The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-08-11

H"l A80AV W SASSAA
-1n al. The Span
- iards should
~4@ never have al
SE@E@ lowed the Ore
gon to be In It
bught to have captured her and made
her work her 10 inch guns against and
not In aid Of the Brooklyn. Iowa and
Gloucester.
But the Spaniards missed their
grand opportunity, and 60 on July s.
when Cervera tried to cover up his
original blunder by q bold dash for
liberty, the Oregon was first to sound
the weird siren and fire a gun to
alarm the feet. 1t is said that when
the alarm was interpreted the men OF
the crew Jumped and shouted and chap
ped their hands in the widest Joy. No
doubt but In that $4,000 mile voyage
they expected at every port the news
that the war was over. and the Oregon
hadn't a shot to boast of.
No time was lost over the hurTnh.
ing, however, for Captain Clark set to
work to sink the enemy or drive him
ashore. Closing in for action and get
ting up the highest speed took about
20 minutes, and that time up the Ore
gon was no longer simply q battleship
In the feet, but the battleship OF the
tleet. At 10 minutes to 10 o'clock, with
an astonishing burst Of speed. she
leaped through the water between the
Iowa and Texas and with the accu-
mutations of e long voyage still
clinging to her sides kept the lead In
the race owe the ships with her at the
beginning. The Brooklyn had the start
and held 4 but the Oregon's speed
somewhat surpassed that Of the cruiser
Brooklyn
When the Oregon cleared the Iowa.
word reached Captain Clark that the
torpedo boats were coming out The
secondary battery OF 8 FOUNDERS was
ordered to attend to the boats. while
the forward guns Of the racing ship
pounded away at the Colon and the
Oquendo. ut that time the third and
fourth in the line of escaping ships.
The fate OF the boats was closely
watched from the Oregon. and the
ships chronicler says 1t took just IL
minutes to send them to the bottom.
The explosion which settled the Furor
Is credited to o shell fired by the Ore
gon, one of the 6 inch missiles from
the secondary battery.
After the first triumph Of the day.
one to which the guns Of the Oregon
contributed not a little, the great bat
Heship rushed on toward the fleeing
cruisers. She got within 1900 yards
Of the Teresa and opened on her Just
as she made the beach and lay high
and dry upon It, all aflame. The flag
was dehantly flying upon the Teresa,
and the Oregon raked her saYagely as
she passed on after the Qquendn
Captain Clark's attack upon the
Ouuendo has been called q charge. The
ships historian so classes it and *
plains by saying that the battleship
opened on the Spaniard with the for
ward guns and all the guns OF the
starboard battery. The Oquendo and
Vizcaya We're in line, and the Colon
was passing them ON the inside. The
Ouuendo was farthest out, and the
Oregon closed in to within 900 yards.
and after II. minutes of the hottest fire
Imaginable, every man and officer on
the battleship fighting as though all
depended upon his effort, the Span
lard was on fire. Her course was
changed-to the shore, and the Oregon
passed on, intent upon the chase, rak-
Ing the burning ship as she had done
the Teresa This second victim was
terribly cut up, and It is said that the
shell which finished her was one from
the Oregon's 10 inch guns. We've
settled another! Look out for the
rest" shouted Captain Clark from the
10 inch turret, evoking cheers and
AYE. aye!" from the crew above and
below.
When the Oquendo gave up. the Viz
caya was two miles ahead OF the Ore
ron and the Brooklyn steaming mech
ana neck with the pride OF Cervera'e
beet schley's signal to the feet t.
close up was passed down the line by
the Oregon, and she responded to the
call by opening on the vizcaya with
her forward guns and increasing hel
meed. The Oregon was within 8.OO(
yards Of the vizcaya when the Span
lard made the well known movement
Of turning offshore as II to ran th<
Brooklyn. The Brooklyn received ths
full fire OF the vizcaya's forward guns
while her port batteries greeted the
Oregon's intrepid advance AS tn,
9paniard stood broadside across thu
Oregon's bow she was q fine target
and In q few minutes q 10 inch shell
struck her amidshipa. Volumes o.
steam and smoke arose from the doom
ed ship. The Oregon's fire was dou
bled, and as the smoke cleared from
. broadside 1t was seen that the Viz
caya had turned about and was run
ming for shore like her consorta.
Captain Clark stIll stood by the I:
inch guns, and as the change of cours
brought the vizcaya upon the Oregon
d port bow he exclaimed to the batter,
~ III L a-.