The Portland daily press., 1898-07-25
BRAVE MEN.
Crew of the Brooklyn Alone Sank the
Vizcaya.

correspondence of the Associated Press }
Santiago de Cuba, July 12.-"The SEQ.
onoary battery fire of the Brooklyn was
really terrible 1t drove nv men from
their guns and when you were at close
range did frightGul work. said CAPTAIN
Eulate two days after Schley's defeat of
the Spanish squadron and a rescued
officer of the Oquendo said that nearly
one half of the terrible damage to that
ship was by one and six Founders
which constitute the secondary battery.
The board of survey ordered by the COM
mander-in-chief found 46 six-pounder
holes in the Oquendo above her armor
belt.
In the Vizcaya there were II six
FOUNDER holes and dozens of ono-pound-
ers. The work on the Vizcaya was ap-
parently done by the Brooklyn alone
because no other ships was near enough
to her to use the small guns. The men
on board ships who imam these batteries
are marines and they fight in the most
exposed parts of the ship with little or.no
protection.
Captain Paul st. Clair Murphy, of the
Brooklyn, was the senior marine officer
present on the Brooklyn that did the
fighting on July 8, and he commends the
valiant work done by hls.me Speaking
of the men on the Brooklyn, he tells one
very thrilling incident. He says: "The
men were full of enthusiasm, but there
was no excitement or disorder and an
parently no concern for personal safety.
The battery was handled with admirable
GOODNESS and deliberation Greater care
could not be taken in getting sights and
aiming If the men had been at target
practice and each striving to make a
record score. There are some who deserve
to be brought to notice by name for con-
duct that displayed in conspicuous
manner, courage, intelligence and devo-
ton to duty.
During tie early part of the action a
cartridge jammed in the bore of the
starboard forward six-ponnder and in the
effort to withdraw it, the case became
etached from the projectile, leaving the
latter fast in the bore and impossible to
extract from the rear.
Corporal Robert Gray, of the port
gun, asked and obtained permission to
attempt to drive the shell out by means
of the rammer.
10 90 this 1T was necessary to go out
on the gun hanging over the water and
the undertaking was full of difficulties
and danger, the latter due in a great
fO tho host nf nj ~ III,
guns firing over head. The gun was hot
and 1T was necessary to cling to the
Jacobs ladder with one hand while en-
deavoring with the other to manipulate
the long hammer. After brave effort he
was forced to give it up and ordered in.
Quarter Gunner Smith also tried and
failed. At this juncture Private Mcneil,
one of the gun crew, volunteered to go
out and make final try. The gun was so
important that as forlorn hope he was
permitted to make the attempt. The guns
of the forward eight-inch were firing, al
most knocking him overheard, and the
enemy's shells were coming frequently
into his immediate neighborhood. 1t
was at this time that the chief yoeman
was killed on the other side of the deck,
but Mcneil never paused in his work.
The rammer was finally placed In the
bore and the she'll elected and Mcneil
coolly resumed his duties,
The battle orderlies will merit place
among those whose conduct is worthy of
special mention. The signal men ocou-
pied very exposed positions during the
action and rendered excellent service.
Signalmen sCoombs and Mcintyre and
Battle Orderlies Rail and Davis were so
near Yoeman Ellis when he was killed
that they were spattered with blood.
None showed more unflinching courage
than the men in the military tops, who
stood by their guns. delivering their fire
with unerring precision undismayed by
the flying projectiles.''
THE TERRIBLE FERRYROAT