The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-07-12
BROOKLYN'S HARD FIGHT
PART TAKEN BY THE CoMMo-
DoRE'S FLAGSHIP.
Received a Terrific Fire from the
Spaniards and Was Seriously
Damaged-sampson Never Fired
Shot but Would Not Permit
Schley to Receive the Prisoners.

between the Americans and Spaniards
on the water was witnessed by the
correspondent of the Associated Press
from g. position almost at the elbow of
Commodore Schley.
When the Spanish fleet was sighted,
the Iowa was swinging a mile further
out than the rest Of the squadron, try
ing to fix her forward Pinch turret,
which was out Of repair, while the In
diana was doing the same thing to
her forward 13-inch turret. The abso-
luteiy available ships in the squadron,
therefore were only the Oregon, Texas
and Brooklyn, although later both Cap
tain Evans and Captain Taylor fought
their ships.
Navigator Hodgson was on the bridge
of the Brooklyn and was the first to
observe the moving smoke at the en-
trance to the harbor.
is not that smoke meving?" he
said 10 the lookout and after min
ute's inspection with the long glass,
dropped it excitedly and fairly yelled,
There's a big ship coming out of the
harbor, SIR
Hodgson, who is particularly cool
man. looked once himself, and then,
grasping the megaphone, shouted:
After bridge, there. Tell the commo-
doref the ensny's fleet is coming out"
Commodore Schley was sitting under
the awning on the quarterback. Going
to the bridge, he said: Raise the sig
nal to the feet And, turning to Cap
tain Cook, who stood near. he said,
Clear ship for action" Then he went
forward and took his place on a little
platform of wood running on the out
side of the coming tower, which had
been built for him.
The men with a yell went to their
were given. Schley, glasses in hand,
watched the first ship turn out and
saw her start for the west. Still he gave
no signal to fire or move. The Oregon
opened with her 12-inch shells and the
Indiana and Texas followed suit. But
the range was a long one. Still the
Brooklyn waited.
<0rced into the furnace, every boiler
was being worked and every gun made
ready to fire. In the meantime the
Oregon began to turn to the west and
the Texas had moved in closer and was
damaging the leading ship, the Infanta
Maria Teresa
They are all coming west, SIR said
Lieutenant Sears.
Full speed ahead, open fire." shout
ed the commodore. Fire deliberately
and don't waste a shot" he added. His
orderly carried the word to the turretS.
In an instant the Brooklyn's terrific
and 5-inch batteries on her port side
opened and the cruiser headed for
point in front of the first escaping ship,
firing and receiving the fire from TWO
CT them.
HEADED FOR BROOKLYN.
Then Commodore Schley saw that the
first ship was coming out from the
shore headed directly for the Brook
1xv., -,
ing her. Hard aport With your helm"
shouted Schley, and the cruiser began
to go around, the smoke coming from
her tunnels in big volumes. Quickly
she turned, and quickly her big steel
ram was pointing at the first ship. The
1nfanta Maria Teresa had to work in
shore TO avoid being rammed. The
shells of the Texas and Oregon, with
the terrible storms of shell from the
Brooklyn had done their work and the
smoke began to appear pouring from
her decks
At , o'clock the entire Cape Verde
squadron was outside the harbor, and
going rapidly westward. The Iowa and
the Indiana could not keep up the pace,
but the Oregon was coming across to
the assistance of the Brooklyn, which,
at 1905. was engaging the first three
ships, the Infanta Maria Teresa, Girls
tCbol Colon and the Vizcaya. AT 10:11
the Spanish ships had all concentrated
their shots at the Brooklyn, and she
was III q perfect rain of shells. most of
which went over her.
LOST HIS HEAD.
Standing in this hail of shells, Com
modOre Schley asked Il young man
named Ellis, who stood near him, with
d stadimeter: What is the distance to
the Vizcaya?" The man took the OBJ
servation. Twenty hundred yards,
sir he said, and there was a whistle
followed by = splash, as his head was
literally torn from his shoulders by an
S-inch shell
TOO bad" said Commodore SchIey,
as the body fell at his feet, and then,
with his glasses to his eyes, he added:
THE first ship is done for. She is run
ming ashore
The Maria Teresa was running her
nose or the beach, and in an Instant
was 4 mass OF flames. The Brooklyn
was ordered TO concentrate her ire on
the Aimirsnte Oquendo, and, with the
OregOn's assistance, in ten minutes
more, the Oquendo was sent ashore
burning. The Iowa, in the meantime,
had sunk one torpedo boat destroyer.
and the other one had been driven back
by the Gloucester's rapid fire
At 10:47 the Brooklyn turned her at
tention to the Vizcaya, the Cristobol
Colon having passed the latter, and
now being in the lead, well up the
coast. At this time the only vessels in
sight from the Brooklyn were the Ore
gon. about mile and half astern, and
the Texas. about three miles astern.
RAKED THE VIzCAYA.
At 1854 the Vizcaya was raked fore and
aft, clean along her gun deck by an eight
inch shell from the Brooklyn. Another one
minute later exploded f. her super
structure with terrific force. killing 50
people. She was afire and 4 1888 she
headed for the beach at Aceraderos,
where she went ashore. The Brooklyn ala
not stop, but went on the chase after the
Cr1stobal Colon, the Oregon closing rapid
ly up and following he-,
The other vessels at this time were from
six to eight miles behind and Admiral
sampson flag ship, the New York was
not IN sight. At Hos the Brooklyn |
slightly injured by the hail Of Spanish
shells stopped firing and the chase be- |
gan. The men came on deck aud BEGAN
TO cheer, never needing the whistle of the
spanish shells. TheY cheered for Schley
and Clark and the Oregon, and the
Oregon's men returned the cheer The
chase was in full force at 1855 The
Colon. at a distance of FIVE miles. Rugged /
the shore, but Schley ordered the Oregon ]
to follow her, and then. with the Brook |
lyn. ne made = straight course for Cape
Cruz, around which she would have to |
steer on a long deteur to get away.
IN an hour the Brooklyn had gained ap-
and so had the Oregon. and |
Commodore Schley signaled over to the /
Oregon 10 try one OF those 13-inch railroad |
trains on her" There was a terrible roar |
as the big shell went by the Brooklyn. |
but then hearty cheer, as the big thing |
struck the water close astern OF the /
tried. which reached the mark. and there
were more cheers. Then the Brooklyn |
opened her forward and starboard eight |
inch guns. and one shell was seen to go |
through the Colon at the ton of her |