Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1898-05-11
ashes. Generously he held his fire for
the waiting fleet OF Spanish ships.
THE BATTLE BEGINS.

thS hSSt vi SHdhis shipo'
THE BATTLE BEGINS.
Commodore Dewey directed the "Oiym-
pia" straight for Cavite. Two miles from
it huge volume of water shot high In
the air, and there was thunderous boom.
"The torpedoes," said one OF the
officers on the "Olympia's" bridge. Com
modore Dewey seemed not to hear. He
paid no more attention to it than to the
guns ashore, which were now hurting
shells all around the squadron.
Commodore Dewey had seen torpedoes
before. With Farragut in Mobile bay
he had seen torpedoes hurl tons Of water
high in the air, and he had seen vessels
succumb to the hidden terror. But he
also knew Farragut's contempt for them,
and the lesson he learned there stood him
in good stead now. That is why he kept
right ON without faltering when he saw
first one explode and then another in
Manila bay.
"Torpedoes, torpedoes," was the cry
that went through the fleet. 1.-THE old
man is running right into them"
And so the ''old man" WAS. But as the
ships went on and no more columns of
water were shot into the air it became
evident that no more were ready for use.
| The Spsniards had discharged the only
two they had without doing any damage.
There was no doubt that they had become
ratified and had miscalculated the dis
lance.
The Cavite battery hurled a shower OF
shells at he flagship. One of these shells
flew wildly over the "Olympia', which
had now passed between Cavite and Ma
Mia, and burst over the city. This was
lesson for the Spanish gunners. They
soon got the range, and the shells now
fell closer about the American squadron.
Still the word did not come to fire,
though the ships steadily steamed ON and
drew nearer the fort. Orders were given
by the officers in a low voice, but they
were perfectly audible, SO great was the
silence which was broken only by the
throbbng OF the engines.
huge she'll from Cavite Kissed
through the air and came directly for
the "Olympia'. High over the smoke
stack it burst with a mighty snap. Com
modore Dewey did not raise his eyes.
He simply turned, made a motion to
a boatswain's mate who stood near the
after tive-inch gun. With a voice OF
thunder the man beloved an order along
the decks:
Remember the 'Maine'!" yelled cho-
rus OF 500 gallant sailors. Below decks In
the engine rooms the cry was taken up,
cry OF defiance and revenge. Up in the
turrets resounded the cry and its threat
ening notes were swept across the bay TO
the other ships.
"Remember the 'Maine',''
In that strange cry was loosed the pent-
up wrath OF hundreds OF American sailors
who resented the cowardiy death OF their
comrades. 1t bespoke the terrible ven
geance that was bout to be dealt out to
the defenders OF a detestabe flag. And
then the guns beloved forth deaf and
destruction.
you may fire when you are ready,
Gridley,' was Commodore Dewey's quiet
remark to the captain of the "Oiympian.
1t WAS just Sal a. m. when the word
WAS given and the starboard eight inch
gun fospard beched forth. The distance
WAS $500 yards. The shot was a fairly
good one, though we struck no Spanish
ship. Taking their cue from the flagship
the other vessels OF the squadron began
work.
The Spanish ships replied. Cavities
guns also poured out their shells at the
fleet, and pretty soon the air WAS filled
With the bursting missiles OF destruction.
All around the American ships they fell
and burst.
The "olympia" kept right on. 1t was
evident Commodore Dewey was making
straight for the centre OF the euemy's
line, which was the big cruiser "Reina
Cristina" Being the nearest ship the
"Oiympia" got more attention from the
Spaniards than any of the other Ameri-
can ships. The water was getting
shallow. Commodore Dewey did not
course when about 1000 yards from the
Spanish vessels, and swung around to
give them his broadside.
open with all the guns" he ordered.
The position Of the Spanish ships was
protected by the big guns in Cavite
battery. The American ships had to
contend not only with shells from the
ships but with larger ones from the
battery. Beside the shoal water pre-
vented closer action. The position was
certainly strong one.
But Commodore Dewey paid more at
tention to the ships than to the fort. He
selected the "Reina Cristina" first, and a
perfect storm OF shot and shell was poured
into her. The American ships, following
the olympia, passed back and forth be-
fore the ships, keeping in motion, and di-
recting their shots first at one Spanish
vessel, until she was destroyed, and then
at another.
Six times the American shina -saased