Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-07-09
CERVERA CAUGHT.
Dewey's Great Feat at Manila
Duplicated at Santiago.
SPANISH FLEET WIPED OUT.
The Number Of Spanish Prisoners
Exceed Sixteen Hundred.
THREEHUNDRED AND FIFTY DEAD

Attempt 70 Escape From Santiago Har-
Dor, but Was Met by the Fire of Our
Fleet, and After Desperate Flying Fight
Was Forced to Yield to the Superiority of
Our Gunners-Compliment by His Cap
tor on his Gallant Fight-The captives
Guarded by Our Troops to Save Them
From the Vengeance of the Cubans-Only
One Man Killed in the American Squadron
Kingston, Jamaica, July "a news
paper dispatch boat just arrived from
the feet ten miles west of the entrance
of the harbor OF Santiago de Cuba,
brings the following story of the de-
struction of Admiral Cervera's fleet:
Admiral Cervera's fleet, consisting Of |
the armored cruisers Cristobal Colon, |
Almirante OQuendo. Infanta Maria Te-
.resa and Vizcaya and two torpedo boat
destroyers. the Furor and the Pluton,
which had been held IN the harbor of
Santiago de Cuba for six weeks past
by the combined sQuadrons of Rear Ad-
zniral Sampson and Commodore Schley,
lies today at the bottom of the Carib-
bean sea Of the coast of Cuba The
Spanish admiral is a prisoner of war
on the auxiliary gunboat Gloucester
formerly MT. J. Pierpont Morgan's
yacht Corsair). and 1000 to LOO other
Spanish officers and sailors. all who es-
capped the frightful carnage caused by
the shells from the American war
ships. are held as prisoners of war by
the United States navy. The Span
iRrds, when they found they would be
permitted to live, adapted themselves
comfortably to the situation. rolled
their cigarettes and began playing
cards among themselves
The American victory is complete.
and. according to the best information
.obtainable at this time, the American
vessels were practically untouched, and
only one man was killed. though the
ships were subjected TO the heavy fire
of the Spaniards all the time the battle
lasted.
Admiral Cerveza made as gallant a
dash for liberty and for the preserva-
ton of his ships Sunday morning as
has ever occurred In the history of ma
val warfare. In the face of overwhelm-
Ing odds. with nothing before him but
Inevitable destruction or surrender If
he remained any longer IA the trap In
which the American feet held him, he
made bold dash from the harbor.
The Americans saw him the moment
he left the harbor. and commenced
their work OF destruction Immediately
For an hour or two they followed the
flying Spaniards 20 the westward alone
the shore line. sending shot after shot
into their blazing hulls, tearing grea'
holes in their steel sides and GOVERNS
their decks with the blood OF the killed
and wounded.
AT no time did the Spaniards SHOW
any Indication that they intended I,
do otherwise than fight to the last
They showed no signals to surrender
even when their ships began to sink
and the great clouds of smoke pour
ing from their sides showed they wer
on fire. But they turned their head
toward the shore, less than a mil
away, and ran them on the beach an
rocks, where their destruction was 500
completed. The officers and hen O,
board then escaped to the shore q
we'll as they could, with the assistanc
of boats sent from the American men
of-war, and then threw themselve
upon the mercy of their captors. VIII
sent them a guard to protect theY
from the murderous bands of Cuba
soldiers hiding in the bush in the hill
side eager to rush down and attac
the unarmed, defeated, but valorou
Zoe.
One after another Of the SPANS
ships became the victims of the awfr
rain Of shells which the American ba
tleships, cruisers and gunboats poure
upon them, and two hours after Il
first of the fleet had started out
Santiago harbor three cruisers ar
two torpedo boat destroyers were lyir
on the shore ten to 10 miles west
Moro Castle, pounding to piece
smoke and fame pouring from eve
part of them and covering the enti
coast line with a mist which could
seen for miles.
Heavy explosions of ammunition @
CURED every few minutes, sendiI
curls OF dense white smoke q hundr
feet In the air and causing a shower
broken iron and steel to fall In t
water on every side. The bluffs on t
coast line echoed with the roar
every explosion. and the Spanish VI
sells sank deeper and deeper into I
sand or else the rocks ground tn,
hulls to pieces as they rolled or pitc
ed, forward or sideways, with eve
wave that washed upon them from {
open sea.
Admiral Cervera escaped to the she
IN boat sent by the Gloucester to I
assistance OF the Infanta Maria 7
Sesa, and as soon as he touched
beach he surrendered himself and
command to Lieutenant Morton a
eakad to ha takaR aboard, the GlG
n