The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1898-07-28


| 6re. The initial speed OF the Spaniards
ing vessels. and the battle developed
Into chase in which the Brooklyn and
/ the Texas had at the start the advan-
tage Of position. The Brooklyn main
tained this lead. The Oregon. steam
Ing at amazing speed from the COM
mencement Of the action, took first
place. The Iowa and the Indiana, hav-
ing done good work. and not having
the speed of the other ships. were di-
rected by me, in succession, at about
the time the Fizcaya was beached, to
drop out of the chase and resume bloc
kading station. These vessels rescued
many prisoners. The Vixen, finding
that the rush OF the Spanish ships
would put her between two fires, ran
outside of our column and remained
there during the battle and chase.
Z. The slsillful handling and gallant
Fighting of the Gloucester excited the
admiration Of everyone who witnessed
1t. and merits the commentator of the
navy department. She Is fast and
entirely unprotected auxiliary vessel
the yacht Corsair--and has a good bat
terry Of light rapid fire guns. She was
lying about two miles from the harbor
entrance, to the southwark anl east
ward end immediately steamed in, op-
ening fire upon the largs ships. An
ticipating the appearance Of the Pluton
and Furor, the Gloucester was slowed.
thereby gaining more rapidly in high
pressure OF steam, and when the de-
Btroyers came out she steamed for
them at full speed and was able to close
At short range, where her fire was ac-
curate. deadly and of great volume.
During this fight the Gloucester was
under the fire of the Socapa battery,
Within twenty minutes from the time
they emerged from Santiago harbor the
careers of the Pluton and Furor were
ended, and two-thirds of their people
killed. The Furor was beached and
sunk in the surf: the Pluton sank in
deep water few minutes later. The
destroyers probably suffered much in
jury from the fire of the secondary
batteries of the battleships Iowa. Indi-
ana and Texas. yet think a very con-
siderable factor in their speedy de-
struction was the fire, at close range,
OF the Gleucester's battery. After res
cuing the survivors of the destroyers,
the Gloucester did excellent service in
landing and securing the crew of the
lnIanId maria TereSa-
8. The method of escape attempted
by the Spaniards--all steering in the
| same direction and in formation--re-
| moved all tactical doubts of difficult
| ties and made plain the duty of every
! United States vessel to close in, imme-
| diately engage and pursue. This was
promptly and effectively done. AS al
, ready stated the first rush Of the Spa
| nish squadron carried 1t past number
1 Of the blocksding ships, which could
! not Immediately work up to their best
| speed. But they suffered heavily in
passing, and the Maria Teresa and the
| Oquenlo were probably set on fire by
| shells fired during the first fifteen min
| utes af the engagement. II was after
| wards learned that the Maria Teresa's
| fireman. had been cut by one of our
| first shots, and that she was unable
| to extinguish FIRE. With large volumes
Of smoke arising from their lower decks
| aft these vessels gave up both hght and
| flight and ran in on the beach--the Ma
| ria Teresa about 1915 a. M, at Nina,
six and one-half miles from sentiayo
harbor entrance. and the oquenlo
| about 1880 a. m., at Juan Gonzales,
seven miles from the port. ..l~
9. The Vizcaya was still under tho
| are of the leading vessels the Cristo-
bal Colon had drawn ahead leading
the chase, and soon passed beyond the
range of the guns of the leading Am
erican ships. The vizcaya was soon
set on fire, and. at Ills she turnel in
shore and was ,beached at Ascerrade-
ros, fifteen miles from Santiago, burn
Ing fiercely. and with her reserves Of
ammunition on deck already beginning
to explode. When about ten miles
west of Santiago, the Indiana had been
| slgnalled to go back to the harbor en-
trance, and at Ascerraderos the Iowa
| was signalled to Resume blockading
station" The Iowa, assisted by the
Ericsson and the Hist, took off the crew
If the Vizcaya, while the Harvard and
the Gloucester rescued those Of the In
fanta Maria Teresa and the Almlranta
1 Oquendo. This rescue of prisoners, in
| cluding the wounded from the burning
Spanish vessels, was the occasion Of
some of the most daring and gallant
ISconduct of the day. The ships were
Burning fore and aft, their guns and
+ reserve ammunition were exploding,
and It was not known at what moment
the fire would reach the main maya
zines. In addition to this q heavy surf
was running just inside Of the Spanish
ships. But no risk deferred our off,
GERS and men until their work of fu-
manity was complete.
10. There remained now of the Spa
nish ships only the cristobal Colon; but
she was their best and fastest vessel
Forced by the situation to hug the Gu
ban coast, her only chance of escape
was by superior and sustained speed.
When the Vizcaya went ashore the
Colon was about six miles ahead of
the Brooklyn and the Oregon, but her
squirt was finished and the American
ships were now gaining upon her. Be-
hind the Brooklyn and the Oregon came
the Texas, Vixen and New York. II
was evidentfr ON the bridge of the
New York that all the American sh1pe
were gradually overhauhng the chase,
and that she had no chance of escape
At 1880 the Brooklyn and Oregon op-
ened fire and got her range-the Ore
CONS heavy shell striking beyond her