Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1898-05-12

ent, the first complete report to reacl
America -
MANILA. PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, May
via HoNG KoNG, May z, 1S98.-No
one Spanish flag flies in Manila today
Not one Spanish warship floats excep
as our prize. More than 200 Spanish
dead and 800 to 700 wounded attest the
accuracy of the American fire. Admi.
raj Dewey attacked the Spanish posi-
ton at Cavite this morning. He swept
five times along the line, and scored
one of the most brilliant successes the
world has ever known.
That our loss is trifling adds only tC
the pleasure of victory, without de.
tracing in the least from its value
The, number of hits our vessels re-
ceived proved how brave and stubborn
was the defence made by the Spanish
forces. Miraculous as it may appear,
none of our men were killed, and only
eight wounded. Those who were
wounded suffered only slight injuries.
Admiral Dewey arrived off Manila
bay last night, and decided to enter
the bay at once. With all its lights
out, the squadron steamed into Boca-
grande, with crews at the guns. This
was the order of the squadron. which
was kept during the whole time of the
first battle: The flagship Olympia,
the Baltimore. the Raleigh, the Petrol,
the Concord, the Boston.
Ii was just o'clock, bright moon
light night. But the flagship passed
Corregidor island without a sign being
given that the Spaniards were aware
of its approach. Not until the flag
ship was mile beyond Corregidor was
IA gun fired. Then one heavy shot
went screaming over the Raleigh and
the Olympia. followed by second.
which fell further astern. The Raleigh,
the Concord and the Boston replied,
the Concord's shells exploding, appar-
emily, exactly inside the battery on
shore, which fired no more.
Our squadron slowed down to bare
ly steerage way. and the men were al
lowed to sleep alongside their guns.
Admiral Dewey had timed our arrival
so that we were within five miles ofthe
city of Manila at daybreak. We then
sighted the Spanish squadron, Rear
Admiral Montijo commanding, off
Cavite pronounced Katveetay, with
the accent on the '.veeTD. Here the
Spaniards had well equipped navy
yard called Cavite arsenal.
Admiral Montijo's flag was flying on
the 3,500-ton protected cruiser Reina
Cristina. The protected cruiser Cas-
tilla, of 5000 tons, was moored ahead.
and astern of the.port battery, and to
leeward were the cruisers Don Juan
de Austria, Don Alonzo de Ulloa, Isla
de Cuba, Isla de Luzon, Quiros. Mar
quis Del Onery and Gen. Lezox. These
ships and the flagship remained under
way during most of the action.
With the United States flag flying at
all their mastheads, our ships moved
to the attack in line ahead, with the
speed of eight knots, first passing in
front of Manila, where the action was
begun by three batteries mounting
guns powerful enough to send shell
over us at distance Of five miles. The
Concord's guns doomed out reply to
these batteries with two shots. No
more were fired, because the commo-
dore could not engage with these bat
teries without sending death and de-
struction into the crowded city.
As we neared Cavite, two very
powerful submarine mines were ex-
plodcd ahead of the flagship. This
was six minutes past o'clock. The
Spaniards evidently had misiudged
our position. Immense volumes of
water were thrown high in the air by
these destroyers, but no harm was
done to our ships.
Admiral Dewey had fought with
Farragut at New Orleans and Mobile
bay, where he had his first experience
with torpedoes. Not knowing how
many more mines there might be
ahead, he bravely kept on without
faltering. No other mines exploded,
however, and it is believed that the
Spaniards hrd only these two in place.
Only few minutes later the shore
battery at Cavite Point sent over the
shot that nearly hit the bat
terry in Manila, but soon the guns got
a better range, and the shells began to
strike near us or burst close aboard
from the batteries and the Spanish
vessels.
The heat was intense. Men stripped
off all clothing except their trousers.
As the Olympia drew nearer, all was
silent on board, as if the ships had
been empty, except for the whirr of
blowers and the throb of the engines.
Suddenly shell burst directly over us.
Remember the Manner The cry
came from the boatswain's mate at the
after 5-inch gun, and then burst from
The Threats Of 500 men at the guns. This
was caught up in the tur-
rets and fire rooms, where every sea
man and fireman stood at his post.
.sRemember the Maine had rung
put for defiance and revenge. Its ut
ierance seemed unprecedented, but |
was evidently in every mans mind,
md, now that the moment had come to |
make adequate reply to the murder of
he Names crew, every man shouted |
what was in his heart. 4
The Olympia was now ready to begin I
he fight. Admiral Dewey. his chief
,taff commander. Lamberton, an aid |
~ ,,,x-or1f with Evoo11fix-a 0ffS oar