The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1898-05-14
The STORY OF MANILA
Details of the Most Brilliant Ma
val Victory in Modern
History.
HOW DEWEY WHIPPED SPANISH
Enemy Put to Utter Rout Without
the Loss OF Single Man
on American Side


fleet under Admiral Dewey over the Span
ish fleet commanded by Admiral Montejo
IN Manila bay week ago.
Owing to the fact that the cable be-
tween this port and the Philippine islands
was not IN working order, having been
cut, it is said, some distance from the
capital of the islands, there has been dc.
lay in obtaining a detailed account of the
battle, and facts in the case were only
available when the United States gunboat
Hugh McCulloch arrived here Saturday
and even then the tremendous pressure
of business suddenly thrown upon the ca
bic company necessarily made the earlier
accounts OF the engagement somewhat
brief.
Admiral Dewcys orders were to cap
turc or destroy the Spanish fleet. and
never were instructions executed in
complete fashion. At the end of seven
hours there was absolutely nothing left
of the Spanish fleet but Il few relics. The
American commander had most skillfully
arranged every detail of the action, and
even the apparently most insignificant fea-
lures were carried out with perfect pune
tuality.
Blockade of Manila.
At the end of the action Admiral Dewey
anchored his fleet in the bay before Ma
Mia ana sent Il message to GOy.-Gen. Au-
guSti announcing the inauguration of the
blockade. and adding that if a shot was
fred against his ships he would destroy
every battery about Manila.
The position occupied by the Spanlards,
the support which their ships received
from the land batteries and the big guns
they had ashore. gave them an enormous
advantage Therefore when it is conSid-
cred that the SpaniardS lost over 600 men
in killed and wounded; hat all their ships
amounting TO about fourteen, were de-
stroyed and that tneig naval arsenal at
CavitC was also destroyed. with its de-
fenScs, it will become apparent that the
victory Of the American commander IS one
Of the most complete and wonderful
achievements in the history of naval war
fare
Not Il man on board the American fleet
was killed: not ship was damaged to
any extent. and only six men were injured
slightly on board the Baltimore.
This grand achievement is quite as much
due 70 the generalShip of Admiral Dewey
AZ To the fact that American gunners
ships and guns are superior to anything IN
the same line dtioat anywhere. Credit
must also be given to the fullest extent to
the officers under Admiral Dewey, for
they seconded their gallant commander in
every way possible and thus helped him
win the laurels which are justly his.
Spanish Guns Open Fire.
The American fleet entered Manila bay
Saturday night with the greatest of ease.
| The Spaniards had not established q pa
! troll and there was no searchllghts at the
entrance of the bay. In fact, the Ameri-
can ships would probably have passed in
side the bay without any challenge had
it not been that some sparks flew up from
tie McCulloch's funnel. Thereupon "A
few shots were exchanged with the bate
ries on Corregidor island but the fleet
I Il, .1.,. nd nnl
position near Cayite, awaiting dawn i'll
order to commence hOstilities
The early hours of the morning re-
vcaled the opposing ships. and the Span
ish flagship opened fire. Her action was
followed by some of the large Spanish
warships. and then the Cavite forts
opened up and the smaller Spanish vessels
brought their guns into play.
The American squadron, which had
been led into the bay and through
the channel by the flagship Olym-
pia. did not reply, though the
shells Of the Spanards began to strike the
water around them, but moved majestical-
! ly onward. When nearing Baker bay
sudden upheaval of the water a short dis
tancc ahead of the Olympia showed that
the Spaniards had exploded n mine or
torpedo. This was followed by a second
| and similar explosion. They were both
utterly unsuccessful.
The American fleet was then drawing
nearer and nearer to the Spanlards. whose
guunery was very poor, the shots from
tho Cavitc batteries and from the Spanish
ships being equally badly aimed either
falling short or going wide of the mark.
Real beginning of the Battle.
When the American fleet entered the
hav. coming through the southern channel
between Cabalo Frie iSIetS. the following
was their order: The flagship Olympia,
thc Baltimore. the Raleigh, the Concord,
the Boston. the Petrol and the McCulloch.
with the two store ships, the Nanshan ard
the Iafiro. bringing up the rear. And IN
that order they swept CrandIy before the
gitv and faced the enemy in column line.
Though the Spauards had opened fire
NJ 5000 yards the Americans reserved
their fire until within 1000 yards of the
enemy. when the real battle began.
The Reiua Christina, Castillo. Don An
tonic de lloa, lsla de Cuba, lsla de l.u-
zou and the MindanaO were IN line OF
battle outside Of Cavlte at that time,
with four gunhoats and the torpedo-boatS
inside the harhor.
The American ships then passed back
ward and forward six times across the
front Of the Spaniards. pouring in upon
thc latter a perfect hail of shot and shell.
Every American shot seemed to tell:
while almost every Spanish shot missed
the mark.
After having thus scattered death and
decentralization among the Spanish fleet
ana in the Spanish batteries, the Amer
lean fleet retired for breakfast, and IN
ciIcutally n council of war was held on
board the Olympia.
Ry this time the Spanish ships were
in desperate condition. The flagship
Reina Christina was riddled with shot
and she'll. one Of her Steampipcs had
burst and she was believed to
h.. ON FIRE. The Castillo was certainly on
IRE. and soon afterwari their condition
necame worse and worse. until they were
eventually burned TO the waters edge.
sinks with All Fighting.
The Don Antonio de Ulloa made
most magnificent show of desperate brav-
cry. When her commander found she
was so torn by the American shells that
he could not keep her atioat he nailed
her colors 10 the mast and she sunk with
all hardS fighting to the last. Her null
was completely riddled and her upper
deck had been swept clean by the aN-
full fire of TIE American guns, but the
SpaniardS. though their vessel was sink
/ ing beneath them. continued working the
guns on her lower deck. until she sunk
beneath the water.
During the enga cement a Spanish tor,
pajo boat Crcpt along the shore ana
| around the otfinC in an attempt To attack
the American store shipS' pot sue We
promptly discovered. was driven ashore
and was actually shot 10 pieces
The Mindanao had in the meanwhile
heen ruu ashore TO save her from SINK
ing and the Spanish small craft had
sought shelter from the steel storm behind
( the brea kwater-
Cayi.e Batteries Siienced
| The battle. which was started at ABOUT
/ ; so a III. and adjourned at $50 a. m;
/ was resumed about noon. when ACmlral
/ Dewey started in to put the hnlShlns
| touches on his glorious work. mere vas
| uof mucn fight left in the Spaniards by
| HAT time. and at ?. u. the Pec-e. ara
Concord had shot the Cavire batteries