Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1898-05-21

There was only time TO push the
corpses aside, and the new CON-
handing officer pulled back the tube
flap to give his directions, but, as be
did so, the Huascar staggered, keeled
over, then shook in every plate,
when a conclusion more terrific than
any so far told that shell had en-
tered the turret and had burst there.
When the fumes had cleared away so
that person could speak midship-
man called out that one of the great
guns bad been dismounted and twen-
ty men killed. The survivors tum-
bled the bodies through the hatch
that opened into the deck below,
thus releasing the clogged machin-
cry, and as the corpses ratified down
other men rushed up.
"Once more all was silent in the
coming tower. Lieutenant Palacois
fastened there, but before he could
enter lie was compelled to push three
bodies out of the way. He had
barely given his first command when
bullet from the well-aimed rifle of
marine in an enemy's top lodged
between his eyes. Then the fourth
to command the Huascar that day,
Lieutenant Pedro Garezon, took the
place, and as he did so he called
through an aperture, telling the
quartermaster to put the helm to
port, for be had determined to ram
one of the adversaries and sink with
her if necessary. Over and over
spun the wheel, but the Huascar's
head still pointed between the Chill
ians.
"Portl Port, l eayl' screamed the
commander.
"'She won't answer came back
the sullen reply from the only one OF
four quartermasters alive; the bodies
of the Others were lying upon the
grating at his feet.
"A shot has carried away the
starboard steering-gear, sir, reported
an ensign; he dropped dead as the
words left his mouth.
"The Huascar now lay drifting in
a hell of shot and flame, but all the
while the red, white and red futtered
from the peak. One by one, in twos
and in threes, the men in the turret
dropped ct their posts, and at last
the remaining great gun was silent,
its tackle literally choked with dead.
With coats and waistcoats off the
surgeons had been laboring in the
wardro ON upon the wounded, who,
shrieking in their agony, had been
tumbled down the companionway
like so much butchered sheep, for
there was no time to use stretchers
or to carry a stricken comrade to a
doctors care. While they were saw.
ing, amputating and bandaging 3
she'll tore into the wardroom, burst,
and fragments wounded the assistant
surgeons, the chief of the medical
staff having been killed earlier in
the conflict. Those unfortunates
who were stretched upon the table
awaiting their turn under the knife,
and those who lay upon the floor
suffered no more pain-they we're
killed as they lay grooming. This
shell tore away wardroom and stern
cabin and hardly trace was left of
the bulkhead. After that what lit
tie surgery was done was performed
in the coal bunkers.
"Huddled in a passageway near
the engine room were a score or
more of non. combatants-stewards
pantrymen and stokefs. Suddenly
they heard crash, followed by the
rending of the deck, and the little
ifonclad swayed as if she had struck
reef. Some one passed the word
that the maintopmast bad been shot
away. As it came down it brought
living men TO be dashed to death,
also corpses that had Teen hanging
over the sides of the military top.
"There was a cry of fire!' and all
hands rushed to stations-perhaps
two men to boats crew, one to a
pump gang.
"D-n the firei' shouted Lieu.
tenant Gsrezon. sRcpel boardersl'
''They were metamorphoscd by
this order from fire fighters into
warriors again, and formed a line Of
bleeding men, their clothing in rags
and ranged in company front, stokers
elb0wing marines. pantrymen level
ing rifles in union Yith midshipmen,
awaited The coming ola feet Of the
enemy's boats which, crowded with
marines, were forcing their way
through tbe wster toward the