Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1898-07-27
skilIfui Handling Of Gloucester.


skf1IfuI Handling of Gloucester.
Seventh-The ski1lful handling and gallant
fighting Of the Gloucester excited the adj
miration Of everyone who witnessed it. and
merits the commentator Of the navy depart
ment. She is a fast and entirely unprotected
auxiliary vessel-the yacht Corsair-and has
good battery Of light rapidfre guns. She was
lying about two miles from the harbor en-
trance to the southwark and Eastward and i'm
mediately steamed in. opening fire upon the
large ships. Anticipating the Pluton and
Furor, the Gloucester was slowed, thereby
gaining more rapidly a high pressure of steam,
for them at full speed and was able to close
to short range, where her fire was accurate,
deadly and Of great volume During this fight
the Gloucester was under the fire Of the
Socapa battery. Within 70 minutes from the
time they emerged from Santiago harbor the
careers of the Furor and Pluton were ended
and two-thirds Of their people killed. The
Furor was beached and sunk in the surf. the
Pluton sank in deep water few minutes
later The destroyers probably suffered much
injury from the secondary batteriS' of the
battleships Iowa and Indiana ard the Texas,
yet l think very considerable factSr IN their
speedy destruction was the fire, at close range,
Of the Gloucester battery. After rescuing
the survivors of the destroyers, the Glouces-
ter did excellent service in landing and secur-
ing the crew Of the Infanta Maria Teresa.
Eighth-The method of escape attempted by
the Spaniards--all steering in the same direc-
ton, and in formation removed all tactical
doubts or difficulties, and made plain the duty
of every United States vessel to close in imme-
dfately, engage and pursue. This was promptly
and effectively done. As already stated, the
first rush of the Spanish squadron carried it
past number of the blockading ships, which
could not Immediately work. up their best
and the Infanta Maria Teresa and the Oquendo
were probably set ON fire by shells fred during
the Is minutes of the engagement. 1t was
afterward learned that the Infanta Maria
Teresa's fire main had been cut by one of our
first shots and that she was unable to extin-
guish fire With large volumes of smoke ris
ing from their lower decks aft these vessels
gave up both fight and flight and ran in on the
beach-the Infanta Maria Teresa at about 10 10
a. M, at Nina Nina, six and one-half miles
from Santiago harbor entrance, and the Al
mirante Oquendo at about 10: 80 a. M, at Juan
Gonzales, seven miles from the port.
Rescue of Prisoners.
Ninth--The Vizcaya was still under the fire of
the leading vessels, the Cristobal Colon had
drawn ahead, leading the chase, and soon
passed beyond the range of the guns of the
leading American ships. The Vizcaya was
soon set ON fire, and at IL :15 she turned in
shore and was beached at Azerraderos, Is
miles from Santiago, burning fercely and with
her reserves of ammunition on deck already
beginning to explode. When about ten miles
west of Santiago the Indiana had been sig
nailed to go back to the harbor entrance, and
at Azerradoes the Iowa signaled to ire
sumo blockading station" The Iowa. assisted
by the Ericsson and the Hist, took off the
crew of the Vizcaya, while the Harvard and
the Gloucester rescued those of the Infanta
Nor ia and ba A li71ir 70
This rescue of prisoners including the
wounded, from the burning Spanish vessels
was the occasion of some of the most daring
and gallant conduct of the day. The ships
were burning fore and aft, their guns and re-
serve ammunition were exploding, and it was
not known at what moment the fire would
reach the main magazines. In addition to this,
a heavy surf was running just inside of the
Spanish ships. But no risks deferred our off
GERS and men until their work of humanity
was complete.
Tenth-There remained now of the Spanish
ships only the Cristobal Colon-but she was
their best and fastest vessel Forced by the
situation to hug the Cuban coast, her only
chance of escape was by superior and sus-
tanned speed. When the Vizcaya went ashore
the Colon was about six miles ahead of the
Brooklyn and the Oregon, but her squirt was
finished and the American ships were now
gaining on her Behind the Brooklyn and the
Oregon came the Texas Vixen and New York.
1t was evident from the bridge of the New
York that all the American ships were gradu-
ally overhaullng the chase. and that she had no
chance of escape.
At IL: 30 the Brooklyn and the Oregon
opened fire and got her range-the Oregon's
heavy shells striking beyond her-and at 20
she gave up without firing another shell,
hauled down her colors and ran ashore at Rio
Torquino, az miles from Santiago, Captain
Cook of the Brooklyn went on board to receive
the surrender While his boat was alongside
l came up in the New York, received his re-
port and placed the Oregon in charge of the
wreck, to save her if possible, and directed
the prisoners to be transferred to the Resolute,
which had followed the chase.
Colon Probably Not Mach Injured.
Commodore Schley, whose chief of staff had
gone on board 70 receive the surrender, had
directed that an their nevsonal effects should
be retained by the This order did
not modify. Th- & dion was not in
jured By our firing. ably is not much
injured bs Bleaching. ,a MA she ran ashore at
high speed. The beach was SO steep that she
came OF by the working of the sea. But her
sea valves We're opened and broken, PREACHER
ously, am sure, after her surrender and de-
spite all efforts she sank. When it became EVIL
dent that she could not be kept aioat she was
pushed by the New York bodily up the
beach-the New Yorlx's stem being placed
against her for this purpose-the ship being
handled by Captain Chadwick with admirable
judgment-aud sank in shoal water and may
be saved Had this not been done she would
have gone down in deep water and would have
been to a certainty total loss.
Eleventh. regard this complete and i'm