Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1898-05-12

you may fire when ready, Gridley"
said the Commodore, and at SAL o'clock |
at a range OF $500 yards, the starboard |
8-inch gun in the forward turret roared |
forth a compliment to the Spanish forts
Presently similar guns from the Balti- |
more and the Boston sent 25O-pound ]
shells hurling toward the Castillo and I
Reina Christina for accuracy.
The Spaniards seemed encouraged to |
fire faster, knowing exactly our distance !,
while we had to guess theirs. Their
ship and shore guns were making
things hot for US. The piercing
scream of shot was varied often by the
bursting Of time-fuse shells, fragments
of which would lash the water like
shrapnel, or cut out hull and rigging.
One large she'll that was coming
straight at the Olympia's forward bridge
fortunately fell within less than 100
feet away. One fragment cut the rig
ginR exactly over the heads of Lam
bertOn, Reeves and myself. Another
struck the bridge grating in line with
it. A third passed under Com modore
Dewey and gouged hole in the deck
Incidents like that we're plentiful.
Our men naturally chafed at being ex-
posed without returning fire from all
our guns, but laughed at danger and
chatted good humOredly. A few nervous
fellows could not help lodging, mech
aniCally, when shells would burst right
over them, or close aboard, or would
strike the water and pass overhead with
the peculiar spluttering roar made by
a tumbling rifled prOjectile.
Still the flagship steered for the CEN
ter OF the Spanish line, and as our other
ships were astern, the Olympia receiv-
ed most of the Spaniards' attention.
Owing to our deep draught Commodore
Dewey felt constrained to change his
course at distance of 1000 yards, and
run parallel to the Spanish column,
open with all guns" he said and
the ship brought her port-brOadside
bearing. The roar of all the hagships
5-inch rapid-hrers was followed by q
deep diapRson Of her turret S-inchers.
Soon our other vessels we're equally
hard at work, and we could see that our
shells were making Cavite harbor hot
! ter for the Spaniards than they had
made the approach for US.
Other ships were also doing their
whole duty, and soon not one rcd and
| yellow flag remained aloft, except on a
! battery up the coast The Spanish flag
! ship and the Castillo had long been
! burning fercely, and the last vessel to
be abandoned was the Don Antonio de
! UllOa, which lurched over and then
| sank. Then the Spanish flag on the
arsenal staff was hauled down, and at
| half past 12 o'clock a white flag was
! hoisted there. Signal was made to the
Petrol to destroy all the vessels in the
I inner harbor, and Lieut.. Hughes, with
an armed boats crew, set fire to the
! Don Juan de Austria, Marquise Duero,
the lsla de Cuba and the Correo The
| large transport Manila, and many tug
boats and small craft fell. into our
hands,
Capture or destroy the Spanish
| squadron" were Dewey's orders. New
or were instructions more effectually
] carried out within seven hours after ar
irving on the scene of action. Nothing
remained to be done.
Protected by their shore batteries and
made safe from close attack by shallow
low water, the Spaniards were in a
strong position. They put up gallant
night. The Spanish ships were sailing
back and forth behind the Castillo, and
their fire, too, was hot.
One shot struck the Baltimore and
passed clean through her, fortunately
hitting no one. Another ripped the up
per main-deck, disabled a siX-inch gun
and exploded box OF three FOUNDER
ammunition, wounding eight men,
The Olymp was struck abreast the
gun In the ward-rOom by shell, which
burst outside, doing little damage.
The signal halyards were cut from
Lieut. Brumby's hand on the after
bridge. A she'll entered the Boston'l
porto uarter and burst in Ensign bod
ridges staterOOm starting a hot fire
and fire was also caused by shell,
which burst in the port-hammoch net
ting. Both these fires were soon pur
out, Another shell passed through the
BostOn's foremost just in front of Capt
Wilde, on the bridge.
After having made four runs along
the Spanish lines, finding the chart in
! correct, Lieut.. Calkins, the Olympi,
navigator told the commodore he be
LEVIED he could take the ship nearer tn,
enemy, with lead going TO watch th,
depth of water. Tho flagship started
over the course for the fifth time, run
ming within two thousand yards OF thu
Spanish vessels.
At this range even siX-pounders weru
effective, and the storm of shells poured
upon the unfortunate Spanish began Il
show marked results.
Three Of the enemys vessels we're seel
burning, and their fire slakened.
On finishing this run, COmmOdor
Dewey decided to give his men break
fast, as they had been al the guns tw
hours, with only one cup of coffee t
sustain them. Action ceased tempora
rily at thirty-fve minutes past 7o'clocl
the other ships passing the flagship an
cheering Justify.