The true northerner., 1898-12-07

The frat encounter of the war In poir; OF
date took place April u, when detsch-
ment OF the blockading squadron made
recon n distance In force at MatanLas,
sbeIled the harbor forts and demolished
several new works in construction.
Dewey's Victory.
The next engagement was desunea 70
mark a memorable epoch in maritime war
George Dewey, had lain for some weeks at
Hon Honskons Of nesutraty i"d being Issued and the
customary "a hours notice beng given. ~
repaired to Mrs bay near tea pbiIppne HhIs is
lands under telegraphic orders TO capture pth
or destroy the formidable Spanish heet tnen
isSe ist of May the American force entered Ma
| nila bay and after few hours ehsaEse ~
ment effected the total Destruction OF i nIns tIe
J ard a transport, besides capturing tne
! naval station and forts at Cayite, thus ar
/ initiating the Spanish power IN the facillc /
1 ocean and completely controlling the Bay
! of Manila, with the ability 10 take the cry
at viii. Not life was lcst on @ oui s,httil, ,htpie
the wounded only numbering seven; W1ile
not a vessel was materially injured. foT
this gallant achievement the congress, up
on my recomm endation, fitly bestowed up
| on theactors present permanent and sub
The effect of this remarkable victory
upon the spirit of our people and upon the
fortunes of the war was instant pres
tige of invincibiity thereby attached 20
I arms, when cOntlnueu luIOuShoue -
struggle. Reenforcements were hurrle9 10
Manila under the command OF MAJ Geh:
Merritt and firmly established wlthin sight
OF the capital, which lay helpless pelore
our guns On the seventh day OF May the
government was advised otlcially OF the
| victory of Manila, and at once inquired or
the commander of our fleet what troops
would be required. The information was
received on the 18th OF May, ana the nrst
army expedition sailed May 20, and ar
rived off Manila June 80. Other expeditions
soon followed, the total force consisting
Of 641 officers and 15,e5S men.
Onlv reluctance to cause needless loss
of life and property prevented the early
storming and capture oi s,i the eluy anu anu
Herewith the absolute military occupancy
of the whole group. The insurgents
meanwhile had resumed the active hos
tilities suspended by the uncompleted truce
Manila from the northern and eastern side,
but were constrained by Admiral Dewey
and Gen Merritt from attempting an as
sault 1t was fitting that whatever was
done in the way of decisive operations in
that quarter should be accomplishing by
the strong arm of the United States alone
Obeying the stern precept OF war, whlch
enjoins the overcoming OF the adversary
and the extinction of his power wherever
,, to win a peace, divided victory was not
! permissible, for no partition OF the rights
: and responsibilities attending the enforce
ment of a just and advantageous peace
could be thought of
! general attack powerful forces were as
sembled at various points on our coast TO
!
! naval demonstrations were made at several
= exposed points. On May III, the cruiser
E Wilmington and torpedo boat Winslow
: were unsuccessful in an attempt 10 silence
= the batteries at Cardenas, against Matan-
4 zas, Worth Bagley and four seamen fall
e ing These grievous ia atalities were strange
$ ly enough among the very few which oc-
I Cured during our naval operations in this
= extraordinary connict
Advance Of Cervera's Fleet.
Meanwhile the Spanish naval prepara-
had "A
O powerful squadron under Admiral Cervera,
IS which had assembled at the Cape Neroe
= islands before the outbreak or hosthltles'
# had crossed the ocean and by it's erratic
I2 movements in the Caribbean sea delayed
d our military operations whie DaIiing am III are .ne
II felt lest the Oregon and Marietta, thef
l. nearing home after their long voyage from
d San Francisco Of over 1900 miles, nigh
l. be surprised by Admiral Cervera's fleet
70 but their fortunate arrival dispelled these
apprehensions and lent mHen heeueI G,sera reem
took refuge in the harbor OF Santiago dc
e Cuba about May was it practicable tc
II plan a systematic military attack upon tine
N Antillean possessions Of Spain.
10 Several demonstrations occurred on the
l. coasts Of Cuba and Porto Rlco ia prepaTa
n tion for the larger event. on May Is th'
1t North Atlantic squadron shelled san Juar
er dc Porto Rico on May 80 Commodort
4 Schley's squadron bombarded the forts
s. guarding the mouth of Santiago harbor
N Neither attack had any material result i
"a was evident that wel.ordered Ianu ii. oPeTa da
le csive advantage.
he Hobson's Band of Heroes.
g. The next act in the war thrilled not alone
IA the hearts of our countrymen but the Wori'
al by it's exceptional heroism. ON the nlSh
n Of June Lieut. Hobson, aided by sever
IA devoted volunteers blocked the marrow
outlet from Santiago harbor by sinking IN
collier Merrmac in the channel, under
fierce fire from the shore batteries, escap
Il ing with their lives by miracle, pu
ne falling into the hands of the Spaniards L
Tx is a most gratifying incident OF the wa
es that the bravery Of this little Dahd O
ed heroes was cordially appreciated Dy IN
r Standards who sent flag Of truce 10 notlI.
ne Admiral Sampson Of their safety ana L
G. compliment them on their daring act Inc.
IL were subsequently exchanged July Z.
~ Fall OF Guantanamo.
IN BY June the cutting of the last Cuba
70 cable isolated the island. Thereafter tn
ne invasion was vigorously prosecuted. ~
as June TO- under a heavy protecting fire,
ne landing of 600 marines from the oregon
he Marblehead and Yankee was effected Il
er Guantanamo bay, where IL had been deteT
IN ! mined to establish naval station. I'M
of important and essential port was take
from the enemy after severe fghtng b
the marines, who were the first organize
-, force OF the United States TO land in cuba
"a The position so won was held, despite des
nu perate attempts to dislodge our forces B
u June 16 additional forces were landed an
~ strongly intrenched On June Y the ad
~ | vance of the invading army under Ma
~ Gen. Shafter landed at Baiquiri, about
so miles east of Santiago This was accom-
GU plished under great difficulties, but Wit
.s, marvellous dispatch