torn from his shoulders by an 8-incE
shell.
Too bad" said Commodore Schley
as the body fell at his feet; and then
I with his glasses to his eyes he added
The first ship is done for. She is run
ming ashore"
The Maria Teresa was running hel
/ nose on the beach and in an instant
was a mass of flames The Brooklyn