The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1898-07-08

The following graphic description of
the attempted fight and the subse-
quent destruction of Admiral Cerveras
fleet is from the pen of Harry s. Brown.
special correspondent of the New York
Herald and London Times:
Scattered along the shore for dis
tance of ten miles to the west of MORO
castle now lie the four-armored cruis-
ers and two torpedo boat destroyers
that comprised Admiral Cervera's fleet
In running fight of two hours these
vessels, the cream of the Spanish navy,
were almost annihilated this morning
by the powerful ships of Admiral
Simpsons fleet under the immediate
command of Commodore Schley.
Admiral Cervera, after making as
plucky fight against overwhelming
odds as is recorded in naval history,
was compelled to surrender. He was
taken as prisoner of war, together with
every man of his feet not drowned or
killed in the action. The Spanish ad-
miral was wounded in one arm
His splendid ships, the CrIstobal Co.
Ion, flagship; the vizcaya, Almirante
Oquendo and Infanta Maria Teresa.
and Pluto lie on the Cuban rocks, shell.
riddled, smoking hulks.
Cervera, on the Colon, made the long
est run toward liberty. He yielded to
fate only in the face of death, and is
aprisoner now on the Gloucester, which
before the war was j. Pierpont Nor
gan's yacht Corsair.
When his ships, all afiame, were
pounding on the shore ten miles from
Santiago, boat from the Gloucester
put out to him, and he gave his sword
to Lieut.. Morton, who was in charge
AS the Golden Rod steamed past the
flagship, after the battle, l was in
formed by an officer on the deck that
Admiral Cervera, with 1900 of his
men, had surrendered. OF the pris-
oners, more than 400 of the crew of the
Vizcaya were taken by the Iowa, Capt.
Evans.
Every vessel in Admiral SIMPSONS
fleet went through the fierce engage
ment without injury. But one man in
the American fleet was killed and two
were injured.
From the very first of the fighting
the little Gloucester was in the thick
est OF 1t. At one time she was pour
ing her six-pounder shells against the
entire Spanish fleet, while the guns of
MORO castle were making her their
target. She riddled the Spanish de-
stoyers and fought the Vizcaya and
Oquendo as fercely as il she were a
battleship.
Magnificent beyond description was
the bold dash by which Cervera at
tempted to get his fleet out of Santiago
harbor. Cervera himself led the way
with his flagship. the Cristobal Colon
1t was to be dash to liberty or to
death, and the Spanish admiral made
the plunge with eyes open.
Sunday quiet rested over the en-
trance TO Santiago harbor. No signs
of life were visible about old Moro.
Beyond and toward the city of Santi-
ago all was still. After two days of
fighting the armies of both nations
were resting In their trenches Off
this way, for distance of half dozen
miles from shore, the vessels of Admit
raj SIMPSONS fleet lay lazily at their
stations.
Admiral Sampson, desiring to ascer-
tain the exact condition of the Spanish
coast defenses about Aguadores, or
dered the flagship to go in that direc-
ton. All alone the New York leisurely
steamed Oft to the eastward.
Idle thoughts occupied the minds
of the men in the fleet. They were
speculating,as they had been for weeks,
when would come their opportunity TO
''get at" the Spanish fleet in the harbor
Suddenly as a flash, at 900 O'clock, a
vessel appeared near the entrance to
the harbor. She was throwing out
great black clouds of smoke, and was
pointing straight toward the Ameri-
can fleet.
The ease of the American officers and
sailors rudely was disturbed. They
grabbed their glasses, scanned the
harbor entrance, and were amazed to
discover that an armored cruiser was
coming out.
In the absence of Admiral Sampson
Commodore Sehley, from the Brook
Ign, ordered the American warships to
rush in shore. In a few moments it
was seen that the vessel emitting
such great clouds of smoke was the
Cristobal Colon, Admiral Cervera's
flagship. She had passed the wreck
of the Merrimac and was making for
the sea at full speed
Before Commodore Schley and his
men could recover from their surprise
other clouds of smoke came into view
beyond the Cristobal Colon.
With a rush fully equal to that of
the Spanish flagship, the Almirante