The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-08
Destroyed All Spanish Ships, Killed $50 of
Their Crews and Wounded Many More.
None of His Vessels Seriously Damaged and Only a
Few Men Wounded-Can Take City at Any Time
Made Admiral by the President.

Spanish fleet and the battle began in real
earnest
From another source 1t was learned that
the American ships entered the bay by the
southern channel, between Cabello and
F'rile islets, which were fortified Commo-
dore Dewey resolved to risk the mines
which were supposed to block the channel.
The island forts fred. but not together.
Replying with a few shells, the squadron
proceeded without stopping or changing its
course. The order of the vessels was as
follows: The Olympia, Baltimore. Raleigh,
Concord, Boston, Petrol, McCulloch, Nan
shan and zadro, and thus they steamed to
the center of the bay. They passed
before the city, seeking the Span
ish squadron, and found them near
the entrance of Baker bay, backed
and fianked by the Cayite ports with two
torpedo boats and four gunboats inside the
mole. which served as protection, while the
Reina Christina, Castillo. Don Antonio de
Ulloa, Isla de Cuba, Isla de Luzon and
the mail boat Mindanao were drawn up
outside The Spaniards fired the first shot
at 5000 yards, but it was ineffective
The American ships formed in column line
and steamed nearer, reserving their fire un-
til within 1900 yards. They. then passed
backwards and forwards six times across
the Spaniards' front. pouring in a perfect
hail OF shot and shell. Every shot seemed
to tell. Then the Americans retired for
breakfast and a council of war.
The Spanish ships were already in des-
perate condition. The Reina Christina was
riddled and one of her steam pipes had
burst. The Castillo was also on fire, and
both were burned to the waters edge. The
Don Antonio de Ulloa made magnificent
show OF desperate bravery. With her col
hands, Her hull was riddled and her upper
deck swept clean, but the guns on the
lower deck were still firing defantly as the
vessel sank hanea Nh tha xyotara
A torpedo boat tried to creep along the
shore around the offing and attack the nom
cambatants, zafro. Nanshan and McCul-
loch, but was driven ashore and shot into
bits. The Mindanao was run on the beach
and the other small craft retired behind the
mole.
The fight started at $50, was adjourned
at $3.50 and resumed about noon. The fin
ishing touches were given to Cavite by the
Petrol and Concord at O'Clock. The Raj
eigh grounded twice in shallow water dur
ing the engagement.
Cavite is In utter ruin and has surren-
dered, the gupboats have been scuttled and
the arsenal was on fire and exploded, caus-
ing great mortality. The commodore of
the feet, on board the Reina Christina.
was wounded. and her captain, lieutenant,
chaplain and the midshipman were killed
by shell striking the bridge. Eighty of
her crew were killed and sixty were
wounded. On the Castillo one hundred
were killed and sixty were wounded. The
Spanish casualties aggregate more than a
thousand.
There We're no casualties among the
American crews, except that six of the Bal
timore's men were slightly wounded by one
OF the American shells striking another
she'll lying on deck and exploding it. There
were only three shot holes in her upper
works, five In the upper works OF the olym-
pia, and whale boat smashed on the Raj
eigh. No other damage has been done any
where.
The disparity between the injury inflicted