The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-07-29
SAW THE FIGHT.
Cadet JOhnE. Lewis Good Luck
at Santiago.
Was an Eye Witness TO the Destruction
of Cervera's Fleet and Writes
About Ii,

John VINO is on Gne massachusetts,
and who, by streak of rare good for
tune, was obliged to be on the Iowa
when Cervera'S fleet attempted to es-
cape from the harbOr of Santiago and
was destroyed by Commodore Schley's
squadron. He writes graphic de-
scription Of the great fight, and we
know that it will be highly interest
ing to all of our readers, not only be-
cause the writer is a MankatO boy
but because of mis- exceptiona! oppor-
tunities for seeing and getting inside,
correct information. Omitting unim-
portant paragraphs, the letter is as
follows:
U. S. B. S. Massachusetts, June 1898,
Our position is usually about 5000
yards TO The southwark Of El MORO,
but at night while on search light
duty we go TO within 1900 yards. Old
Moro is fine sight. Ii is built on a
high point Of land on the eastern side
Of the entrance to the harbOr. The
big guns are not in the castle proper,
but in sand battery near by. There
is another battery on the other side
called east battery. The picket
boats leave the ship every evening
and steam in toward the harbor.
There are generally two or three
steam launches out every night from
the different ships. They take posi-
tion close ashore on each side OF the
entrance just to the left or right of
the search light rays. They return
at dawn, and the crew sleep all day.
Each boat carries a one FOUNDER in
the bow and has half dozen marines
besides the crew and cadet in charge.
The Spanish sometimes take
notions to fire at them, but not Of
ten.
Nearly every day there are a few
shots fired by the smaller vessels of
the blOckading squadron. This morn
ing we saw locomotive running on
the coast, and one of our vessels was
wig-wagging to it. The soldiers now
have three of them. The Spanish
didn't have time to spoil them, so
they simply took off few pieces and
hid them. The soldiers found these
and replaced them, and now have d
railroad to within short distance Of
Santiago.
Every day there are rain squalls.
have charge of three six Founders
now, but hope to get in one OF our
eight inch turrets soon.
US. B. S. Massachusetts, July l. '9S.
Last evening we got a signal to be
prepared to storm the batteries at six
this morning. The attack was to be
made in connection with the ad
vance of the army. At LOO o'clock
this morning we were all turned out
and got some coffee and toast. At
4:30 we were called to quarters and
were soon cleared for action. l had
charge Of three six Founders on the
starboard side Just forward Of the
after eight inch turret. The Texas
and Brooklyn were on our left and
the Iowa and others on our right.
The first shot was fired at $50, and
there was some firing off and on until
nearly 4 100 p. 10. Most of the firing
was at point about mile and half
to the right of Moro at railway cut
to the left Of a bridge. There was a
kind of fort there and our shells de-
mOliShed it in great shape. l could
see a puff of smoke from a ship, then
a cloud of dust in the cut, and in
about eighteen seconds hear the re-
port.
The army had a balloon up for some
time. 1t was very indistinct, mere
speck. guess the army had warm
time, for we could hear artillery
booming back of the bluffs all day. 1t
was a fine day, though rather warm,
We were about 3,700 yards south of
MORO, but there were no shots ex-
changed. We were not to fire on the
eastern battery, as there was danger
of hitting our own men.
About 500 O'Clock this afternoon,
, one Of my class mates started to go to
the Texas as boat officer. He lost his
balance and went in over his head.
was then sent for and went over to
the Texas in the steam launch with
a letter for the captain. The sailors
caught fve-fOot shark this after
noon. They had him cut up in about
five minutes. All they save is the
backbone for cane.
| went over to the Vixen for mail
and found that the Spanish were
driven back on all sides today, and
there was general advance Of the
army. l hope that we will be in Sau-
tiago for July 4th.
July 2, 1885,
we were UuTueu UuU dSdlu UulS
morning at four o'clock and cleared
for action. A little before 600 we
opened fire with the forward thir-
teen-inch guns, and then opened with
the after turret and the eight-inch
gune and the six-inch. The batter
les on shore replied and fired few
shots until we drove them to
cover. When the first thir-
teen-inch was fired, l was stand
ing on a platform on a level
with the top of the turret on the port
side Jour starboard side was engaged.
The shock made the ship tremble and
blew one of my classmates hat of, who
was near me. The report from the
thirteen inch does not hurt my ears
nearly as much as that from the eight
inch, while the six inch nearly splits
my head. as it is much sharper. The
wind blew the smoke back, so for a
minute after each discharge it was
almost impossible to breathe.
Several shells went whiZzing over