Sistersville oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1896-1901, 1898-06-15
DEwEY's REPORT
or His AnnihilaiiOn OF the Spanish
Fleet at ManilIa-He Gives Unstinted
Praise to Officers and Men Under
Him.

Washington, D. c., June 49,
The navy department today made
public the following letter received
from Admiral Dewey this afternoon
being its first Mail advices from
him since he reached Manila.
FLAGSHIP. OLYMPIA,
CAvITE, May 4, 1898.
The squadran left Mrs Bay on
April 27, and arrived off Bolirao
on the morning of April 80, and
finding no vessels there proceeded
down the coast and arrived off the
entrance to Manila Bay on the
same afternoon. The Boston and
Concord were sen: to reconnoitre
Port Subic.
A thorough search of the port
made by the Boston and the Con-
cord, but the Spanish fleet was not
found.
Entered the south channel at
11:35 p. M, steaming in column at
eight knots. After half the battery
had passed, battery on the south
side Of the channel opened fire,
none of the shots taking effect.
The Boston andMcCulloch returned
the fire. The squadron proceeded
across the bay at slow speed and
arrived off Manila at daybfeak and
was fired upon at SIS a. m. by three
batteries at Manila and two near
Cavite, and by the Spanish fleet
anchored in an approximately east
and west line across the mouth of
Baker bay, with their left in shoal
water in Canacac bay. The squad
ron then proceeded to the attack,
the flagship Olympia, under r1y
personal direction, leading, followed
at distance by the Baltimore, Raj
eighsPetrel, Concord and Boston,
in The order named, which forma
ftfohhSw ton was maintained, throughout
the action. The sque dron opened
fire at 4:4r a. M. Vile advancing
to the attack two mines were ex-
pioded ahead Of the flagship, too
far to be effective. The squadron
maintained a continuous and pre-
else FIRE at ranges varying from
5000 to 1000 yards, countermarch-
ing in line approximately parallel
to that of the Spanish fleet. The
enemy's fire was vigorous, but gen
orally ineffective. Early in the en-
gagement two launches put out
toward the Olympia, with the ap-
parent intention Of using torpedoes.
One was sunk and the other dis
ab,ed by Our fire and beached be
fore an opportunity occurred to fire
torpedoes.
At a. m. the Spanish flagship
Reina Christina made desperate
attempt to leave the line and come
out to engage at a short range, but
was received with CALLING fire, the
entire battery of the Olympia being
concerted upon her that she was
barely able to return to the shelter
of the point. The fires started in
her by our shells at this time were
not extinguished until she sank.
The three batteries at Manila had
kept up a continuous report from
the beginning of the engagement,
which fire was not returned by this
squadron. At this point I sent a
message to the governor general to
the effect that if the batteries did
not cease firing the city would be
shelled. This had the effect of
silencing them.
At 7:35 a. N. I ceased firing and
withdrew the squadron for break
fast. At II:I5 a. M, returned to
the attack. By this time the Span
ish flagship and almost the entire
Spanish fleet were in flames. At
1890 p. m. the squadron ceased
firing, the batteries being silenced,
and the ships sunk, burnt and
deserted. At 1910 p. NJ, the
squadron returned and anchored off
Manila, the Petrol being left behind
to complete the destruction of the
smaller gunboats, which were be-
hind the point of Cavite. This
duty was performed by Commander
E. P. Wood in the most expeditions
and complete manner possible.
The Spanish lost the following
vessels: Sunk-Reina Christina,
Castella, Don Antonio de Ulluoa,
Burnt-Don Jaun de Austia, Isla
de Luzon, Isla de Cuba, General