The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-08-01

lows:
Sunday morning the sun rose bright
and clear, and a delightful breeze tenn
pered the air so as to make life endur-
able, and as we stood on deck after the
bell struck ri. e., 9 o'clock, waiting tor
assembly for the regular Sunday in
spection of uniforms and men, our
| minds wandered back TO one year to
| July 3, when we assisted in the cele-
| bration of the Glorious Fourth at Ia
! coma, and we felt very sorry that this
year we could not show out patriotism
by the usual exhibition of fireworks.
However, the privilege of performing
the finest-at least it looked so to US
war drama CT modern times, was soon
TO be ours. At 9:2S the ViZcaya's masts
appeared, emerging from the narrow
entrance followed by the Almirante
! Oquendo, Cristobal Colon, Maria Teresa
! and three torpedo boat destroyerS. NO
| sooner had the Vizcaya been sighted
than the electric gongs on the ship had
called all hands to general quarters.
and amidst the most enthusiastic
| cheers and confidence tinged perhaps
with just a little thrill of excitement,
we made ready for battle. AS we are
at all time nearly ready, it took less
time to prepare than it has to write
these two pages. At 9:31 the Oregon
fired the first shot of the engagement,
making the fifth time we have been
under fire. A siX-pounder struck one of
the destroyers and she headed for the
beach, while the Oregon steamed at
full speed for the Spanish squadron.
Clouds of black smoke rolled from her
tunnels and her speed caused the
water to fairly boil up over our blunt
bow in white foam over our forward
deck. An officer of the Iowa said:
THE Oregon engaging the Spanish fleet
was the finest thing he ever saw" The
Spaniards headed west as fast as they
could go. the Oregon leading the chase.
a six-inch shell landed fair astern of
the destroyer already crippled and she
blew up. One gonei And now it be-
gan to be exciting, for in addition to
the II, six and Al and secondary bat
teries galore, all modern rifles, the
forts also opened on us with mortars
old muzzle-loaders and new guns taken
from the Reina Mercedes. You'll re-
member she was badly hurt by a stray
13-inch shell falling on her While at an
chorage inside on, I think it was, the
9Th of June.
Shells whistled overhead, and their
merry tone encouraged and exhilirated
our men as we sped in swift pursuit,
while our crack '23-knotters" trailed
along behind. Down below the BLACK
gang toiled in the heat and made it
possible for this ship Official record,
1914 knots) to keep up with our quarry.
The firing was fast and furious on
both Sides but our heavy guns were
too much for them. Soon one was seen
to Swerve and head for the beach not
over a mile away, while great clouds of
smoke rolled up from her. NO. 2.
Then great cheer arose from the ship,
which was echoed clear down to the
hot, dark fire rooms, where, under air
pressure. of three inches, dark, grimy
forms opened doors, and for an instant
appeared in bold relief before the seeth>
ing fires, then disappeared in the gloom
as the closed door shut off the light.
Powder smoke filled both engine and
fire rooms, and the Shiny saltpetre from
the powder coated everything. Our
beautiful engines! We love our en-
ginesi Never have they failed us, and
now when we wanted them so badly,
you can imagine how tenderly we wait
ed on them and how carefully the hun
dreds of tiny mouths feeding oil were
kept filed, and the water from the sea
circulated through her hollow castings,
cooling her fevered parts. Once again
did the good ship demonstrate her re-
markable effectiveness.
And now we are away from the forts
and heading westward the SpaniardS
close to shore, the Oregon about three
miles astern of the Christobal Colon
and close to the Others, While the
Brooklyn, standing we'll out TO sea, is
in advance of us. Two torpedo catch
ers suddenly head for the beach and
expire as they strike, and a few min
uteS later another cruiser seeks nice
little bay and heads in with flames
leaping over her, but as she heads in,
still another cruiser sees the same
spot and she, too, is filled with
burning" desire (and other things) to
reach that same cover, and they ground
not 500 yards apart. One is the Vizcaya,
and her mast is broken off and lies
across her after 11-inch gun, while her
forward star bow is a total wreck and
as she strikes she appears to break her
back and lies helpless. She makes No.
6, and only one left, the CristObal CO.
lon. While we have been sinking the
rest of the ships she has forged ahead.
She leaves a sullen smoke behind her
and frequently her rapid-tire siX-inch
guns spit fire at us, but the shells fall
short.
The range is reported by Ensign Hus-
sy as $4,000 yards. We don't seem to
gain much. The captain says to Lieu
tenant Eberly, in charge ford 13-inch
turret, You may try a shot if you
like, but / don't want to strain the
guns by too large a powder charge
So we wait breathlessly while he dis
appears in the turret and the guns
crew tumble below after him.
A mighty roar, and the ship is COW
cred with smoke. Presently it clears
away. A few seconds suspense, then
few hundred feet ahead of the flying
Spaniard a geyser shoots up over 100
feet high, and we see his range is a
little long. Then we begin to creep
up on her, while the Brooklyn, about
abeam of US and a mile further from
the shore, tries shot after shot with
her eigh-inch guns. Our captain sig
nails, Your shots are falling short
We fire occasionally and our shots fall
very close.
About 30 the Cristobal Colon, the
last of Cervera's proud fleet, heads for
the beach, strikes it easily and hauls
down her flag. The battle is over. None
have escaped.
Schley signals from the Brooklyn,
.Congratulation for the grand victory
Thanks for your splendid assistance"
A boat from the Brooklyn goes over to
the Colon TO receive surrender, while
all our guns are trained on her at
about 400 yards. Treachery means
death. Then a prize crew is sent
aboard. am fortunate to be one of
them. We go armed with revolvers,
and as soon as we get aboard, rush for
the engine room only to find they have
scuttled her. Sixteen flood cocks are
pouring water in her. We Immediately
close all water-tight doors and matches.
/ myself closed L compartments that
l know will not leak. We boarded her
at 4:3O, and until pm. we worked on
her. The tide came in and she fioated.
Her bow came clear and her stern
swung to the beach.
The New Yorl; (Which had arrived