The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-07-06

their cruisers and two torpedo boats
were lying on the shore, 10 to Is
miles of MORO castle, pounded to
pieces, enoke and fame pouring from
every part of them and covering the
entire coast line with mist which
could be seen for miles
Heavy explosions of ammunition
occurred every few minutes. sending
cur!s Of dense white smoke a hundred
feet in the air and causing shower
of broken iron and steel TO fall in the
water on every side
The bluffs on the coast line echoed
with the roar of every explosion and
the Spanish vessels sank deeper and
deeper into the sand CT else the rocks
ground their hulls to pieces as they
rolled or pitched forward or sideways
with every wave that washed upon
them from the open sea.
Admiral Cervera escaped to the
shore in boat sent by the Gloucester
to the assistance of the lnfanta Maria
Teresa and as soon as he touched
the beach he surrendered himself and
his command to Lieut. Morton aud
asked to be taken on board the
Gloucester, which was the only
American vessel near him at the time
with several of his officers, including
the captain of the flagship.
The Spanish admiral. who vas
wounded in the arm. was taken to
the Gloucester and was received at
the gapgway by her commander.
Lieut. Commander Richard VAIN
wright, who grasped the hand of the
gray bearded admiral and said to
hin:
II congratulate you. sir, upon hav.
ing made as gallant fight as wac
ever witnessed on the sea-
Lieut.. Commander Wainwright
then placed his cabin at the disposal
of the Spanish officers
At tina. time the Spanish flagship
and four other Spanish vessels had
been aground and burning for two
hours, and the only one of the esoap-
ing feet which could not be seen at
this point was the Cristobal Colon
But half a dozen curis of smoke far
down on tae western horizon showed
the fate that was awaiting her The
Cristobal Colon was the fastest of
the Spanish ships aad she soon obtain.
ed lead over the others after Ieav-
ing the hartor and escaped the effect
of the shots which destroyed the
other vessels. She steamed away at
great speed with the Oregon, New
York, Brooklyn and several other
ships in pursuit, all of them firing at
her constantly and receiving fire
themselves from her after guns
There was no possibility whatever
for her escape, and while her fate is
not definitely known al this hour, it
can be readily imagined from the
words of Capt. Evans of the Iowa,
who returned from the westward
with $40 prisoners from the Vizcsya
Just as the Associated Press dispatch
boat was leaving the Spanish flagship.
In answer to an inquiry. he shout
ed through the megaphone: II left
the Cristobal Colon far to the west
ward an hour ago aud the Oregon
We giving her hell She has un-
doubtedly gone down With the others
and we will have Fourth of July
celebration in Santiago to morrow I"
Capt. Evans, who had been in the
thick of the engagement up to tie
time ne took the Viscaya's officers
and crew from the shore. said that to
the best of his knowledge not one
American ship had been struck
The torpedo boat Ericsson, which
also returned from the westward at
about the same time, made similar
report, saying it was believed that
no man was injured on board the
American ships, though another re.
pert had it that one man was killed
On board the Brooklyn, which could
not be verified as this dispatch was
seut
SPANISH LOSS FEARFUL
There was no means of telling now
what the Spanish loss was, but 1t was
believed to have been very heavy. as
the prisoners in custody report their
decks strewn with dead and wound
ed in great Numbers. and besides
there is statement that many bodies
could be seen fastened to pieces of
w1eckage floating in the sea after the
fight was over A large number of
the Spanish wounded was removed
to the American ships
There can be no doubt ghat Admi
raj Cervers's plan to escape from
H.