Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-07-07
I" THE MAINE IS AVENGED"
So Said Wainwright as the Enemy'S
WarShipS Burned.
PRISONERS GLAD TO SURRENDER
They Feared the Wrath of the
Cubans Ashore.
THE POOR, AIM OF SPANISH GUNNERS

Ten miles west of tho entrance of the
harbor of Santiago de Cuba. Sunday,
July 3. a y. ~, by The Associated
Press ciispatchboat Wanda to. Port An
tonic, Jamaica, Monday morning. July
4, via Kingston, jamaica July 4, 4.io
q m. --For hours after Admiral Ger
vera went aboard the Gloucestar, The
Infanta Maria Teresa, Almirante
Oquendo and Vizcaya continued to
burn and every now and then deep
roar, accompanied by burst OF fame
and smoke from the sides of the ships
would announce the explosion of more
ammunition or another magazine.
As the flaines shot higher and higher
above the decks Of the magnificent yes
sels that had composed Admiral Cor
vera's feet, many of those who wit
messed the scene felt it had strong
connection with the destruction of the
American battleship Maine in Havana
harbor, Eve months ago. Lieutenant.
Commander Wainwright, the com.
nlander of the Gloucester. wac execu-
tive officer of the Maine at the time of
the disaster, and although he remained
Ia Havana harhor two months after the
explosion, he lived on board the dispatch
boat firm and steadfastly refused to set
his foot within tue city until. to use
his own words. the time came that he
could 90 ashore at the head OF land
ing party of American blueiackets. To-
day it was his ship that sank two
Spanish torpedoboat destroyera and
afterward received the Spanish Ad-
miral aboard IA a prisoner OF war.
From his position on the bridge OF
the Gloucester Lieutenant Commander
Wainwright watched tho flames and
smoke as they enyeloped the decks OF
the three greatest warships OF the
Spanish navy, which were soon to be
reduced to nothing but shattered masts
and twisted smokestacks protrudine
above the water similar to that other
picture in Havana harbor. Ii was moi
strange, therefore, that he remarked to
his brother officers beside him:
1.-THE Maine is avenged
just then tbs Pluton and tbs Fufoi
sank. The Gloucester's boat picked VI
as many oil the survivors as she coulo
find on the shore.
The prisoners OF war included the
captains of both boats. None offered
any resistance and all were glad to gc
TO the Glouceater, as thsy feared ar
attack from the Cubans.
A number of the survivors, including
officers of the Furor, who it was re
ported, had their logs shot off, wer,
scattered along the coast for some dis
tance and could not be found. THREE
officers and aiy men of tina Plutoi
escaped from the shore in one of thei
own boats and pulled to The Associated
Press dispstchboat Wanda, where the,
remained until thoir captain. who wa
was held prisoner on the Gloucester
ordered them to join him on the latte
vessel.
The most remarkable feature OF th
combat was the fact that notwith
standing the utter destruction of tn
Spanish fleet and the hard fight thos
ships made. even after they were Of
fire. thu American vessels had escape,
without injury. The only possible OK
PLANTATION of this iH the poor marks
inanship of the Spanish gunners, whic
has been so we'll demonstrated in ever
other cAnflict of the war
The Newark, Commodore Watson
flagship. did not participate in th
great capture. as she was coaling Q
Guantanamo.