The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-07-28

| 4be appearance of the PlutOn and Flu
| ror. the Gloucester was slowed, thereby
| gaining more rapidly a high pressure of
| steam and when the destroyers came
/ ont she steamed for them at full speed
| a=ed vas able to close to short range,
| v mere her fire was accurate, deadly and
| of great volume. During this fight the
! Gloucester was under the fire of the
| SOcapa battery. Within 20 minutes from
| the time they emerged from Santiago
] harbOr the careers of the Furor and
/ the PlutOn were ended and tWo-thirds
/ of their people killed. The Furor was
| beached and sunk in the surf, the Plu-
| ton sinking in deep water a few minutes
| later. The destrOyers probably suffer-
| ed much injury from the fire of the
| secondary batteries of the battleships
| Iowa, the Indiana and the Texas, yet 1
think a very considerable factor in their
speedy destruction was the fire. at close
| range. of the Gloucester's battery After
| rescuing the survivors of the destroyers
| the Gloucester did excellent service in
landing and securing the crew of the
| Infanta Maria Teresa.
s. The method of ESCAPE ATTEMPTED
by the Spaniards-au steering in the
same direction and in fOrmation-re-
moved all tactical doubts or difficulties
and made plain the duty of every Uni
ted States vessel to close in Immediate
~, engage and pursue. This was
promptly and effectively done. AS al
ready stated, the first rush of the
Spanish squadron carried it past a
number of the blockading ships, which
could not Immediately work up to their
best speed but they suffered heavily in
passing, and the Infanta Maria Teresa
and the Oquendo were probably set on
fire by shells fired during the first Is
minutes of the engagement. 1t was
afterwards learned that the Infanta
Maria Teresa's fire main had been cut
by one of our first shots and that she
was unable to extinguish the fire. With
large volumes of smoke arising from
their lower decks aft, these vessels
gave up both fight and flight and ran
in on the beach, the Infanta Maria Ter
esa at about 1915 a. m, at Nina Nina,
six and One-half miles from Santiago
harbOr entrance, and the Almirante
Oquendo, at about 1920 a. m, at Juan
Gonzales, seven miles from the port.
The Vizcaya.
9. The Vizcaya was still under the
fire 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 American
ships. The Vizcaya was soon set on
fire and at HOS turned in shore and
was beached at AserraderO, Is miles
from Santiag go, burning fercely and with
her reserves of ammunition on deck al
ready beginning to explode. When
a bout ten miles west of Santiago, the
Indiana had been signalled to go back
to the harbOr entrance and at Aserra-
derO the Iowa was SignalIed to re
sumo blOckading station" The Iowa,
assisted by the Ericsson and the Hist,
took off the crew of the Vizcaya, while
those of the Infanta Maria Teresa. and
the Almirante Oquendo.
This rescue of prisoners, including the
wounded, from the burning Spanish yes
sells, was the occasion of some of the
most daring and gallant conduct 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 magazines. In addition to
this heavy surf was running just in
side of the Spanish ships. But no risk
deferred our officers and men until their
work of humanity was complete.
There remained of the Spanish ships
only the CristObal Colon, but she was
their best and fastest vessel Forced
by the situation to hug the Cuban coast
her only chance of escape was by SUI
periOr sustained speed. When the
Vizcaya went ashore, the Colon was
about six miles ahead of the Brooklyn,
and the Oregon, but her squirt was fin
ished and the American ships were now
gaining upon her. Behind the Brook
lyn and the Oregon came the Texas,
Vixen and New York. 1t was evident
from the bridge of the New York that
all the American ship were gradually
Overhauling the Colon and that she had
no chance of escape. At 1850 the
Brooklyn and the Oregon opened fire
and got her range-the OregOn's heavy
shells striking beyond her-and at ITO
she gave up without firing another shot,
hauled down her cOlOrS and ran ashore
at Rio TarquinO 48 miles from San
uagO. Captain Cook of the Brooklyn
went on board to receive the surrender. |
While his boat was along side I came
up in the New York, received his report
and placed the Oregon in charge of the
wreck to save her, if possible, and di-
rected the prisoners to be transferred
to the ResOlute, which had followed the
chase. Commodore Schley, whose chief |
of staff had gone on board to receive
the surrender, had directed that all
their personal effects should be retain
ed by the officers. This order did not
modify. The CristobaI Colon was not
injured by our firing and probably is
not much injured by Bleaching, though
she ran ashore at high speed. The |
beach was so steep that she came off
by the working of the sea, but her sea
valves were opened and broken, treach-
erOusly, am sure, after her surrender |
and despite all efforts she sank When |
it became evident that she could not be
kept afoat she was pushed by the New
York bodily up on the beach, the New
YOrk's stem being placed against her
for this purpOse-the ship being han
died by Captain Chadwick with admir- |
able judgment-and sank in shoal wa
ter and may be saved. Had this not |
been done she would have gone down |
in deep water and would have been, to |
a certainty a total loss.
Couldn't Get Out at Night.
II. regard this complete and import |
ant victory over the Spanish forces as
the successful finish of several weeks of |
arduous and close blockade, so string
ent and effective during the night that !
the enemy was deferred from making !
the attempt to escape at night, and de-
liberateIy elected to make the attempt
in daylight. That was the case, was |
informed, by the commanding officer of
the CristObal Colon.
II. It seems proper to briefly describe |
here the manner in which this was ac-
complished. The harbor of Santiago is
naturally easy to blOckade-there being
but one entrance-and that a narrow
one; and the deep water extending close