The age-herald., 1898-07-24
TERRIBLE FIRE
 OF THE BROOKLYN Secondary Battery Drove Span iards From Their Guns. AWFUL DAMAGE WAS DONE Captain Eulate, of the Yizcaya, Says
 It Was Fnghtful. SOME OF THE THRILLING INCIDENTS Capt. Murphy, of SchIeys Flagship, Tells of His Mems Bravery. CORPORAL ROBERT GAY'sDARING ACT The Battle Orderlies Will Merit Place Among Those Whose Conduct During
 the Fight Entitle Them to
 Special Mention.
Capt. Murphy, of SchIey's Flagship,
 Tells of His Mems Bravery.
CORPORAL ROBERT GAY'sDARING ACT
Correspondence of the Associated Press

Correspondence or the Associated PresS
 Off Santiago De Cuba, July 12.-"The sec ondary battery fire of the Brooklyn was re- ally terrible. It drove my men from the guns and when you were at close range did frightful work" said Captain Eulate, two days after Schleys defeat of the Span ish squadron and rescued officer of the Oquendo said that nearly one-half of the terrible damage to that ship was done by one and six pounders which constitute the secondary battery. The board of survey ordered by the commander -in-chief, fourd forty-six six-pounder holes in the Oquendo above her armor belt and evidence that nearly all had entered and exploded.
 In the Vizcaya there were eleven six pounder holes and dozens of one-pounders and on those two ships the tattoo of death- dealing shell must have been appalling. The terrible effect of secondary batteries on the Oquendo is somewhat explained by the fact that she was the last ship out and nearest the torpedo boats and the Brooklyn, Texas and Iowa simply riddled her as she attempted to defend the two destroyers The work on the Vizcaya was apparently done by the Brooklyn alone because no one ship was near enough to her to use the small guns. The men on board the ships who man these batteries are marines and they fight them in the most exposed parts of the ships with little or no protec- tion.
 Captain Paul St. Clair Murphy of the Brooklyn was the senior marine officer and on the ships that did the fighting on July 8, and he comments greatly the valiant work done by the men in his corps Speaking of the men on the Brooklyn, he tells one very thrilling incident. He says:
 Did Their Duty ManfulIy
 "When all did their duty manfuly, it is difficult to select individuals for special mention. There are some, however, who deserve to be brought to notice by name for conduct they displayed iL conspicuous manner, courage, intelligence, and devotion to duty. During the early part of the &C., tion cartridge damned in the bore of the starboard forward six-pounder and in the effort to withdraw 1t the case became de- tached from the projectile, leaving the lat ter fast in the bore and impossible to ex- tract from the rear. Corporal Robert Gay of the port gun asked and obtained per- mission to try to drive the shell out by means of the rammer. To do this 1t was necessary to go out on the gun hanging over the water, and the undertaking was full of danger, in great measure exposed to the blast of the S-inch turret guns firing overhead. The gun was hot, and 1t was necessary to cling to the "cobweb ladder with one hand, with the ether endeavoring to manipulate the rammer. After a brave effort he was forced to give up and ordered in. Quarter Gunner Smith then came, sent by Executive Officer Mason, and promptly placed himself in the dangerous position outside the gunport, where he worked and ended as the corporal had done.'
 "Neither had been able to get the rammer in the bore and there seemed nothing left to do but dismount the gum At this june lure, Private McNeil, one of the guns crew. volunteered to go out and make a final effort. The gun was so important, the starboard battery being engaged, that as forlorn hope he was permitted to make the attempt He pushed out boldly and set to work. The guns of the forward S-inch ,turret were firing, almost knocking him overheard and the enemy's shots were com ing with frequency into his immediate neighborhood. It was at this time the chief voeman was killed the other side of the deck McNeil never paused in his work. The rammer was finally placed in the bore and the shell elected and McNeil resumed his duties as coolly as II what ne had done was a matter of every day rou- tine.
 The Battle Orderlies
 .sThe battle orderlies will merit place among those whose conduct is worthy of special mention. They were on the move constantly bearing battle orders from Commodore Schley and Captain Cook and in no instance did they fail in the prompt and intelligent performance of their re- sponsible duties. The signal men occupied very exposed positions during the action and rendered excellent service. Signal | halyards and numbers and speed cones were | riddled by small projectiles and fragments l of bursting shell, casualties that show in l what zone of danger the signal men per formed their duties Signal men Combs | and Mcintyre and Battle Orderlies Rall | And Ravis were so near Yoeman Ellis when 1, he was killed that they were spattered l |, (Continut on Second Page.)