El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-07-16

Telephone 1872. }.
Story of the Santiago Battle.
A dispatch from Portsmouth, N. H.,
the St. Louis, and who had participant
ed in the fight with the Spanish cru1s-
ers off Santiago, were obliged to tell
the whole story of the memorable con-
test. While in the main their &C
counts did not differ materially from
the press dispatches, yet they seem to
give credit to the work OF the Oregon.
From an account, as given by one
officer, it appears that on the morning
of the fight, four American ,war-sh1ps
lay off the entrance to the harbor.
then to the westward came the con-
verted yacht Gloucester, lying be-
tween the Oregon and Iowa. To the
westward of the Iowa was the Texas,
while further along, in fact eight or
ten miles to the west of the harbor.
was the Brooklyn, with Commodore
Schley on board. The position of the
fleet was in keeping with the plan
mapped out by Admiral Sampson, and
case the Spanish fleet made dash out
| of harbor.
While all the ships had steam up,
none of them, with the exception of
the Brooklyn, was under way. The
latter had, few minutes previous to
| the sighting OF the Spaniards, turned
| away to the westward, and when the
| first shot was fired from the Iowa, she
was going away from the fleet at about
Brooklyn was steaming off to the west
at this time is not known, but although
she had not gone far, and was, still
probably quite near the station desig-
mated by Admiral Sampson, her COM
| mander nevertheless had to swing
round, and in doing SO he put his helm
to star board, and made long sweep
to port, going q mile or more off shore
in the maneuver.
The first Spsniard that came rushing
out of the harbor's mouth was the
vera on board; the Vizcaya was sec
ond. The Almirante Oquendo and the
Maria Teresa followed, while two tor
pedo boat destroyers brought up the
rear.
While the Iowa got in the first blow
at the fleet as they came dashing by,
the Oregon was the first American out
side the Brooklyn in motion. She
gathered Roadway SO fast that she cut
pumped good ID inch shell at the
Colon before she had gone by. The
| Oregon was therefore in most eX
cellent position to meet the Vizcaya
when she came along, and with the
help of the Texas tackled her so fierce
ly that she was on fire in few min
utes and headed for the beach.
While the Oregon's whole forward
starbOard battery was banging at the
around and were pumping shells in the
Oquendo, which also had been tackled
by the Iowa, which in the meantime
had disposed of the Teresa.
The wreck of the three Spsniards
was accomplished in about fifteen or
twenty minutes, and by this time the
Oregon had attained her maximum
and every pound of steam up the big
Pacific coast battleship ploughed
through the water as she never did be-
fore, exhept, perhaps, on her speed
trial three years ago. Leaving the
Texas and Iowa to complete the de-
struction of the remainder of the Span
iards and the rescue of the unfortunate
sailors, Capt. Clark headed the Oregon
or the Colon.
The Brooklyn by this time had taken
her wide sweep Off shore, and was
headed in for the Colon, opening up
en- that vessel with her port broad
sides. AS the Colon ran by the
Brooklyn, she gave the latter the be-
nefit of her big guns, and no less than
thirty shots took effect on the Brook
lyn's port side, q number of them pass
ing clear through the Yankee cruiser.
AS the Colon went by the Brooklyn,
the latter turned her arboard guns
on the Spaniard. In the run up the
coast the Brooklyn was hit a dozen
times on her starboard side, while all
three of her tall smoketacks showed
the effects of the Colon's stern chas-
ers.
The superior speed of the BROOKLYN
and Oregon sealed the fate of the Co
lon, and after run of forty miles Ad-
miral Cervera ordered the flagship to
be headed for the shore. The Colon
struck about $50 yards from the beach,
and as soon as she had grounded Ad-
miral Cervera ordered everyone to
jump overheard, and plunged into the
sea himself, followed by all his officers
The little Gloucester, after destroy
ing the torpedo boat destroyers, start
ed after the Oregon and made such
good time that she was up even with
the Colon when the latter ran ashore.
AS she drew considerable less water
than either the Oregon OR Brooklyn,
her commander, Lieut.. Commander |
Wainwright, was able to run in quite |
close to the stranded Spanish ship,.and |
the Gloucester's boats were sent out |
after the swimming crew. Admiral |
Cervera was picked up just outside the |
surf, about ten yards from shore, and |
after his long swim was thoroughly eX-
hausted.
The Colon had just turned in shore !