Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-07-13


vering 60 The Gloucester had 800 tons
displacement against 740 in the Furor
and Pluton combined. The two Span
iards carried 1873 men and 16 guns
against so men and 10 guns on the
Gloucester.
When the fight was over on July 3
and the ribs Of every Spanish vessel ly-
ing on the beach, Commander Dick
Wainwright Of the Gloucester said with
grim satisfaction, 1.-THE Maine is
avenged" To the commander Of the
Gloucester that was no cheap bit of
sentiment. The Maine was something
to him. He was her executive officer
when she blew up, and no one who was
in his company during the weeks Of
tension following could doubt his opin-
ion as to the cause Of the explosion and
the responsibility for the death of 286
fellow Americans and fellow sailors.
When the reign of diplomacy came
to an end and the United States govern.
ment relinquished sovereignty over the
wreck of ths Maine, Wainwright was
called to Washington for staff duty
Having fighting sailor blood in his veins
and CALLING score to settle with the
Spanish, the commander set forth his
temper and wishes bluntly Said he;
This business means war. With my
rank know | cannot expect a separate
command of great Importance, but /
would like to get good little vessel
with capable guns and have crack at
the enemy on even terms.
An ideal captain for the daring aux
iliary was Wainwright who talked
like that. For the size Of her decks tho
little sea guerrilla had more than her
quota Of Yankee enthusiasm that Sun
day morning when the Spanish came
out to their fate. Being only speck on
the water alongside a battleship, with
no parading or cruising record, nor
marvellous armor nor mammoth guns,
the Gloucester had all to win. Vain
wright said the thing which he remem-
bered most after Sunday morning in
spection was the natty appearance of
the ship maintained by the men under
adverse circumstances. He was think
| ing about it down in his cabin when a
voice rang down the hatchway, saying,
/ They're coming ~ y
For this cry the sailors had been on
the qui vive for weeks, and delay had
made them skeptical. But they lost no
time when it did come, and Vain
wright found upon reaching the bridge
that the business signal had gone below,
Full speed ahead" The men were at
~, Il
ply of ammunition piled on deck. Bust
ness began at once, for the Spanish flag
ship Maria Teresa was rounding the
point. This speed of the Gloucester was
her strongest card, and this was run NJ
/ by forcing blowers to II knots.
The range was long at first and the
firing was slow chiefly to keep the range
of Cervera's ships as they came ont.
Finally the four heavy ships of Cervera
We're seen together making all speed
westward. Gradually the American
vessels gained, and it developed into q
running fight, in which the Gloucester
would win glory if she chose. But the
Gloucester was to look out for the de.
stroyers known to be in the harbor.
Only for this and the fact that the de
stroyers were not with the cruisers
Wainwright would have dashed into
the stern of one of the fleeing ships e
wreck her steering gear or propeller.
Just what to do was delicate ques
ton for Wainwright to decide. He had
his Independent vessel and an enemy
at hand. Should he wait for the torpedo
boats and they not come out he would
lose his coveted chance for a fight
Should he join the chase and leave NJ
fighting scout in wake of the fleet thu
torpedo boats might slip up under thu
cover Of the smoke and give the dealt
thrust to a battleship just when sht
was winning on the enemy 1t wa
this that Dick Wainwright prevented
and in doing it avenged his murdered
shipmates. The last of the fleeing cruis
ers was two miles from Moro Castle
when the torpedo boats appeared. Drafts
we're increased, and the Glouceste
churned water as never before. Mean
while the guns were pounding away a
the new target with better execution
than upon the heavily armc-ed ships
The guns Of Moro Castle hombardet
the Gloucester, not being disposed t
leave the battle to the two destroyers. 4
single shot might have sent the pluck,
auxiliary to the bottom, but Morro's
cannoneers were not equal to that de
cisive shot. Just to think that on,
puncture below the water line woult
have made il possible for the destroyer
TO have torpedoed the Indiana, Iowa o.
Brooklyn and changed the fortunes o
. the day. When the high speed of tn
Gloucester had Wrought her within so,
, yards of the destroyers, she and the.
! held the sea west of the harbor entranc
alone. The battleships and cruiser
were making life and death run for l
In the direction of Cienfuegos Includ
ing rapid firing guns, there was she
a second from the Gloucester.
Suddenly the officers Of the Glouces
4 ter saw the Teresa and Oquendo turnin
: and heading toward shore. This Nigh
$ be a move to get inside the Gordon c
a. American ships and retreat to the hal
$ Dor. In that case the lonely little aux
: iliary would be caught between tw
fires and destroyed. Wainwright de-
cided quickly to close with the Pluto
and Juror so that the heavy shots {
the cruisers, when aimed at the Glou
cester, would destroy friend with foe