The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-07-19

short time for the Oregon TO get UP speed
and when Captain Clarke saw that the
Spanish fleet was heading to the west
ward, the Oregon dashed in for diem,
delivering a terrible fire from the heavy
guns as She closed. The rest of the feet
was pouring in heavy fire on the vessels
toward the entrance, and, putting her
helm down hard, quickly brought her star
board battery into play.
The Texas was coming in also, but was
a few hundred yards behind the Indiana.
and somewhat TO the eastward The
Oregon came racing down from the east
ward under full speed and under forced
ward under full speed and under forced
draught and crossed the bows Of the bows
of the Iowa like a shot as she was COM
ing around with her starboard helm, and
dashing between the latter and the Texas
went in for the enemy, closing in with tho
rear vessel heading to the westward. which
brought her on OUT starboard bow. The
officers on the other ships say that it was
a beautiful sight TO Sc the Oregon dashing
in for the enemy, passing everything in
front of her and covered with volumes of
smoke from her guns and smokestacks.
The rear vessel we closed in was the In
fanta Maria Teresa, the other three crus-
ers having pulled ahead of her. Just
ahead fher was the Almiranta Oquendo
and leading the column were the Vizcaya
and the Cristobal Colon, running side by
side, the later next the shore.
Just as we cleared the Iowa a cry
passed over the ship that the torpedo
boats were coming out of tbs harbor
open fire on them, and soon there was a
whole stream of 6-pound she'll tearing
up the water around the torpedo boats,
which could be plainly sen through the
smoke, stealing along the shore. The first
torpedo boat was almost abreast Cabanas
bay when a shot from our starboard after
6-inch gun blew her up, great puff of
black smoke rose high into the air, and
she seemed TO jump right out of the water.
then went down, never to rise again. The
second torpedo boat was finished by the
Gloucester. and headed for the beach.
running high and dry close to the entrance
of Cabanas bay.
Meanwhile we were hot after the big
cruiser of the armada, pouring a heavy
fire into the rear vessel The Brooklyn
was on our port bow, away outside Of US,
and our other vessels were being rapidly
dropped astern, but were giving the Maria
Teresa hell. Suddenly her whole stern
burst into fame and she put helm over
and made for the beach. AS she turned
her broadside 10 us all the ships in range
sent shells csasning into her sides, and
cloud 5 of splinters and smoke covered the
vessel. When the smoke had cleared
away one of her masts had disappeared.
In acOuple of minutes she was high and
dry on the beach and burning fiercely. She
had not hauled down her colors, so as
We passed her we raked her, the shells ex-
ploding all over.
Her crew was seen to jump into the
water; some made for the surf and some
swan toward our ships. evidently not
wishing 10 fall into Cuban hands. Not
a second, the Oregon passed on
and turned her fire on the Almirante
Oquendo- A second shot from our 13-inch
forward guns exploded on her. She burst
into flames and quickly followed the fate
of the Iafanta Maria Teresa She re-
ceived a terrible fire as she headed for the
shore. and both Of her milmasts were shot
away. She had hardly reached the beach
when Sc began sinking. She was vel up
on the beach, however and did not go
down in deap water. Her colors not hav-
ing been hauled down. we raked her as we
passed to make sure she would not fire
ony more. At the sight OF these two ships
being destroyed, the crew sent up cheer
after cheer and worked Ike Trojans at the
guns getting ready for +hA Dex+ shin
Word that two ships of the enemy had
been destroyed was passed down to the
men working on the ammunition below.
and also % the men in the fireroom and
engine room, and a cheer went up that