The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-25
THE BATTLE IN THE BAY.
LIEUT.. CASEY MORGAN TALKS
ABOUT THE FIGHT.

oCPAANss W MS
But Once by a Spanish SheIl-They
Were Screaming All About and
American Vessels Wondered They
Were Not Struck Oftener-Dewey
Drew on for Breakfast and Not on
Account of Ammunition Being
short.
Lieut.. Casey B. Morgan of the navy will
leave Savannah about July l, for Newport,
where he is directed to report July 10 for
instruction in the use of torpedoes. He
expects to be at Newport for two months
during which time he will join with other
naval officers in undergoing the course of
instruction. From Newport he will go to
Washington, where he expects to be as
signed to duty at the navy department.
The seave of the young officer of whom
Savannah and all Georgia are proud for
his participation in the battle of Manila
bay and the achievement by the American
feet of It's wonderful victory is cut short
| by his trip to Newport but in that he has
no greater grievance than many others
who have to report for duty sooner than
customary. The department is long on
ships but short on officers just now. and
long leaves cannot be granted. A number
of those who will take up the torpedo work
at Newport win miss a few weeks that
might be pleasantly spent at home.
The Raleigh, on which Lieut.. Morgan
fought the Spaniards at Mania, has gone
out of commission. She is now at Ports
mouth, N. H., to be overhauled. The
work necessary on her will require from
a year to eighteen months for completion.
| The Raleighs troubles Lieut.. Morgan
says, are not due to any hard knocks she
received in the conflict with the Spanish
| fleet The vessel has seen hard service,
though, and for nearly a year steam was
up in her constantly. 1t is no more than
might be expected in the natural order of
things for her to now stand in need OF
repairs
His old friends in Savannah and many
new ones made during his brief stay have
! found great pleasure in their associat ton
with Lieut.. Morgan. He talks to them
freely when they like of Manila, the Phil
ppines, and, best of all, the great battle
| and consequent events. His accounts are
| entertaining, and the positive statements
of an officer who was present and who
took part in the stirring happenings OF
last summer regarding some of the points
that have aroused controversies cannot but
be found Of interest and con-
| Vlnclng. upon all matters touching
questions that might occasion inter
national enlargement Lieut. Morgan
talks with extreme reserve when he talks
at all.
To friend he told this story of the bat
tie of Manila: 1T was on April a that
we left Hong Kong. The British could
not allow us to remain in their, a neutral
port, while we were at war with Spain,
and, therefore, we had the news broken to
us gently. 1t was a sort of pat on the
back and go it, old chaps. We are with
you, but you can't stay with us. Myres
bay, twenty-five miles from Hong Kong
and in Chinese waters, was the rendez-
vous of our fleet. There we gathered our
forces. At noon on the 18th a tug came TO
US from Hong Kong bearing the official
news of the declaration of war and orders
from Washington to proceed to Manila
Two hours later we were on the way. On
the tug was Mr. Williams, the gentleman
who had been American consul at Manila.
He had left the city on the last steamer
permitted to depart From him informa-
ton was gained about the situation at
Manila. 1t was such information as might
have been expected from one who had no
technical knowledge of the matter though
in many respects it was valuable. About
the torpedoes That We're reputed to be in
the channel it was misleading. The con-
sui understood that there We're many
mines awaiting us, and we believed 1t
true. Consequently there was consider
able uneasiness felt.
In reality there was not SO much to
be feared The waters of the bay and
the entrance are too deep 10 admit Of eff
fective mining. The torpedoes are swept
down by the tides, thus making it less
dangerous for ships to attempt the pas
| sage As / said, though, there was bit
of trepidation. We had the Olympia in
the lead, however, and that of course
In, ~ 9alC al nc he
feel somewhat safer. Admiral Dewey
was in the Olympia, and did not hesitate
to take the lead. The other ships went
in in line, and ii was In the same order
that they went into battle.
I'VE did not encounter the Spaniards
where we had expected them. They were
some seven miles away from Manila,
where we thought we would find them.
At Cavite is the naval station, and there
, was where the fleet was drawn up. We
knew pretty well the strength of the
| enemy That was from our knowledge
of the number Of vessels the Spaniards
| had in Philippine waters and of the guns
and crews they carried. About the land
| batteries, however, we werd doubtful
Nothing definite was known about them,
and we thought them much stronger than
they were. We went into
| the fight in line. The Raleigh
devoted her attention to the Reina Chris
I -
; tojos' flagship. After it was fired and
disabled the Raleighs guns were turned
upon the Castillo. The discipline while
the fighting was on was excellent, and
! the men were cool and collected There
was a grinness and determination about
their work but you would have thought
them at target practice If you had seer
no more than their efforts at the guns
Now and again there would come a lull
In the firing when some shot could be
followed and noted. If 1t were a good
! one you might have heard cheers and
l shouts wonder If they'l remember the
t Manner passed from mouth to mouth. y
Lieut.. Morgan said it is a mistaken idea
that the feet retired after a round OF
fighting, leaving the Reina Christina and
the Castillo on fire and greatly distressed
for any other purpose than breakfast II
was nos on account of a lack OF ammuni-
ton he says. The rank and file still
thought there was hard work before then
while they were al breakfast he coutin.
ued. THE admiral knew we had the en-
emy whipped but the rest Of us did not
We thought there would be another round