The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-07-25
BROOKLYN'S FIRE.
Terrible Work of Her Secondary Bat
terry in the Engagement off San
tiago de Cuba.

secondary battery fre or the Brooklyn
was really terrible. 1t drove my men
from their guns, and when you were
at close range did frightful work."
said Captain Eulate two days after
the destruction of the Spanish squad
ron, and a rescued officer of the AL
mirante Oquendo said that nearly one
half of the terrible damage to that
ship was done by 1 and 8 Founders,
which constitute the secondary bat
terry. The board of survey ordered by
the commander in chief found forty
six 6-pounder holes in the Almirante
Ouuendo above her armor belt, and
evidence that nearly all had entered
and exploded.
In the Vizcaya there were eleven g.
FOUNDER holes, and dozens of 1-poun-
ders and on these two ships the tat
too of death h-dealing shells must have
been appalling. The terrible work of
the secondary batteries on the Amir
ante Oqucndo Is somewhat explained
by the fact that she was the last ship
out, and nearest the torpedo boats, and
the Brooklyn, the Texas and the Iowa
simply riddled her as she attempted
to defend the two destroyers. The
work on the Nizcaya was apparently
done by the Brooklyn alone, because
no other ship was near enough to use
the small guns.
The men who man these batteries
are marines, and they fight them in
the most exposed parts of the ship,
with little or no protection. Captain
Paul st. Clair Murphy, Of the Brook
lyn, was the senior marine officer pres
ent on the ships that did the fighting
on July 3, and he highly commended
the work done by the men of his corps.
Speaking of the men on the Brooklyn,
he tells of a thrilling incident He says:
THE men were full OF enthusiasm,
but there was no excitement or disor-
der, and apparently no concern for
personal safety. The battery was
handled with admirable coolness and
dclberatiOn. Greater care could not
have ,cn taken in getting sights and
| aiming if the men had been at target
practice and each striving to make a
| record score. Considering the fact
! that the enemy were within effective
range throughout the greater part OF
! the action, the fire of the secondary
| battery must have been most destruc-
! tive to his men and material, and con-
! tributed its full share to bringing the
| battle to an end so speedily and with
so little loss to ourselves.
When all did their duty manfully it
is a difficult matter to select individu-
ais for special mention. There are
some however, who deserve to be
| brought to notice by name for conduct
that displayed in a conspicuous man.
| ner courage, intelligence and devotion
to duty. During the early part or the
! action a cartridge became jammed in
the bore of the starboard forward o.
FOUNDER, and in the effort to withdraw
| it the case became detached from the
projcctile leaving the latter fast in the
bore and impossible to extract from
the rear.
Corporal Robert Gray, of the port
gun, asked and obtained permission to
attempt to drive the shell out with the
rammer. To do this, ii was necessary
to go out on the gun, hanging over the
water, and the undertaking was full oi
difficulties and anger the latter due
in a great measure to the blast of the
S-inch turret guns firing overhead Thy
gun was hot. and it was necessary tc
cling to the Jacobs ladder with one
hand while cndcavurng to manipulate
the long rammer with the other. After
brave effort he vas forced to give
up. and was ordered in.
Quarter Gunner Smith then came
sent by Executive Officer Mason, 'anC
promptly placed himself in the danger
Gus position outside the gun port
,, where he worked and failed, as tn,
. corporal had done Neither had beel
able to get the rammer into the bore
and there seemed nothing left to dt
but dismount the gun.
AT this juncturc Private MacNeal
one of the guns crew, volunteered 4
/ go out and make a final effort. Th
gun was so important, the starboar'
battery being engaged, that, as for
lorn hope, he was permitted To max
} the attempt. He pushed boldly Ou
q and set to work The guns of the for
ward S-inch turret were firing, almOs
, knocking him overheard and the enc
my's shots were coming with fre1uenc
into his immediate neichborhcod. A
I this time the chief yeoman was kille
/ on the other side of the deck. Mac
S Neal never paused in his work. Tn
\ rammer was finally placed in the bore
n and the shell elected, and Mac Nea
: resumed his duties as coolly as II wha
a he had done were a matter of every
= day routine
K THE battle orderlies will merit
O place among those whose conduct
Il worthy of special mention. They wei
Y on the move constantly, bearing batt
2 orders from Commodore Schley an
4 Captain Cook, and in no instance d
: they fail in the prompt and intelligel
Y performance of their responsible dut
n The signal men occupied very expose
4. positions during the action, and ren'
k cred excellent service. Signal halyarC
& and numbers and speedcones were ri'
II died by small projectiles and fragmen
L of bursting shell, casualties that sho
in what zone of danger the signal m'
= performed their duties. Signalmt
It Coombs and McIntre and Battle o
= derlies Rail and Davis were so ne;
n Yeoman Ellis when he was killed thi
r they were spattered with blood.
st "None showed more unhinching cou
re age than the men in the military tor
he who stood by their guns, deliveril
II their fire with unerring precision, u
* dismayed by the projectiles that we
is flying about them and striking in the
II immediate vicinity, Private Stoc
ID bridge, the only man on the sick III
is climbed into the maintop at the sign
ne for battle. where he remained until q