The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1899-04-06
HOW ENSiuN BAGLEY ClEr
A comrade Tell About the Brave Naval Off.
GERS Last Moments

The engagement Of the gunboat
"Winslow" at Cardcnas ON May II,
1888, was designed to disable the
Spanish gunboats there, and prevent
their interfering with the blockIding
operations Of the smaller American
vessels. This object was accomplish
ed, the "Winslow' having the active
support of the cruiser wilmington"
and the tug Hudson" In his account
Of the fight in the Century, Lieutcn-
ant Bernadou, who commanded the
"Winslow," aud was himself badly
wounded, thus describes Ensign Bag
lcy's death:
Shortly after the receipt OF injuries
20 the machinery l had sent the men
of the fire room force stationed in the
compartments containing the disabled
engine and boiler on deck, where they
rendered efficient service in passing
ammunition and getting up hawscrs.
At the time Of the parting of the first
line they were standing In 4 group
near the after engine-roOm hatch, on
the unengaged side Of the vessel, at
point just abaft the forward one
FOUNDER gun. Here they were Joined
by Ensign Bagley, who stopped near
the hatch upon trip from the engine
room. l had stepped aft to speak to
Bagley, walked forward few PAGES,
and turned facing aft, when 1 heard
a sharp report. and saw him and the
four men around him sink to the deck.
An armor-piercing shell coming from
n direction abaft the beam had struck
the deck a glancing blow, but at suf
ncient angle to allow its point to take
against riveted seam in the fore and
aft line Of deck-plating, developing a
resistance sufficient to cause 1t to eX-
plode. The men were caught in the
cone of dispersion Of the fragments:
Bagley and two others were killed in-
stantly and two were MORALLY wound.
ed. ct was Incorrectly stated, in news
paper reports Of this action, that these
casualties We're inflicted by the enc.
my's last shot.) / ran to Bagley and
threw open his blouse. A glance at his
| wounds were sufficient to convince me
that he had ceased to live. There was
nothing to be done but to move to one
! side and cover with the torpedo-tube
covers the bodies Of the dead, and to
| administer to the wounded such aid as
was in our power to give them.
The destructive effect of the fire OF
our ships was apparent for some time
before the close Of the fight. The fire
from the shore batteries slackened rs
the action progressed, and finally ceas
ed altogether; the last shots fired b!
the Wilmington" Hudson" and
"Winslow" remained unreplied to-
| while a large section Of the town o.
| Cardenas was in flames.
| After seeing the wounded trans
ferred to the wilmington" was
| obliged to turn over the command OF
the "Winslow" to her chief petty Off
Ger, Gunners Mate c. p. Brady, who
remained temporarily in command un
til relieved by n commissioned Officer
from the former vessel. At the close
of the action the ships retired to theil
forsneJ anchorage Off Piedras Cay.
In the death Of Ensign Bagley thu
navy suffered the loss of q gallan
young officer, whose bravery ant
stainless record will ever be held IL
loving remembrance BY his brethren
His remains. with those Of the brave
men who fell with him, were at once
removed to Key West to find thei
last resting-piace in the soil Of thei
native land.