The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-07-06
SUNK THE FLEET.
Admiral Cervera's Bold Dash
for Liberty.
TRIED TO LEAVE SANTIAGO,
His Ships Are Now at the Bottom Of
the Sea and He Is a
Prisoner.

Surrenders himself 10 Lieutehaht SoAh'
mander wrinwright--Not An American
Ship Injured
Kingston. Jamaica, July 6.-ICopy-
right, 1898, by the Associated Press
Admiral Cerveras fleet, consisting
OF the armored cruisers Cristobal
Colon. Almirante Oquendo, Infanta
Maria Teresa and Viscaya and two
torpedo boat destroyers. the Furor
and the Pluton. which had been held in
the harbor of Santiago de Cuba for six
weeks past, by the combined squadrons
of Rear Admiral Sampson and Com
modore Schley lies today at the bot
tom of the sea, off the southern coast
OF Cuba. The Spanish admiral is a
prisoner Of war on the auxiliary gum
boat Gloucester formerly Mr.. j. Pier
pont Morgan's yacht Corsair) and 1000
to 1900 other Spanish officers and sail
ors. all who escaped the frightful car
mage caused by the shells from the
American warships, are also held as
prisoners of war by the United States
navy.
The Spaniards, when they found they
would be permitted to live, adapted
themselves comfortably to the situa-
ton, rolled their cigarettes and began
playing cards among themselves.
The American victory is complete and
the American vessels were practically
untouched and only one man was killed,
though the ships were subjected to the
heavy fire of the Spaniards all the time
the battle lasted.
Cervera's Gallant Dash for Liberty.
Admiral Cervera made as gallant a
dash for liberty and for the preserva-
ton of his ships in the morning as has
ever occurred in the history of naval
warfare. In the face of overwhelming
odds, with nothing before him but in
evitable destruction or surrender If he
remained any longer in the trap in
which the American fleet held him, he
made a bold dash from the harbor at
the time the Americans least expected
him to do so, and fighting every inch
OF his way, even when his ship was
ablaZe and sinking, he tried TO escape
the doom which was written on the
muzzle of every American gun trained
upon his vessels.
The Americans saw him the moment
he left the harbor and commenced their
work of destruction Immediately. For
an hour or two they followed the fly
ing Spaniards to the westward along
the shore line. sending shot after shot
into their blazing hulls, tearing great
holes in their steel sides and covering
their decks with the blood Of the killed
and wounded.
Dons Game to the Last.
At no time did the Spaniards show
any indication that they intended to
do otherwise than fight to the last
They showed no signals 10 surrender
even when their ships commenced to
sink and the great clouds of smoke
pouring from their sides, showed they
were on fire. but they turned their
heads toward the shore, less than a
mile away, and ran them on the beach
and rocks, where their destruction was
soon completed. The officers and men
on board then escaped to the shore as
well as they could, with the assistance
of boats sent from the American men
of-war and then threw themselves upon
the mercy Of the captors, who not only
extended to them the gracious hand OF
American chivalry, but sent them a
guard TO protect them from the bands
the hillside.
One after the other Of the Spanish
ships became the victims Of the awful
rain Of shells which the American bat
tleships, cruisers and gunboats poured
upon them, and two hours after the
first of the fleet had started out of
Santiago harbor, three cruisers and two
torpedo boat destroyers were lying on
he ch. fa., -
castle, pounding to pieces, smoke and
flame pouring from every part OF them
and covering the entire coast line with
mist which could be seen for miles
Ccrvera Surrenders Wounded.
Admiral Cervera escaped to the shore
in boat sent by the Gloucester to the
assistance of the Infanta Maria Teresa
and as soon as he touched the beach
he surrendered himself and his COM
mand TO Lieutenant Morton and asked
TO be taken on board the Gloucester.
which was the only American vessel
near his at the time, with several of
his officers, including the captain of
the flagship. The Spanish admiral who
was wounded in the arm was taken
TO the Gloucester and was received AT
her gangway by Lieutenant Comman-
der Richard Wainwright, who grasped
the hand Of the grvS bearded admiral
and said to him. II congratulate Won.
sir, upon having made as gallant a
fight as was ever witnessed on the sea-"
He then placed his cabin at the disposal
of the admiral and his staff. At that
time the Garksh flagship and four
other Spanish vessels had been aground
and burning for two hours, and the
only one of the escaping fleet, which
could not be seen at this point was the
Cristobal Colon. But half a dozen curls
of smoke far down on the western hori-
zon showed the fate that was awaiting
her.
The Colon Tries To Escape.
The Cristobal Colon was the fastest Of
the Spanish ships and she soon obtained
a lead over the others after leaving the
harbor and escaped the effect of the
shots which destroyed the other YES
sells. 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 re-
eeiving fire themselves from her after
guns. There seemed no possibility
a. A-~