The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-06-15

! cd 10 the Bud by t1s NiStlsrce OF Coo (
SAM. >Ailcrs 7hs p<rI.,. o,t Driver
Fack.
The ds5iDg s:tsnpt OF tie SpaniarGs
10 blow up ore Of TIE American war
ships CT the haroor Of Santiago De
Cubs ore night last week Is TIE trs'
instance Of Us kind since TIE begin
ming Of the wsr. Il illustrated hc"
hard it is 20 hit scsl! CHI jsc.st mig t.
Shortly af.er II uclCck, lue New Oc
lears flashed her private SIgDsi. II
vas answered by the h5gship, ard IL
8 few secorGs colored i9h!s So.aug UP
into the darkness from tie Neg Or
leans deck. They s;gnjGsd that the
enemy was il sight. y li"le later
she burned another colored light
This meant that s hostile torpedo beat
was approschioe. although later Cap
ain Folger, ef the New Oflears, was
rot certain whether this was cor
rect. Instantly tbs semi circle Of
blockad;ng ships flashed night sig
nails. For six or sever miles, east snd
west of the ha}b1r, they twinkIed
brilliaptlr in the darkness snd tEen
vent out. simultaneously ll;has o;
FIRE shot from the New Orleans SIDE.
The New Orleans kept her brilliant
searchlishts plying in all directions,
and oher ships near her did the same.
Or the decks of the New York the
marines were crouched down, peerlng
into the darkness, with their rih3S on
their knees, watching for the sailors
most dreaded eremy-the torpedo
boat. The lookouts were IN every
conceivable spot and guns were tran
ed in the dir5 ction where he New o.
leans seemed to be firing. Every now
and sgain sparks and red fire flaw up
in the distance, marking the explosion
of shells. Many persons then thought
they were exploding on torpedo boat
but today it is believed ihst they found
their mark on shore.
The moon, which had been hidden
behind the clouds came out st about
II o'clock. The Nav York was then
SCANNING at full speed toward the
shore to bead off, if possible, tie re-
treat of the enemy into the harbor.
The evolutions had to be carried on
with great care, 10 avoid getting in
line Of fire from the other American
ships. The searchlights played ire.
euently and private signals burned
brightly. i oim object, like small
boat enveloced in smoke, was seen en-
the pert hand from The sis nai orlcSe,
and Ensign Muslin repor'ed to Cay
tain Chaowick: a torpedo boat c:
point forward on the per. osan, Slf;
headed this way"
Csptain Chadwick, with Rear Ad
miral Sampson, was On the forward
bridge. Before q shot was 6red from
the fl sgship this curious, lurkirg oh
iect disappeared. It must have been
TWO or three miles away from the
New York ard the same distance from
the New Orleans.
The Oregon, grim and big, crossed
the New York's boat N the direction
the torpedo beat was reported. The
boat was still headed for shore. When
mile away and close to Moro Castle
an object was seen against the cliffs.
It wss thought to be a torpedo boat,
and the New Yolk'S forward S lGch
guns bellowed out, making hl5eous
noise in the quiet night. Oa shore a
few sparks close to dark &c: sho"
ed where the shells struck.
The 4 inch and s poUnoer guns .oI'
lowed suit, and fer s few mlnU:ss s
sharp FIRE was kept up. The boom OF
the Oregon'S big guns was twice heard
to the eastward. Cease firing" vas
then sounded. The searchl;ghts failed
to reveal the presence Of the enemy,
and nothing but the bare coast couio
be seen.
After careful search, the New
York steamed back to her station and
The men went back to their ham
nccks.
There had been no firing from The
forts, Captain Folxtr rei ortsd that
he hsd sighted small steamer, per
haps a gunboat that she had failed to
answer the private signal, and that be
had fixed on her. He believed she
had ESCAPED along the beach, or had
been destroyed he could nottell which
That ended the night attack ard the
first experience mere with torpedo
boats in naval WarfSre.
II was not ualil the Porter, THIS
afternoon, found the torpedoes, thai
the danger OF last nights sHa;r was
fully realized. The Porter was steam
ing two miles from shore snd well &c
the Eastward Of Moro Castle, wher
two torpedces were seen hosting OF
the water. Easisn ellis .1mpsd
overheard and swan around them. Ii
tried to unscrew the war nose, but the
torpedo itself turned too easily IN ths
water. He returned to the Porter
and Commander Fremont hnally goo'
one Of the torps6oes safely on board
The other sunk IS he was getting /! n
Commander Fremont theu orough
the torpedo alongside the New York
Il was Il inch Whitehead Of moder1