Graham guardian., 1898-05-27
A Complete Line of

It's utterance seemed uupre
meditated but the thought wa
evidently in every mans mind
and now that the moment ba,
come to make adequate reply L
the murder of the Names crew
every man shouted what was in hi
heart.
| The Olympia was now ready tc
begin the fight. Commodore
Dewey, his chief of staff Comman
der Lamberton, an aid, with Ex.
ecutive Officer Lieutenant Reese
and Navigator Lieutenant Calkins,
who conned the ship most admir-
ably, were on the forward bridge.
Captain Grldley was in the con.
ming tower, as it was thought un.
safe to risk losing all the senior
officers by one shell.
"You may fire when ready,
Gridley," said the Commodore, and
at Al minutes past o'clock, at a
distance of 5000 yards, the star
board S.lnch gun in the forward
turret roared forth its compliment
TO the Spanish fortIfcations.
Presently similar guns from the
Baltimore and the Boston sent
250-pound shells hurlIng toward
the Castillo and the Reina CrIstlna,
the accuracy of the aim being
marvellous.
The Spanish seemed encouraged
by. this fire to fight faster, knowing
exactly our distance, while we had
to guess theirs. Their ships and
shore guns were making things
hot for us. The piercing scream
of shot was varied often by the
bursting of time fuse shells, frag.
ments of which would lash the
water like shrappel, or cut our
hull and rigging.
One large she'll that was coming
straight at the Olymyis's forward
bridge fortunately fell within less
than 100 feet away. One frag.
ment cut the rigging exactly over
the heads of Lameberton and
Reese.
Another struck the bridge graf.
ings in line with it. A third passed
just under Commodore Dewey and
a hole in the deck. In
cidents like these were plentiful.
Our men naturally chafed at be- |
ing exposed without returning the
fire from all our guns, but laughed |
1T the danger and chatted good
humoredly.
A few nervous fellows could not
help dodging, mechanically, when
shells would burst right over them,
Or close aboard, or would strike
water and pass overhead, with the
peculiar suffering roar made by a
.umbling rifled projectile.
Still the flagship stecred for the
,enter of the Spanish line, and as
'ur other ships were asterD, the
Olympia received most of the
'paniard's attention. Owing to
'ur deep draught Commodore
Dewey felt concerned to change
lis course at a distance of 4009
ards and run parallel to the
spanish column.
"Open with all the guns" he
aid, and our ship brought her port
roadside barring. The roar of all
he fag-ship's five.inch rapid
irers was followed by the deep
iapason of her turret eight
nchers.
Soon our other vessels were
qually hard at work, and we
ould see that our shells were
making Cayito harbor hotter for
he Spaniards than they had made
he approach for us.
Protected by their shore bat.
ries, and made safa from close at
aCk by shallow water, the Span.
ards were in strong position.
hey put up gallant fight. The
panish ships were sailing back
nd forth behind Castillo and their
re was hot. One shot struck {
ne Baltimore and passed clean
nrough her, fortunately hitting no I
ne.
Another ripped up her main !
eek, disabled the six.inch gun {
nd exploded a box of three !
ounder ammunition, wounding
light men. II