Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-06-14
REPORT FROM DEWEY.
The Commander OF the Victorious Asiatic
Squadron Tells of the Battle Of Manila.

dSllQRlOu,
partment to-day made public the fol-
lowing letter received from Admiral
Dewey this afternoon, being its first
mail advices from him since he reach
ed Manila:
Flagship Olympia, Cavite, May 4,
1S9S.-The squadron left Mrs Bay on
April q.
Arrived off Bolinao on the morning
of April 10th, and finding no vessels
there, proceeded down the coast and
arrived off the entrance to Manila Bay
On the same afternoon. TIE Boston
and Concord were sent to reconnoitre
Port Subc
A thorough search of the port was
made by the Boston and the Concord,
but the Spanish feet was not
found Il
Entered the South channel at IL: IS
p. M, steaming in column at eight
knots After half the squadron had
passed. battery on the south side Of
the channel opened fire, none of the
shots taking effect. The Boston and
McCulloch returned the fire. The
squadron proceeded across the bay at
slow speed and arrived off Manila at
daybreak, and was fired upon at 515
a. M. by three batteries at Manila and
two near Cayite, and by the Spanish
feet anchored in an approximately east
and west line across the mouth Of
Baker Bay, with their left in shoal
water in Canacac Bay. The squadron
| then proceeded to the attack. The
flagship Olympia under my personal di-
rection, leading, followed at distance
by the Baltimore, Raleigh. Petrol, Con-
cord and Boston, in the order named,
which formation was maintained
throughout the action The squadron
opened fire at 5:41 a. m. While adj
vancing to the attack, two mines were
exploded ahead of the flagship, too far
to be effective. The squadron main
tanned a continuous and precise fire at
ranges varying from 5000 to 1000
yards, countermarching in line ap-
proximately parallel to that of the
Spanish fleet The enemy's fire was
vigorous but generally ineffective.
Early in the engagement two launches
put out toward the Olympia with the
apparent intention of using torpedoes.
One was sunk and the other disabled
by our fire and beached before an OPP
portunity occurred to fire torpedoes.
At Z a. m. the Spanish flagship Reina
Christina made desperate attempt to
leave the line and come out to engage
at short range, but was received with
CALLING fire, the entire battery of the
Olympia being concentrated upon her
that she was barely able to return to
the shelter of the point. The fires
started in her by our shells at this time
were not extinguished until she sank.
The three batteries at Manila had kept
up continuous report from the beginning
of the engagement, which fire was not re-
turned by this squadron. At this point
sent a message to the governor general
to the effect that if the batteries did not
cease firing the city would be shelled.
This had the effect of silencing them.
At 7:35 a. m. 1 ceased firing and with
drew the squadron for breakfast. At LIS
a. m, returned to the attack. BY this
time the Spanish flagship and almost the
entire Spanish fleet were in flames AT
1880 the squadron ceased firing, the bat
teries being silenced, and the ships sunk,
burnt and deserted. At 12:4o p. M the
squadron returned and anchored off Man
liza, the Petrol being left behind to COM
plete the destruction of the smaller gun
boats, which were behind the point of
Cavite. This duty was performed by
Commander e. p. Wood in the most ex-
peditous and complete manner possible.
The Spanish lost the following vessels:
Sunk, Riena Christina, Castella, Don An
tonic de Ulloa; burnt, Don Juan de Aus
tria; 1sla de Luzon; Isla de Cuba, General
Leo, Marquis del Duero, Ell Correo, We
lasco and Isla de Mindano transporD;
captured, apdo and Hercules dugs), and
several smaller launches. l am unable to
obtain complete accounts of the enemy's
killed and wounded, but believe their
losses to be very heavy. The Riena Chris
tina alone had one hundred and fifty
killed, including the captain, and ninety
wounded. 1 am happy to report that
the damage done to the squadron under
my command was inconsiderable There
We're none killed and only seven men in the
squadron very slightly wounded.
Several of the vessels were struck and
even penetrated, but the damage was OF
the slightest and the squadron is in as
good condition now as before the battle.
l beg to state to the department that T
ever served by more loyal, efficient and
gallant captains than those Of the SQUAD
ron now under my command. On
May I'd. the day following the engage
ment, the squadron again went to Cayite.
where it remains. > On the ard the
military forces evacuated the Cavite ar
senal, which was taken possession of by
a landing party. On the same day the
Raleigh and Baltimore secured the sur
render of the batteries on Correigdor
Island, paroling the garrison and DESTROY
ing the guns. On the morning Of Nav 4th
the transport Manila, which had been
aground in Baker Bay, was lowed off and
made prize.
CABELL DEMOCRATS