Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1898-06-17

did not succeed in hitting such small
objects as they rapidly approached.
When within 800 yards of the flagship,
the secondary batteries of the Olympia
sent in a perfect hail of 6 pound
shells, smashing up the leading boat,
killing all on board and driving the Sec
ond launch back on the beach with ~
shot holes through her. This boat was
afterward found covered with blood
- By this breakfast time had arrived,
and the commodore gave a signal to
haul off short distance, not going to
anchor, however, and the commanding
officers had a consultation. The attack
was resumed at about l l o'clock This
time we directed our attention to the
Cavite batteries, the Spanish feet hav
ing been practically annihilated. The
Baltimore took the lead. She had orders
to attack the shore batteries, and she
went and did the checklist thing of the
whole day. The batteries mounted 10
inch guns, a shot from one of which
would, if it had struck her, have blown
the Baltimore into atoms The vessel,
however, to the admiration Of the whole
fleet, went in full speed until she got
close under the batteries. Then she
swung round and let them have it with
vengeance. 1t was wonderful to see
her calamity sail into the teeth Of the
guns and silence them.
"Not only the feet, but all defenses
of any Importance had by this time been
destroyed. I shall not soon forget the
sight which the harbor presented. The
smoking hulks Of the Spanish vessels
which had not yet sunk were seen to be
strewn with corpses and wounded men,
and bodies were floating about in the
water: I should think the Spanish lost
about 500 men killed and wounded,
while on our side not man was lost
and only one badly hurt.
"The first part of the battle lasted
over two hours. The steady thunder Of
the cannon was kept up. The roar was
something terrible The terrific fire was
kept up from the forts and Spanish ships
upon our feet It looked to us from the
McCulloch as though our vessels could
not possibly survive the fusillade.
Heavy shells and solid shot fell around
them like hail from the clouds, and
many exploded Immediately over the
ships. At one time I really thought we
would be beaten. This was after the
fire had been kept up for an hour. It
looked as though every gun on the Span
ish ships had turned loose on us alto
gether, and the shore line was verita-
BILE blaze CT fire from the batteries. The
din was simply Undesirable. Tons up
on tons Of shot fell over our ships. Yes,
there was steel enough to sink four
fleets.
"Our salvation was the bad mark
manship of the Spaniards. They ham
died their pieces like boys. Nearly all
of their shots went wide of the mark
Most Of them were high, flying over the
feet and falling into the bay beyond.
Some of the batteries however, were
better trained. Several guns maintained
a raking fire on the fleet. Some Of our
ships were struck by both large and
small shots, but no damage Of conse-
quence was done.''
Surgeon Kindlebersar adds few
facts to Colonel LIQUIDS story. He was
on the Olympia throughout the fight.
He said:~
''In the first assault the flagship took
the lead, the other vessels following in
her wake at four ship lengths. The
Spanish feet was approached by laps,
each turn bringing the contestants near
er together. By this plan the American
vessels frequently poured broadsides
into the enemy, but were themselves
more exposed to fire. At one time the
smoke became so dense that it was nee
essary to draw aside to allow the cloud
to lift. The vessels were examined, and
it was discovered they had sustained no
damage. The men were badly tagged
by the two hours work at the guns in
the great heat, and breakfast was serv-
ed. Then they re-entered the fight with
the greatest enthusiasm.
''The second fight was even more
fierce than the first. It was in that that
the Baltimore was struck. During the
first fight the Spanish admiral's ship
steamed bravely out to the line to meet
the Olympia. The entire American fleet
concentrated its fire on her, and she was
SO badly injured that she turned around
to put back. At this juncture the
Olympia let fly an 8 inch shell, which
struck her in the stern and pierced
through almost her, entire length, ex
ploding finally in the engine room and
wrecking her machinery. This shell
killed the captain and 60 men and sci
the vessel on fire. ..:s@T
'The Spanish admiral Immediately
transferred his flag to the cruiser Isla
de Cuba. Several smaller vessels of The
American fleet: and the Boston centered
their fire on this. ship, and literally tori
her to pieces. The admiral was slightly
wounded and escaped in small boat
into Bacoor bay and fnallyto Manila. .
Gunner Evans of the Boston, who di.
rected the fire of one of the big guns or
the cruiser, says that throughout the
battle the fighting forces of all the ships
were as cool as if engaged at target prac.
tice.-New York Sun -
r Spanish Chivalry. ,~x
Admiral Cervera has proved himself
to be a most polished and chivalr0ns