The San Francisco call., 1898-06-08
NOTHING COULD HAVE WITHSTOOD
 DEWEYS ATTACK
Chief Gunner Evans Says the Americans Fought Like
 Veritoble DemoDs.

The heart of the nation and the ad- miration of the world have been stirred by the story of Manila It has been told often. The bravery of the Ameri- can commander, his defiance of the guns of the enemy his assurance that against the pluck of his men nothing could stand, has passed into history, so rapidly has history been made since the day Commodore Dewey-now, by virtue of merit, Admiral Dewey-was told to capture or destroy the Spanish fleet in the Philippines. How courageously he undertook the task, how he carried it through, has become as a tale that is told.
 But yesterday the Belgic from the far-aWay Asiatic station steamed in at the Golden Gate. On board of her were men who had been part of Dewey's force, men who had been on the ships which passed the guns of CaYite that morning of the 1st of May, who had stood by the laundering cannon when they had said to the Spanish that noth- ing but death or defeat awaited them. The arrival of these men renewed in terest in the grand and uneQualed feat of Dewey. The incidents imperfectly conveyed by cable they have at their tongues end. And yet they tell these as if they had had no part in the glori- ous event which gave Amerlca a place among nations such as she had never before occupied.
 One of these men is Joel c. Evans. He was chief gunner on the Boston. and though his time of sea service had expired he managed to stay with his ship. He knew that a battle was im- pending and he wished to be in it. Evans is the most modest of mortals. Upon his garments is no smell of fire, and yet he was on duty all the time the squadron passed before the forts of Cavite, beyond to the point at which the Spanish lay at anchor, and saw the ships of Castle sent to the bottom or given to the flames, which in some in stances ragged for days before the charred hulk sank beneath the waters.
 Was anybody scared as the ships approached Manila?" Mr. Evans was asked as he meditatively smoked a cigar.
 Well" he responded. there was one man who seemed to think of danger. He was an old man whose term of serv- ice had nearly expired. As We got near Manila, where We had every reason to believe we would not be welcome, he seemed to be scared. But, bless you, the minute the real business began he had not thought of fear. He was too busy. l do not deny that I felt bit shaky myself, but the feeling passed away.
 "O1 course" continued Mr. Evans, the whole thing has been related. Your man Stickney was by Dewey on the bridge of the Olympia, and as cool as cucumber. He would take notes in the thickest of the fight. or a snap shot when there was a good oppor- tunity. His coolness was like that of the men of the whole feet They were all eager to defeat the enemy, and yet some of the men in their anxiety to see the fight had to be recalled to attention to their duties. They wanted to look out and see how things were progress ing. There was not one among them who manifested a disposition to shirk. The work they had was terrific They toiled in an atmosphere which was we'll nigh unendurable. and kept at their posts until they fell from exhaustion.
 The whole affair was remarkable During the engagement the flagship hoisted many signals, and for all the smoke and excitement there was not one of the signals but what was read and obeyed. Our first engagement was In the early morning, and when we withdrew and the signals flashed from ship to ship that not man had been killed there was cheer that was an inspiration. When the engagement was renewed the men went into it with a spirit simply invincible. Nothing could have withstood them. They had the confidence of veterans and the enthu- siasm of patriots
 How many of the Spanish were killed will never be known. That they fought bravely, nobody who was there will deny. have a particular admira- ton for the captain and crew of the San Juan de Ulloa. This ship simply would not surrender. The carnage on board of her, as on some of the other ships, must have been dreadful, but her colors were flying to the last and her guns boomed as long as they were above water. She went down with every flag streaming, although shot to pieces and her decks strewn with dead.
 There were many narrow escapes; this was inevitable. One shell pene- trated the Baltimore, cut through sev- eral partitions, struck the inside of shield, which forms the segment of a circle, scored it from side to side and then failed to explode. It will be kept as relic of the battle.
 II do not pretend to say why the Spanish did not hit us, for the shells were flying all about. They cannot shoot. that Is certain, for. including the IOTlS anu lHe SHipS, they DdQ more guns than we had.
 "On the Boston were eighteen Chinese servants. They had been accustomed to no harder work than making beds or waiting at the table, and yet during the engagement they manned the whips and worked until their hands were raw. and after the excitement was over went about their regular rou- tine as if nothing had happened One of them said to me: If can't land in America now. I'll write t o President Mckinley about it. I told him, as I looked at his bleeding hands, that I thought he ought to be allowed to land"
 Many incidents did Evans tell of the fight-the stealthy approach to the harbor. the passing of the silent forts. each expected momentarily to belch forth it's Ieaden protest, the steady. on- ward sweep of the squadron, the futile but courageous resistance of the Span ish fleet He paid a high tribute to Captain Gridley of the Olympia, whose body is now on the sea, coming back to the land of the captains birth and of his affection.
 'Gridley." he said. twas sick and not,