New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-09
DESTROYING SPANS FLEET,
STORY OF CAPTAIN EVANS.
HOW THE IOWA HEADED OFF GER
vERAS SHIPS WHEN THEY TRIED
TO ESCAPE FROM SANTIAGO

first ship to see the Spanish fleet coming ont
! OF the harbor Somebody on the bridge shouted:
|"whats that black thing coming out Of the
harbor?'
moment later the Iowa's men were at gen
eral quarters. and the signal was hoisted that
the enemy's ships were coming out A gun was
fired to attract the attention Of the fleet. This
was at 9:33 a. m.
| Captain Evans. the commander Of the Iowa,
was sitting in his cabin talking to his son. a
cadet on the Massachusetts,. who. luckily. had
been left behind In picket-launch when the
Massachusetts, went to Guantanamo to coal at
dawn.
| Captain Evans's account Of the battle az told
in the cabin Of the Iowa to correspondent Of
/ The Associated Press is as follows
AT the time general quarters was sounded
the engine bell rang full speed ahead. and put
the helm to starboard and the Iowa crossed the
bows OF the Infanta Maria Teresa, the first
ship out. AS the Spanish Admiral swung to
ward turret OF the Iowa seemed to strike him
fair in the bow, and the fight was spectacle.
KEPT UP A STEADY FIRE
"As the squadron came out in column, the
ships beautifully spaced as to distance and
gradually increasing their speed to thirteen
knots. 1t superb.
The Iowa from this moment kept up a
steady fire from her heavy guns. heading all
the time to keep the Infanta Maria Teresa on
her starboard bow, and hoping to ram one Of
the leading ships.
in the mean time the Oregon. the Indiana,
the Brooklyn and the Texas doing ex-
cellent work with their heavy guns.
In short space OF time the enemy's ships
were ali clear Of the harbor mouth. and it be-
came evidently impossible for the Iowa to ram
either the first or the second ship. on account
Of their speed
THE range at this time was 1000 yards from
the leading ship. The Iowa's helm was i'm
mediatey put hard to starboard. and the
tire starboard broadside was poured into the
Infanta Maria Teresa. The helm then
quickly shifted to port, and the ship headed
across the stern Of the Teresa in an effort to
head off the Almirante Oquendo.
"All the time the engines driving full
speed ahead. perfect torrent Of shells from
the enemy passed over the smokestacks and
superstructure but none struck the ship
STRUCK IN THE sTARBOARD BOW.
The Cristobal Colon. being much faster than
the rest Of the Spanish ships. passed rapidly to
the front in effort to escape In passing the
Iowa the Colon placed two 6-inch shells fairly
in our starboard bow. One passed through the
cofferdam and dlspensary wrecklng the latter
and bursting on the berth deck. doing consid-
erable damage. The other passed through the
side at the water-line into the coYerdam, where
1t still remains.
"As 1t was now obviously impossible to
any Of the Spanish ships on account Of their
superior speed. the Iowa's helm was put to
starboard and she ran on course parallel with
the enemy. Being then abreast Of the Almirante
Oquendo, at a distance Of eleven hundred yards
the Iowa's entire battery. including the rapid
fire guns, was opened on the Oquendo.
The punishment was terrific. Many II and
s inch shells were seen to explode inside Of her.
and smoke came out through her hatches The
12-inch shells from the Iowa pierced the AL
mirante Oquendo at the same moment one for
ward and the other aft.
FIRING ON THE ToRPEDo-BoATs
THE Oquendo seemed to stop her engines for
a moment and lost headway; but she immedi-
ately resumed her speed and gradually drew
ahead Of the Iowa and came under the terrific
fire OF the Oregon and the Texas
AT this moment the alarm Of torpedo-boats
was sounded. and two torpedo-boat destroyers
were discovered on the Iowas starboard quarter
at a distance Of four thousand yards Fire was
at once opened on them with the after battery
and 12-inch shell cut the stem OF one destroyer
squarely off, AS this shell struck. small tor
pedo- boat fired back at the battle-ship. sending
a shell within few feet Of my head. I said to
Executive Officer Rogers That little chap has
got lot Of cheek
Rogers shouted back He shoots very we'll
all the same
We'll up among the advancing cruisers, spit
ting shots at one and then at another. was the
little Gloucester. shooting first at a cruiser and
then at torpedo-boat. and hitting head wher-
ever she saw It, The marvel was that she was
not destroyed by the rain Of shells.
I'm the mean time the vizcaya was slowly
drawing abeam Of the Iowa; and for the space
OF fifteen minutes 1t was give and take between
the two ships.
MURDERoUs FIRE OF THE OREGON
THE vscaya fired rapidly. but wildly. not one
shot striking the Iowa, while the shells from the