The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-28

to prevent any splnters from the ships
| side doing any damage, and to act as
breaStworks. Sails were taken out
OF the lockers and laid close to the
break of the forecastle on the star
| board and port sides, and then the an
chor chains were placed on top of the
sails to act as armor to protect the
fve-inch ammunition. BY the eve of
this day everything was in readiness
for go with the Dons.
ION the evening of April 30 our mil
itary band came on the port side of
the gun deck and played all our ma
tional airs and war songs. The patri-
otto spirit rose high and everybody got
enthusiastic, eager for fight for old
Glory and ready to take any chances
for the honor and fame of our native
land. When the musical programme
was nearly finished and the band was
playing The Star Spangied Banner
the race boat flag, old Glory which
is blue flag with bronze rooster
painted on ii and a star for every race
won by the Olympia's boats, was waved
over the ships company. rousing every
body TO the highest pitch of enthusi-
aSm.
There was little sleep on board that
night, as every man realized that we
were soon to meet the enemy, and the
anxiety was feVerish while the hours
passed slowly. / doubt if any one could
give an adequate or accurate descrip-
ton of the scenes of that night, or the
feelings of the brave boys on board of
the Olympia. Every man was ready
and eager to take his post, no matter
how dangerous it might be. Not a
man dreamed that our victory would
be unattended by deaths on our side
On the contrary, everyone expected
that victory would be dearly gained.
that our loss must be great and we
were willing to meet death if it proved
to be our turn.
Il have thus far refrained from men
tioning the name of our great COM
mander, and l have done so intention
ally, for the simple reason that no Ian
guage l am able to use is any way fit
to portray BIN as is fitting, or to con-
vey to you any conception Of the way
in which he is regarded, l might say
worshipped, by the boys of the Olym-
pia. The world knows what he has
achieved, and it would be impossible
to do him greater honor than he de-
serves.
Everybody was a little bit nervous
at this time, for we anticipated that
mines or torpedoes would be exploded
to blow us to pieces. 1t seemed as if
the Spaniards were paralyzed. Pres
entity there was a shot fired from the
Ell Fraile and instantly every man
stood at his gun, waiting for the order
to fire. The Olympia was out of range
by this time. 1t was about midnight
that we passed the forts. The Raj
eigh, Boston and McCullagh answered
the fire of the Ell Fraile battery, which
fired again. These were all the shots
that were fired in passing the forts. 1t
was reported the next day that the
Boston killed 40 men at the FL Fraile
battery
After all the ships were out of range
of Corregidor island and the Ell Fraile
battery, the Olympia made signals to all
the ships inquiring if everything was
right, and all replied that it was. The
commodore then made signals to pro-
coed at about two knots an hour, in
order to meet the enemy at daylight
Sentries with rifles, belts and ammuni-
ton We're placed at intervals of 10 or
Is feet all around the ship to watch for
torpedoes or torpedo boats or for any
attempt of the enemy to surprise US.
The men stationed at the main and sec
ondary batteries were told to lay down
by their guns and take it easy, but TO
hold themselves in readiness for a call
at a moments notice. The rest of the
crew not on watch We're given the same
orders. Then the boys asked for
smoke, and were told by the first lieu
tenant that they could smoke but to
be careful to keep their lights below the
rail. All talked in whispers and all
wondered what kind of place Manila
bay was that we We're creeping into
and what kind of forts and ships were
here. All kinds of yarns We're passing
around. The Spaniards We're signaling
all along the shore with flashlights. At
2:30 O'Clock in the morning the word
was passed quietly along for the star
board watch to go and get their coffee,
which was made down in the fire room
on Goals hauled out of the firebox, as
the galley fire was out. After the star
board watch had their coffee, the port
watch went and had theirs The boys
now all felt better. The ships stood in
anchorage west of the mouth of the
Pasig river at daylight, about Sis a. m.
of May l, We counted IL British mer-
chant sailing vessels off Manila. At
first we thought they were the Spanish
fleet, but as we got pretty close to them
we could discern the British flag on
them, but could see no men-of-war. We
then turned and headed for Cavite,
which is 10 miles from Manila, and as
we did so the big nine point two guns
opened fire on us from the Luneta off
of Manila. You could see their big
shells drop in the water, but they Were
all too short. We paid no attention to
their fire, but kept heading for Cavite.
Soon we made out the Spanish fleet in
Cavite and Canacao bays, in front of
the arsenal. Their line was covered
by boom of timbers and the right
flank was covered or protected by the
CaVite peninsula with heavy guns in
battery on Shangly point; near Canacao
and in front of the hospital some of
the ships were anchored with their
I'm hxy otari n1 in,