Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1898-07-28
One of tho Most Vicious Battles Yet,

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orders from Roar Admiral Sampson, foul
American war ships Oh Thursday aftor
noon entorod tho harbor Of Nipe, on thu
northeast coast OF tho province Of San
tiago do Cuba, and, aftor n furious bonn
bardmont, took possession of tho harbol
rs g baso CT operations for tho Porto Rici
campaign. 1t Is undorstood, howcvor
that tho plans have boon changed since
in consequence of tho occupation of San
that Nipo will not be used for tho pur
! pose originally intended. Tho Te5soIt
engaged wore tho Topeka, Annapolis
Wasp and Loydon. In tho course of az
hour thoy silGnCod threo forts, sunk tilt
Spanish gunboat Jorge Juan (not thu
Juan Jorge, rs before roported), aid
scattered Spanish rilomon who had takor
part in tho engagement.
Tho channel loading in tho harbor was
worry narrow, and Oh bluff to tho right
called Galory point, was n fort and sig
cntorod tho Spaniards woro signalling il
q lively fashion with blue ball and flag
apparently notifying tho Spanish ships
in tho harbor, which wore tho Jorge
Juna, two smaller gunboats and an
armorcd launch. AS tho Wasp and 10y
don rounded tho point tho fort fired q
tloZon shots, mono of which, howovor
foil noar them, and tho Topeka returned
tho fro with hor throo- poundors.
serted the fort and ran, whilo tho To
polka continued to sond shells into thom
A body of riiomcn Oh tho beach returned
tho fire with Il fow wild shots, but thoy
too, woro quickly dispersed by tho TO
pcka's smaller guns. Tho Topeka also
discharged two torpedoos. At tho same
timo another small fort to tho loft Of tho
channel fired on tho American ships, but
it was silonccd as easily rs tho other.
In tho meanwhile, tho Wasp and 10y.
don had takon up n position in tho north
cd fro across tho wator ut tho Jorge
Juan, which lay to tho southeast in
front of tho town Of Mayari. IIor posi-
ton was about a milo and n aquartor from,
tho beach and bchiEd hor a third fort
stood on an ominoncc. This fort Oponed
fire OH tho Wasp and Loyden, and as the
Annapolis and Topeka camo up tho
Spanish gunboat joined in tho fight and
general battle followed.
Tho Topolta' anchored in tho middle OF
tho harbor, about 1000 yards from tho
can boata drew up on other side and
formed n scmi-circlc. Thoy thon closed
in on tho Spanish ship, pouring a
destructive fire at her and tho fort beyond
Tho Topeka sent f0ur-inch shells crash,
ing into the Jorge Juan at such q rate
that sho sank within twonty minutes.
When tho firing became heavy tho Off.
GERS and crew of the Spaniard put of
in small boats, mado tho shore under 4
heavy fire and escaped into tho woods.
Two shots from the Topeka's bow gun
dropped square into Mayari fort, tho
Spanish pcnnants disappeared and 4
whito flag was run up. This ended a
short, but ono of tho most vicious battles
of tho war.
All tho American ships sent small
boats over to tho Spanish gunboat. They
found that tho Jorge Juan's forccastle
had been entirely nipped away by the
Topoka's four-inch sholls, and that hcl
fore and mizzonmasts and tlagstaff wero
carried off. 1t is thought tho Spaniards
scuttlcd hcr before abandoning tho vessel.
Divers were sent down and quito crl-
rious collection Of relics was found. Ono
was tho ships motto: "Bo brave andy You
will go home to SPAIN"
-Four or five cats, still alive, worc cling
ing to the wreckago, and ono dog, which
had boon chained to tho deck, was
drowned. That part of tho rigging which
protrudcd from tho water swarmed with
rats, who attempted to renew the battle
Will Iilc hlncIlCtllS, DtlI were uflVcI
into tho sea.
The harbor was found to be well mined
and two of the mines exploded, ono
about 100 yards off tho Topcka's bow
and tho other 200 yards from her port
quarter. AS the ships camo out they
saw contact mino floating on tho sur
face of tho water.
Tho engagement was hardly over when
the torpedo boat Dupont camo along
with dispatches from Rear Admiral
Sampson for Commodore Schloy, and the
Topeka was sent with them to Key West,
arriving this morning. Sho had borne
tho brunt of tho fight, and bore herself
nobly. Her captain is VIM. S. Cowlcs, n
brothor-in-law of Col. Theodore R0Osc-
velt.
The Jorge Juan was n thrco mastcd,
one funnel ship of $50 tons and LOO
horse power. Sho was 32O feet long,
35 feet wide and II feet draft She
carried crew of 116 mon and had l3O
tons Of coal. IIcr battery was heavier
than tho Topeka's, tho biggest of tho
four attacking American ships, consist
ing of three ~ IIontOrias, two 2.S Krnpp
guns and two machine guns.
Nipo harbor is 20 miles long and 1O
miles wide. Ii is surrounded by noun
tains, and is admirably adapted as n base
for any campaign.
The Topeka on hor way into this port
passed the Terror Puritan and MOnt-