New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-29
THE FIHING FAST AND FURIOUS.
DESTRUCTION OF CERVERAs FLEET AS
SEEN FROM THE ERICSSON -RESCU-
ING THE SPANIARDS

United States Torps do-boat Ericsson
HaT5oT OF Guantanamo. Cuba. JIly .. 1895.
SIT F1rst-ln obedience TO Article 49, Page S.
United States Navy Regulations 1896 ! respectfully
report that on the morning % July 1895 the Uni,.i
states torpedo-b boat Ericsson was proceeding undc.
hall-speed the s;arboard quarter OF the United
States flagship New-Nork toward Sboncy when the
enemy was sighted coming ont OF Santiago en-
trance. We being then five six miles 10 the east
ward OF the Moro The vessels OF our feet were
hr.ns on the enc ny. The helm was put hard aport
AZ once. ami full power pIt IS speedily as pos
siole. and the course directed toward the onemy's
sIips. the crew At quarters and tho vessel IN all
respects ready to deliver torpedo attack. BY the
time We had turned 20 westward tgYo OF the csny's
vessels Were "It In plain sight: they followed
at snort Intervals 10y the other two cruisers and
then after 7ns nterNa. Ivy the TWO torpe boat
destToyers. The IRE of the shore batteries sup
portel the enemys feet and the nre % both fleets
was rapid ana continuous. The flagship Neu-York
had hOisted Signal No 260 Close in toward harbor
entrance ana attack vessels Tho Ericsson pro-
ceeied as fast rs possible. the steam pressure and
speed gradually increasing Tho shore batteries
at entrance 10 Santiago were directing their FIRE
on The Gloucester at this time which was holly on
gagged with the tW0-torpedo boa destroyers A. fun
speed we drew near tie entrance. and No passed
and a!tcrwari the FIRE % The shore batteries
directed on MS Several shells s'rlck near us short
beyond. ana two burst overhead and over The
Ericsson vas no, struck Tho Brooklyn the Texas
the Oregon. the Iowa ana the Inliana were closely
engaged win the Colon. the Nlzcaya the Oqgcn!o
ana the Marie Teresa, ana The nrins furious
A. W drew near the two torp-io-boa- testroycrs
we're seen 10 strike 90 tho Gloucester. and the
Maria Teresa and Tie OQuendo % run ashore strike
their colors and display white flags They were
both on fire. ana clouds Of steam were arising from
their matches ard ports The Indiana remained
near them. the Iowa directed her fire on the
Nzcaya. and the oregon Joined In the chase OF tho
Colon. The course OF the Ericsson was directed
toward the Nizcaya. prepared to deliver torpedo
attack, but before could arrive within striking
distance the Nzcaya seen to strike 10 The
Iowa run ashore and burst into flames her engines
being LEFT running ana clouds O.: steam arising from
all her openings deck and in her s.1es The
course OF the Ericsson was then set for the Colon
witch running very fast the westward pur-
sued by the Brooklyn. tho Texas and the oregon
As the Ericsson Was hauling away from the New
York IN the chase the signal made. lnterroga-
tory No. 2s72 Request permission 20 continue the
chase" The flagship hoisted NEGATIVE. ana by wig
wag signals directed the Ericsson 20 pick up men In
the water astern Turned with port helm and found
ana picked up one man anoat on a piece Of wreck
age and then returned 70 tho chase. the Sew York
in the mean tine chasing FAST after n" Colon. As
came up with the Iowa lying about two miles
seward OF TIE Vizcaya the Ericsson hailed
and directed 10 go inshore and rescue tho crew o,
the Vizcaya from tho burning vessel Ran close
alongside the Vizcaya and sent small boat 10 her.
boats from Iowa pulling IN also at the same time.
Explosions from the ammunition on board tho
Vizcaya began about this time. and her gun,
which mad been Jeff londc5 fred one after the
other by the flames. The NiZcaya vas on hrc fore
and afi but the mass Of the Ere was ait. and the
position Of the Fri pcrops n the extreme.
and only the urgency OF the occasion caused her 70
r4roatn Rescued eleven of1ccrs and about ninety
sailors ana marines from the vessel many oi mem
sorcly wounded The Spanish were 10 sooner taken
On board than they urged immediate withdrawal OF
the Ericsson but this vessel remained until all alive
had been taken from the Nizcaya by the Ericssois
small boat and the boats from the Iowa. One of
the Nizcayas large cutters was also mcf The
Ericsson's deck vas then crowded with prisoners.
most Of them naked and many Of them wounded.
and she returned to the Iowa towing the NAchyas
cutter also filed with prisoners.
THE REsOLUTE REPORTS A BATTLE-SHlP
These were all put on board the Iowa. and tho
Ericsson was by her dire red verify the in!orm2-
,ion gwen by the KesolIte. which came up from
os,uard and s,snalled. "Fnemys ships 20 east-
gard" Spoke Resolutc. which reported tnat she
had made out an enemy's tat'le-ship OF Sloohey'
,hen smoke transport Comal. which had only seen
the signal displayed by the Resolutc theh spoke
Harvard. whch reported having made oul d"
cnonov.s bat.le-ship: requested the Harvard TO
,te,. ,,e Ioua ana proceeded under full speed 10
..e,u,ard of vicinity OF SibOncy sighted inc
Indiana and an Austrian battle-ah.p Inc lhd''''i
eiooalled the Ericsson TO come wltlh num- '''i
atc,,d that we proceed under fun speed TO west
yya,d 10 notify vessels OF presence % A"sl'i'"
,o,,Io-ship the Maria Theresa winch oes"'"s
>, ,o into Santiago had been referred to inc
rder-in-chicf IN view OF the existing coHdl-
,,g proceeded as directed until up with the
ro,ca Reported to the Iowa ana tAa' our co'i' was
80, ,onc and that were using salt ieed III
a., houcrs tho vessel only carrying two hours
.s. fc,d AT full power and the Ericsson then nav
Co., neon oyer four hours under fun power l"cci''1
,.-io, ~ return 20 eastward, ana pTocefneu u''-
a. tocoilod bv the Harvard 20 come WITHIN nail 10y
49, cos directed 10 tow her boats to ana l!'" 'he
,,o, wrecks of the Maria Teresa ara uhe
o~nd. this was accordingly done until no more
-. ,.r,oincd TO be rescued from The vessels tho
I,,,i,g prisoners being ali ashore on the peach.
| u.ceived permission from The Harvard 10 P'"oe',
" AURA About p m. spoke the Iowa ana
.t.od norn,ssion 10 go 10 Guantanamo ior co'i
49,, o,,cr at which harbor the Ericsson a'i'o'
.. OF, p m and reported the victory to the com
AN officer o. the United States batue-s'"P
,,.ocbuset,s the senior officer present
c.oodT There were no casualties on board 'hiS
vessel , 49,, ood conduct OF
-, 1von eunner's mate second class VINO
o,o.d the small boat and brought OH inc oi0e'a
a mon from the Of the Nizcaya uu'y Va
-, danger from the incessant explosions OF NH
n,,,n,,op on board her. Very respectfully
in"'''' " r. USHER.
r,,,or,n, l. S n Comma nding.
Tho Commander-in-Chef. u. S. Naval force.