St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1898-05-14
The Great Battle Of
Manila HarhOr.

AItef TOTAL absence OF news IOI
five full days. the country has at
last received the official report Of
Commodore Dewey giving the de-
tails of the battle fought in the
harbor of Manila on Sunday May
l. The long wait for news had
created some uneasiness among the
people. as well as among the
authorities; but, with the details
now available, it is evident that all
fears were groundless, and that the
victory was even greater than was
at first reported.
With no loss to himself, for Com
modore Dewey lost not single
ship nor a single man, the Ameri-
can commander utterly destroyed
the Spanish fleet and silenced the
batteries defending the harbor OF
Manila. All of the Spanish vessels
were either destroyed or compelled
to surrender, and, to the credit OF
the Spanish sailors be it said, that
none of their fighting ships sur
rendered, but fought on until de-
stroyed. According to the official
account, the Spanish loss was quite
as great as at first reported.
The immense loss of life among
the Spaniards contrasted with the
complete absence Of casualties
among the crews Of the American
ships is possibly the most remark
able fact connected with the battle.
1t has probably no parallel in naval
warfare. Even the overwhelming
victory of the japanese feet at Yalu
was not won without considerable
loss of life on the part of the VIC
tors. The immunity of our sailors
was undoubtedly due partly to
poor craftsmanship of the Spanish,
partly also to the skill shown by
Commodore Dewey in maneuverlng
his squadron, but mainly to the
tremendous fire kept up on the
Spanish ships, which permitted
them but little opportunity to work
their comparatively unprotected
batteries.
Good fortune also played a part
in sparing casualties to the Amerl-
can fleet. The ships were fire.
quently struck, and the Baltimore
received shot witch tore its way
clear through her, and yet no one
was hurt. The few men wounded
| received their hurts through the
explosion of case of rapid fire
ammunition which was struck by a
shell.
The poor practice made by the
Spanish ships il. no way detracts
from the merit of Commodore
Dewey's victory. The enemy's
ships were protected by his land
batteries, and had, moreover, the
benefit of submarine mines, the
location of which was, supposedly
at least unknown to our command
ers. The boldness with which
Commodore Dewey sailed into Ma
Mia harbor is one of the most bril-
liant naval achievements on record.
Clearly the Spaniards did not ex-
pect such prompt and decisive &C
ton, and were consequently taken
by surprise. Although their ships
made gallant fight, the Spanish,
as already stated, made but a poor
showing, as not only did they fail
to cripple any Of our ships, but
they failed even to kill a single
man.
1t now appears that the cutting
Of the cable was the work of Com
modore Dewey himself, his object
being, no doubt, to prevent the
enemy from communicating with
the outside world.
The President has fittingly recog-
nized the brilliant service of Com
modore Dewey by promptly pro
noting him to the rank of rear ad-
miral. Never was an honor more
richly deserved, as never was .
naval victory more brilliantly
Acknowledgements.