Evening journal., 1898-07-27

the appearance of the pluton and Furor
the Gloucester was slowed. thereby
gaining more rapidly high pressure or
steam, and when the destroyers came
out she steamed for them at full speed
and was able 10 close at short range
where her fire was accurate. deadly and
OF great volume. During this fight the
Gloucester was under the fire of the
Socapa battery Within ~ minutes from
the time they emerged from Santiago
harbor the careers Of the Furor and the
PlutOn We're ended and twO-thirds Of
their people killed. The Furor was
beached and sunk IN the surf The Plu-
ton sunk in deep water n few minutes
later. The destroyers probably suffered
much injury from the fire Of the sec
ondary batteries of the battleships Iowa,
Indiana and Texas. yet l think very
considerable factor I'm their speedy de-
StructlOn was the FIRE at close range
Of the GlOucester's battery. After res
cuing the survivors OF the destroyers,
the Gloucester did excellent service in
landing and securing the crew Of the
Infanta Maria Teresa.
The method of escape attempted by
the Spaniards. all steering In the same
direction and I'm formation, removed all
tactical doubts or difficulties and made
plain the duty Of every United States
vessel 30 close in. Immediately engage
and pursue. This was promptly and ef-
fectively done. As already stated, the
first rush OF the Spanish squadron car
ried Il 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 In
Il D.
were probably set on fire by shells fired
during the first 10 minutes OF the en-
gagement II was afterward learned
that the Infanta Maria Teresa's fire
main had been cut by one Of our first
shots and that she was unable to ex-
tingulsh the fire with large volumes OF
smoke rising from their lower decks
these vessels gave up both fight and
flight and ran in on the beach. the In
fanta Maria Teresa at about 1915 a. IN.
at Nina Nina, GM miles from Santiago
harbor entrance. and the Almirante
Oquendo at about 1890 a. m. at Juan
Gonzales, seven miles from the port
The Vizcaya was still under the fre
OF the leading vessels. The Cristobal
Colon had drawn ahead, leading the
chase, and soon passed beyond the
range Of the guns Of the leading Amer
lean ships. The Vizcaya was soon set
ON fire. and at 11:l5 she turned in
shore and was beached at Ascerraderos,
10 miles from Santiago. burning fierce
~ and with her reserves of ammunl-
tlon on deck already beginning to eX-
plode. When about ten miles west Of
Santiago. the Indiana had been signal
ed TO go back to the harbor entrance
and at Ascerraderos the Iowa was sig
nailed to Resume blockadlng station"
The Iowa, assisted by the Ericsson and
the Hist took or the crew Of the VIZ
caya. while the Harvard and the
Gloucester rescued those Of the Infanta
Maria Teresa and the Almirante OQuen-
do. This rescue Of prisoners including
the wounded from the burning Span
sh vessels was the occasion OF some
OF the most daring and gallant con-
duct OF the day. The ships were burn
ing fore and aft. their guns and reserve
ammunition were exploding. and Il was
not known at what moment the fire
would reach the main magazines. In
addition to this a heavy surf was run
ming just inside Of the Spanish ships.
But no risk deferred our officers and
men until their work Of humanity was
complete.
There remained now OF the Spanish
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 Vlzcaya 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 Behind the
| Brooklyn and the Oregon came the
Texas. Vixen and New York. 1t was
evident from the bridge OF the New
York that all the American ships 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 Ore
gon's heavy shells striking beyond her.
and at 1870 she gave up without firing
another shot. hauled down her colOrs
ana ran ashore at Rio Torquno, 48
miles from Santiago. Captain Cook of
| the Brooklyn went on board to receive
] the surrender. While his boat was
| alongside. l came up IN the New York,
received his report and placed the Ore
gon In charge of the wreck To save her.
II possible. and directed the prisoners 10
be transferred TO the Resolute. which
had followed the chase. Commodore
Schloy, whose clnef Of staff had gone
on board TO receive the surrender. had
directed that all their personal effects
should be retained by the officers This
order l did not modify. The Cristobal
Colon was not injured by our firing Snd
probably Is not much injured by beach
ing. 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. treacherously. I am sure. after
her surrender. and despite all efforts
she sunk. When II became evident that
she could not be kept ahoat she was
rushed by the New York bodily upon
the beach the New York's stem being
placed against her for this purpose the
ship being handled by Captain Chad
wick with admirable Judgment. and
sunk IN shoal water and may be saved
Had this not been done. she would
have gone down In deep water and
would have been TO certainty a total
loss.
I regard this complete and important
victory over the Spanish forces as the
successful finish of several weeks of
Arduous and close blockade. so stringent
and effective during the night that the
! 4.