The state herald., 1898-07-08
CERVERA'S FLEET NO MORE.
THEY SAILED OUT AND WERE DESTROYED
The Spanish Admiral Took Desperate Chances Escape But
Our Ships Under Schey Promptly Drove Them
the Beach and They Are Now Battered Hulks

yards apart. The Maria Teresa wa.
received with terrific storm of shells
Smashed and on fire, she was beachet
close to the Moro.
The Iowa steamed for n time for
ward with the Oquendo and the In
diana did the same with the Vizcaya
but as the fight thus moved westward
1t became clear that the Americans
were willing that the Spanish ships
should run far enough from MORO tC
lose the aid of the guns there and In
twenty minutes this was done.
This was hit of strategy which
was developed under fire, and which
was adopted mt once by all the Amer.
lean ships without orders; in fact, the
smoke often made 1t impossible to see
tho signals which Commodore Schley
was making from the Brooklyn, sc
tremendous was the firing all along the
line. Both the Oquendo and Vizcaya
We're sometimes within thousand
yards of the Indiana. The range var.
led, but as n rule 1t was short and
extremely deadly; nevertheless the
high speed and thick nrmor of their
class stood the Spanish in good stead
as they followed in the path of honor
marked out by Admiral Cervera.
| Three-quartcrs of nn hour after the
action began 1t was evident the Span
ish had many guns disabled and
would have to surrender. There We're
terrible casualties on the cnemy's
ships.
As the smoke cleared little one
could see the Spanish flagship, her
port broadside spouting smoke, still
| holding on to the westward. The Tex
| as and Massachusetts Joined the In
diana and the Iowa. The Oquendo and
the Nizcaya hugged the shore and
steamed after Ccrvera. pledged to go
with him to defeat and death.
Shells burst on the deck of the Span
ish cruisers at short intervals. Often
they We're on fire, but again and again
they extinguished the flames and man
ned again and again the guns from
which they had been driven.
The green coast on their starboard
smoked with the shells which flew
over, and crashing sounds heard amid
the thunder of great rifles told of arm
or piercing shells driven into and
through their protected sides.
Two destroyers coming on after the
Nlzcaya We're headed Off and perfor-
atcd by the guns OF the Indiana and
Gloucester. They ran upon the shore
and blew up.
The New York was six miles away
when the destroyers saw her. The
MORO thindered at Sampson MS he
came within range, but the admiral
never needed, seeing only In the dis
tance the dim forms OF the Nizcaya
and Oqucndo. hopclessly hcmmed In
by n circle OF fire. and In the fore
ground the Gloucester fighting two
dcstroyers Mt short range.
The Spanish admiral was lost In
smoke TO the westward, when. at n
quarter before eleven o'clock, the
NlZcaya holstcd n white fiag. This
was followed by the Oquendo's GO
ing ashore with flames bursting from
her decks.
The Iowa, Indiana. Texas and Mas
sncllusetts ceased firing. the Massa-
chusetis going at once TO Join the or
egon and the Brooklyn In pounding
up and smashing Cervera's ship.
Once headed on. the Oquendo
turned into small bay four or five
miles west OF Santiago, where she
lay close 10 land.
With an cvor-weakcnlng broadslde
the Nlzcaya followed, first heading
out MS II TO break through the line OF
battle. The Indiana and Iowa closed
In, and their formation made her es-
cape in that direction impossible.
Captain Eulate then attempted 10
reach the east side OF the bay, occu-
pied by the Oqucndo, but In vain.
With n glass | could see that the
Nizcaya's bulwarks near the stern
had been torn away. Smoke poured
| out where shells had exploded Inside,
and she was ON fire. Her guns, with
the exception OF those forward, Were
out OF action. Her bow guns Were
suil firing at Intervals, those who
were not working the bow guns
crowdlng forward to escape the
smoke and fire aft.
The Oqucndo was ashore. her guns
silent and smoke rising In thick
black clouds. There was n thunder.
Ing OF guns 10 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 dcstroycrs. The torncdo boat
Ericsson was seen coming along with
the New York.
The oquendo was helpless. The
lndinnn nnd the Iowa were closing I'm
and shell after shell burst above and
nbonrd the Nlzcnyn. Eulnte hoIsted n
white flag ms his ship went ashore 10
save the remainder OF his men, and
simultaneously up went flag of
white on the Opuendo and down
came tho nag OF Spain. An hour nnd
half had elapsed since ccrycrn Ind
LEFT the hnrbor. and OF the five yes.
sells which came out. only the iing-
snip was SIN In nction. The Moro
/ battery stlll siormcd impntlcnily at
the New York.
Cerycra passed the bay IN which the
| Dpu"ndo Ind sought refuge. ana held
on due westward course close 10 Tho
shore. but evidently nourlshing the dcs
pcrnie hope that he might brcnk
through the line nnd reach free wn,er.
He hnd passed In Succession the IudI.
nnn nnd the Iowa and the Tcxns, not
to speak OF the little Gloucester. which
spoutcd Jpoundors nt Him. Since his
Tag Ind appeared outside OF the hnr.
hor Ills ship Ind been struck ngnln and
ngnln.
By this time the vlZcayn nnd tho
oqucndo were practically hnntrp, hut.
IN spite OF the ~ and i3,lnch shells
that were rcnlned upon him nj n range
which was very slor, for such guns.
IN spite OF the fnct TINT his boilers and
machinery were damaged. he held his
| course.
| AZ hnif pnrt II Crrvtrn rnw the Ore.
ron cutting IN shore nhend OF him 10
round him 10, The smoke wns very
Thick. The firing wns inccanni Ger.
v"fh'H available guns were no longer
| well served, Shells Ind set frr IA hts