The Springfield herald., 1898-05-13
LATE WAR NEWS.
Maine's crew, every man shouted
what was In his heart.

nnu alue ana Inysell. Win Executive
Officer Lieutenant Reese and Naviga-
tor Lieutenant Calkins. who conducted
the ship most admirably, We're on the
forward bridge. Captain Gridlcy was
In the coming tower, ms it was thought
, unsafe to risk losing all the senior
officers by one shell.
''YOu may fire when ready. Gridley."
said the commodore. and Mt forty-one
minutes past O'Clock. nt distance
of $500 yards, the sarboard eight
inch gun in the forward turret roured
forth compliment to the Spanish
forts.
Presently similar guns from the Bal
timore and the Boston sent .jO-pound
shells hurling toward the Castillo and
the Rcina Crstina for accuracy.
The Spaniards seemed encouraged to
fire faster. knowing exactly our dis
tnncc, while we had to guess theirs.
Their ship and shore guns were max
ing things hot for u.s. The piercing
scream of shot was varied often by
the bursting of time fuse shells, frng-
ments of which would lash the water
like schrapnel or cut our hull or rig
ging.
Few shots were fired from our ship,
yet still the flagship steamed for the
other ships were nstern, the Olympia
received most of the Spanish attention.
Owing to our deep drnught. COmmo-
dore Dewey felt constrained to change
his course at distance of 1000 yards
and run parallel to the Spanish col
lImn.
"Open with NIL guns" lie said, and
the ship brought her port broadsidc
bearing. The roar of all the hagship's
tive-inch rapid firing guns was fol
lowed by n deep diapason of her tur-
ret eight-inchers.
Soon all our vessels We're equally
hard at work and we could see that
our shells We're making Cavite hnrDor
hotter for the Spnninrds than they
had made the approach for us.
Protected by their shore batteries
and made safe from close attack by
shallow water, the Spaniards were In
n strong position. They put up gal
liant fight. The Spanish ships were
sailing back and forth behind the Cas-
tilla and their fire, too, was hot.
One shot struck the Baltimore and
passed clean through her. fortunately
hitting no one. Another ripped up her
main deck. disabled siX-inch gun and
exploded box of three-pounder am
IHuIlltIOH. WOuuilIE tISht hiSh'
Another shell passed through the
Boston's foremast, just In front of
Captain Wildes. on the bridge.
The Olympia was struck abrcnst the
gun In the ward room by shell.
which burst outside, doing little dam
age.
The signal halynrds were cut from
Lieutenant Brumby's hand on the aft
er bridge. A shell entered the Boston's
port quarter and burst In Ensign Dod-
ridges stateroom. starting hot fire,
and fire was also caused by II shell
which burst in the port hammock net
ting. Both these fires were quickly put
out.
After having made four runs along
the Spanish line. finding the chart in-
correct, Lieutenant Calkins, the Olym-
pia's navigator, told the commodore
he believed lie could take the ship
nearer to the enemy with the lead 60
ing to watch the depth of water. The
flagship started over the course for
the fifth time, running within 1000
yards of the Spanish vessels.
At this range even siX-pounders were
effective. and the storm of shells
poured upon the unfortunate Spanish
began to show marked results. Three
of the encmy's vessels We're seen
burning and their fire slackened.
On finishing this run Commodore
Dewey decided to give the men break
fast, ms they had been Mt the guns
two hours with only one cup of coffee.
The vessels withdrew out of rnnge of
the encmy's guns and remained there
until II o'clock, when the battle was
renewed
The Spanards replied very slowly.
and the commodore signaled the RAJ
eigh, the Boston, the Concord and the
Petrol to go into the inner harbor and
destroy all the enemy's ships.
BY her light draught the little Petrol
was enabled TO move within 1000
yards. Her firing, swift, but accurate,
commanded everything still flying the
Spanish flag.
Other ships were also doing their
whole duty. and soon not one rcd and
on the coast The Spanish flagship
and the Castillo had long been burn
ing fiercely. and the last vessel to be
abandoned was the Don Antonio dc
Ulloa. which lurched over and sank.
Then the Spanish flag on the arsenal
staff was hauled down and Mt half
past II o'clock white flag was hoist
ed there. Signal was made to the Pc
trel to destroy all the vessels in the
inner harbor and Lieutenant Hughes.
with an armed boats crew. set fire to
the Don Juan de Austria. Marques
Duero. the Isla de Cuba and the Cor
REQ. The large transport Manila and
many tug boats and small craft fell
into our hands.
Following wounded. all Baltimore;
Lieutenant r. w. Kellogg. Ensign L.
Il. Erwin and enlisted men Barlow.
Budinger, Covert, O'Keefe. Riccinr
delli and Luclgrove, wounded during
first hour of engagement.
The forts made n nominal resistance,
but We're quickly overpowercd. The
shore garrison did not capitulatc,
however. and when the American fleet
ceased firing the Spaniards on shore
were still defiant.
Cavite is in utter ruin and has sur.
rendered, the gunboats have been
scuttled and the arsenal was on fire
and exploded, causing great mortality
The commodore of the fleet on board
the Reina Christina was wounded, and
her captain, lieutenant. chaplain and
Il >yprp killed rbnIl