Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1898-07-22
" FIGHTING BOB'S STORY
Captain Evans Of BattleShip Iowa Dc
tateS Account OF Battle.
Graphic Description Of Sea Fighting Of Santiago
Spanish Ships Rent and Torn by
American Shells.

Associated Press dispatch boat
Dauntless, via Port Antonio,
Jamaica, July 8, $40 p. m.-The
battleship Iowa was the first ship
to see the Spanish fleet coming
out of the harbor. A moment
later her crew was at general
quarters and at 9:33 a. m. u gun
was fred to attract the attention
of the fleet. Captain Evans &C
count of the battle, as told in the
cabin of the Iowa to cores
pondent of the Associated Press,
is intensely interesting. He said:
At the time general quarters"
was sounded the engine bell rang
full speed ahead and / put the
helm to starboard and the Iowa
crossed the bows OF the Infanta
Maria Teresa, the fret ship out.
AS the Spanish Admiral swung to
the westward the IL inch shells
from the forward turret of the
Iowa seemed to strike her fairly
in the bow, and the fight was a
spectacle.
AS the squadron came out in
column, the ships beautifully
spaced as to distance and gradual
ly increasing their speed to thir-
teen knots, it was superb.
The Iowa from this moment
kept up a steady fire from her
heavy guns, heading all the time
to keep the Infanta Maria Teresa
on her starboard bow and hoping
to run one of the leading ships.
In the meantime the Oregon,
Indiana, Brooklyn and Texas were
doing excellent work with their
heavy guns.
In very short space of time
the enemy's ships were all clear of
the harbor mouth, and it became
evidently impossible for the Iowa
to ram either the first or the Sec
ond ship on account of the speed.
Firing On the Maria Teresa.
The range at this time was
1000 yards from the leading ship. |
The Iowa's helm was imm edistely |
put hard to starboard and the en-
tire starboard broadside was pour
ing into the Infanta Maria Teresa.
The helm was then quickly shift !
ed to port and the ship went
across the stern of the Teresa in |
an effort to head off the Oquendo.
All the time the engines were
driving at full speed. A perfect
torrent Of shells from the enemy
passed over the smokestack and
superstructure of the ship, but
none struck her.
The Cristobal Colon, being
much faster than the rest of the
Spanish ships, passed rapidly to
the front in an effort to escape. |
In passing the Iowa the Colon
placed two six-inch shells fairly
in our starboard bow. One pass
ed through the cofferdam and dis
pensary, wrecking the latter and
bursting on the berth deck, doing
considerable damage. The other
passed through the side at the
water line within the cofferdam,
where it still remains.
AS it was now obviously impos-
sible to ram any of the Spanish |
ships on account of their superior
speed, the lowa's helm was put to
the starboard and she ran on a
course parallel with the enemy.
Being then abreast of the Almi-
rante Oquendo, at a distance of
100 yards, the Iowa's entire bat
terry, including the rapid fire
guns, was opened on the Oquen.
do. The punishment was terrific.
Many twelve--inch shells from the
Iowa pierced the Almirante Oqu-
endo at the same moment, one for
ward and the other aft. The
seemed to stop her en-
gines for moment and lost head.
way, but she Immediately resum
ed her speed and gradually drew
ahead of the Iowa and came un-
der the terrific fire of the Oregon
and Texas.
Torpedo Boats 10 the Attack.
AT this moment the alarm of
torpedo boats" was sounded and
two torpedo boat destroyers were
discovered on the starboard quar-