The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-07-10

The Oquendo seemed TO stop her engines
for a moment and lost Roadway. but she
Immediately resumed her speed and grad
ually drew ahead Of the Iowa and came
under the terrific fire of the Oregon and
| Texas.
'At this moment the alarm Of torpedo
boats" was sounded and two torpedo
boat destroyers were discovered in the
starboard quarter at distance of 400
| yards. Fire was at once opened on them
( with the after battery and pinch shell
| cut the stern of one of the destroyers
| squarely off. As the shell struck. a small
! torpedo boat fired back at the battleshp.
sending a shell within a few feet of my
| head
well upon the advancing cruisers. spit
! ting shots at one and then another. was
! the little Gloucester, shooting first at d
| cruiser and then at a torpedo boat,an d
! hitting a head wherever she saw it. The
marvel was that she was not destroyed
by the rain Of shells. In the meantime.
the Vlzcaya was slowly drawing abeam
of the Iowa and for the space of fifteen
minutes ii was give and take between the
two ships. The Vizcaya fired rapidly,
but wildly. not one shot taking effect on
the Iowa, while the shells from the Iowa
were tearing great rents in the sides of
the Vizcaya. AS the latter passed ahead
of the Iowa she came under the murder
Gus fire of the Oregon. At this time the
Infanta Maria Teresa and the Almrante
Oquendo leading the enemy's column.
were seen to be heading for the beach
and in flames The Texas Oregon and
Iowa pounded them numerically. They
ceased TO reply to the fire and in few
moments the Spanish cruisers were a
mass of flames and on the rocks with
their colors down, the Teresa flying a
white flag.
The enemy's crew stripped themselves
and began jumping overheard. and one of
the smaller magazines began to explode.
Meantime the Brooklyn and the Girls
tobal Colon were exchanging compliments
in lively fashion at apparently long
range, and the Oregon, with her locomo-
tive speed was hanging well on the CO.
lon, also paying attention to the Vizcaya.
The Teresa and the Oquendo were in
flames on the beach just twenty minutes
"a lti lIit III ~ S4lbL was ltItu FIIlN HILL
utes after the first shot was fired the
Vizcaya put her helm to port with a
great burst of flame from the after part
of the ship and headed slowly for the
rocks at Acceraderos, where she found
her last resting place.
AS it was apparent that I could not
possibly catch the Cristobal Colon. and
that the Oregon and Brooklyn undoubted-
ly would, and as the fast New York was
also on her trail, | decided that the calls
of humanity should be answered and at
tention be given TO the 1900 or 1850 Span
ish officers and men who had struck their
colors to the American squadron COM
! manded by Admiral Sampson. I there
fore headed for the wreck of the Vizcaya,
! now burning furously fore and aft When
| was in as far the depth of the water
would admit I lowered all my boats and
sent them at once to the assistance of
the men VINO were being drowned in the
sea or roasted on the decks. l soon dis
covered that the insurgent Cubans from
! the shore were shooting on men who were
struggling in the water after having sur
rendered to us. / Immediately put stop
to this; but l could not put stop 10 the
mutilation Of many bodies by the sharks