The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1898-07-12
Sampson oess Them XII.

der my command offers the ma
ton as Fourth of July present
the destruction of the whole of
Cervera's fleet.
mot one escaped. 1t attempt
ed to escape at $50 a. M, and at
2 p. m. the last, the .'Cristobal
Colon" had run ashore six miles
west of Santiago, and had let
down her colors.
THE "Infanta Maria Teresa, :"
"Oquendo" and .Vizcaya" we're
forced ashore, burned and blown
up within 90 miles of Santiago;
the ''Furor" and "Pluton" were
destroyed within four miles of
the port.
Loss, one killed and two
wounded. Enemy's loss, prob
ably several hundred from gun
fire, explosions and drowning.
About 1900 prisoners, includ-
ing Admiral Cervera.
''The man killed was George
Ellis, chief yeoman of the
Brooklyn.
(Signed) SAMPSON"
Following is an account of the
destruction of Admiral Cervera's
fleet
-Four of the Spanish cruisers
that were bottled up in Santiago
harbor and two torpedo boat de-
stroyers were pounded into help
less hulks by the guns of Ad-
miral Simpsons feet on Sunday
III a vain attempt to escape from
the harbor. The vessels were
beached in a last effort to save as
many lives of the crews as pos
sible.
Admiral Cervera. on board the
Cristobal Colon, headed his feet
in an attempt TO get away at
about half-pas nine O. clock. So
little were the Americans ex-
pecting the dash that the flag
ship New York was cruising up
the coast to the east and return
ed only in time to see the finish
of the fight and to fire shot or
two at the torpedo boat destroy
erS.
The Iowa, Indiana, Oregon,
Massachusetts, Texas, Brooklyn
and the converted yatch Glouces-
ter, formerly the Corsair, formed |
in position to give battle as soon
as the Colon was sighted round
ing the wreck of the Merrimac.
The American vessels did not |
open fire at once, they waited |
until Cervera's ships were out of |
range of Morro's guns before
giving battle. Cervera headed |
to the west, the Colon to the |
lead, followed by the Viscaya
and Oquendo and the destroyers
all firing rapidly.
All of the American battle
ships opened fire at once and the
Spanish were soon in a hurri-
cane of shot and shell but the
Colon kept on bravely till when
about ten miles from the west
ward of MORO Castle, Admiral
Cervera turned his vessel to the
shore and beached her. She
was blazing in a score of places
but her guns kept at work and
the white flag never showed un-
til she was completely disabled.
The Oquendo, Vizcaya and In
fanta were opposed to the Iowa,
Texas and Indiana. aud went |
down to defeat with fearful swift
ness. covering only about half
the distance made by the Colon
before their captains ran them
Their crews fought with des-
perate bravery, but their cour-
age was no match for the cour-
age of our men added to their
gunnery. The Spanish
shells went wide for the most
part, but the American gun fire 4
was marked by merciless precis- 1
on. The two cruisers, both on
ire, were beached not more than
one quarter of mile apart. The
most dramatic feature of the bat
lie was the contest between the
boat destroyers and the
The latter was struck several
lines and is the only American
vessel reported damaged. At
irst the Gloucester fired upon
hem with her six Founders.
Finding the fire too hot, they I,
md attacked the Gloucester
again until both destroyers were
ltire and had to be beached. A
Their crews threw themselves
nto the surf to save their lives.
lust before this the New York
,ame up and assisted in giving
he finishing blow to the destroy.