Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-07-14
TOLD BY FIGHTING BOB"
Thrilling Story of the Scenes Al
tendant Upon the Dest;uc-
ton Of the Vizcaya.
SHIPS BOTTOM DEEP WITH BLOOD
Heroism of the Wounded Span
ish Sailors--Frlghtful Hor-
rors of War Succeeded
by the Kindly Min
istratlons of
Peace.
SHIPS BOTTOM DEEP WITH BLOOD

Santiago de Cuba, July I-CRpt.
Evans, in his reports OF the battle
which resulted in the destruction of
Admiral Cervera's fleet, tells graphic
story Of what he saw when he went on
board the Vizcaya He says:
''All the Spaniards were absolutely
without clothes. Some had their legs
torn off by fragments of shells. Others
were mutilated in every conceivable
way.
1.-THE bottoms Of tho boats heli two
or three inchea Of bood. In many casee
dead men were lying in the blood.
Five poor chaps died on the way to the
ship They were aftsrward buried with
military honors from the Iowa. Some
examples of heroism, or, more properly,
devotion to discipline and duty, could
never be surpassed. One man on tho
lost Vizoaya had his left arm almost
shot off just below the shoulder. The
fragments were hanging by a small
piece OF skin. But he climbed unas-
sisted over the side and sauted as If on
visit of ceremony. Immediately after
him came strong, hearty sailor. whose
left leg had been shot of above tho
knee He was hoisted on hoard the
Iowa with a tackle, but never within
per came from him. Gradually the
mangled bodies and naked well men
accumulated, until it would have been
almost difficult to recognize the Iowa
as a United States battlesnip.
Foop IN PLACE OF sAor AND SHE'LL.
BLOOD was all over her usually
white quarterdeck, and 272 naked men
were being supplied with water and
food by those who. few minutes be-
fore had been using a rapid fire battery
GU them. Finally came the boats with
Capt Eulate, commander OF the
Vizcayn, for whom char. was lowered
over the side, as he was evidently
wounded. The captains guard of
marines was drawn up on the quarter
deck to salute him anu stood waiting
to welcome him. As the chair was
scented arms. Capt Eulate slowly
raised himself in the chair, saluted me
with grave dignity, unbuckled his
sword belt and holding the hit of the
sword before him, kissed it reyerenty
with tears In his eyes, and then sur
rendered it to me.
SAD FAREWELL TO HIS SHIP.
"Of course, I declined to receive his
sword and, AS the crew Of the Iowa
saw this, they chesred like wild men.
As started TO take Capt. Eulate into
the cabin to let the doctors examine his
wounds, the magazines on board the
Vizcaya exploded with tremendous
burst of flame. Capt. Eulate, extend
ing his hands, said, 'Adios, Vizcaya.
There goes my beautiful ship. captain. >
And 30 vs. psased on to the cabin,
mi ar0 tho tnrtnru nraccad bic Ahraa
wounds. In the meantime, 10 officers
of the Vizcaya had been picked up,
beside 272 of her crew. Our ward,
room and steerage officers gave up their
staterooms and furnished food, clothing
and tobacco to those naked officers
from the Vizoaya. The paymaster
issued uniforms to the naked sailors,
and each wus given all the cornsd beef,
coffee and bareback he could eat. The
war had assumed another aspect.
"As knew, the crews of the first
two ships wrecked had not been visited
by any of our vessels, | ran down to
them. l found the Gloucester With
Admiral Csrvera and a number of his
officers aboard and also large number
of wounded, some In frightfully
manaled condition. Many prisoners
had been killed on shore by the fire ui
tho Cubans.
''rhe Harvard came off and re.
qussted Capt. Cotton to go in and take
of the crews of ths 1nfanta Maria
Teresa and the Almirante Oquendo,
and by midnight the Harvard had 07t
prisoners aboard. great number oil
them wounded.
cERyEHNs COURAGE uNEQuALLEp.
For courage and dash thers'is nj
parallel in history to the action of th,
Spanish admiral. Ho came, as hl
knew, to absolute destruction. Ther,
was one single hope. That was thai
the Cristohal Colon would steam fastel
than the Brooklyn. The spectacle O
two torpedohoat destroyers, pape
shells at best. deliberately steaming GU
10 broad daylight in the face of th
fire of battleship can only lie de
scribed in one way. 1t was Spanish
and it was ordered by Blanco. TIL
sane must be said OF the entiie move
ment.
e In CONTRAST to this Spanish fashion
was the cool, deiiberats Yankoe work
The American squadron was withou
sentiment, apparently. The ships wen
at their Spanish opponents and liter
ally tore them to pieces, But tn
-sOhiShe tae hSpuhlna nag Cttiut uUWu
must have been evident that ths senti
ment was among the Americans, No
among the Spaniards.
." took Admiral Cervera aboard th
Iowa from the Gloucester, which ha
rescued him from the dead. and re
ceived him with full admiral's guard
The crew OF the Iowa crowded aft owe
tbs turrets, half-naked and black wit
powder, as Cervera stepped over til
side bareheaded. Over his undershjl
he wore thin suit of flannel, borrowe
from Lieutenant Commander Wair
wright of the Gloucester. The Gre
cheered vociferously. Cervera is aver
inch an admiral. even II he had q,
any hat. lie submitted to the fortune
Of war with a grace that proclaime
him thoroughbred.
Peaches aud Wheat.
Members of the United Stat