Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-07-20

entrance lay two of the best of SPANS
warships-one the fagship-battered out
of all semblance to vessels of their for
mer power and speed. Just ahead, but
under a fire which nothing afloat could
sustain and remain ahoat, the proud Viz
caya, commanded by the officer who had
showed her off in New York harbor about
the time of the Maine disaster, was reel
ing along hopeless but still defiant. Her
consort, the Colon, was gaining rapidly
and seemed to be about to escape. The
Vizcaya suddenly turned inshore, ran up
the white flag and her susviving sailors
leaped into the hostile sea to avoid the
rain of iron which was slaughtering them
in winrows.
Seventeen miles of travel and less than
two hours Of fighting and three of the
mighty cruisers were gone. On swept the
Brooklyn and Oregon, the big battleship
now close on the quarter of the flagship,
hanging grimly to the chase. Up lum-
bered the Indiana and Iowa and, no long
er able TO maintain the chase, turned to
the rescue of the unfortunates. A flag
broke out on the New York, now rushing
by, and Captain Taylor, on the Indiana,
saw his ships number called. Then he
received signal order to return to his
station off the blockade and guard the
harbor entrance. So slowly and reluc-
family he came about and dropped out Of
the fight.
Fighting Bob" Evans, with the Iowa.
having done as much damage as possible
while the enemy's fleet existed, now turn
ed his attention to caring for the surviv-
ors. Even while at this work the New
York, under full steam and with screws
revolving under forced draught, plunged
by on her way to get into the fight. On
the bridge was the commander-in-chief,
whose orders were being so CALAMITY and
thoroughly carried out by the ships of the
two squadrons in his absence. He sent
Taylor back. tagged Evans to care for
the wounded and surviving and then
raced ahead to where in the distance he
was able to see puffs of white smoke
mantling the Oregon, and then later on
see a geyser of water beyond the fleeing
Colon as a thirteen-inch shell exploded
on the inshore side.
Orders Were Obeyed.
But it was too late. Even as the feet
flagship drew near to the chase the Colon
turned inshore and the last Of the enemy
signaled submission and defeat. Then up
went the signal of Schley that the battle
was over and the victory won. All that
remained was to see to the rescue and
comfort of the survivors. Three of the
American ships had made fights without
parallel in naval history. Seven had con-
centrated their fire at once on the extend
ed line of the enemy. One cruiser had
engaged at close quarters four armed
with heavier ordnance and reputed to be
more powerful, swifter and better able
to withstand hard contest.
One huge battleship, with speed great
ly inferior to any of the enemy, had out
sailed them all, overhauling her own flag
ship, with a registered nominal speed Of
five knots better. A mere toy boat had
engaged in deadly embrace two torpedo
boats with heavier ordnance, better pro-
lection and as high speed, If not much
higher. Like a wasp she had fiuttered
about them and with sharp drives had
stung them to death. A grim, white
faced man in an undress naval uniform
stood on her bridge and directed her
movements like a personihcation of fate.
An hour afterward, tender as a woman,
he was helping the poor defeated wretches
to the decks of his little vessel.
No commanding officer ever issued a
general order which was so literally obey
ed. Few and simple as the words were,
each syllable counted in the result. IF
the enemy attempts to escape close in,
engage and endeavor to destroy him or
drive him ashore" These were the words
Sampson wrote on June 2. On the morn
ing of July these words were just as
important as on June 2. No revocation,
no change, no addition had been made to
them; they stood for the order of battle
should one come. Then on July 3 he sail
ed away to meet Shafter. While he was
gone and despite his utmost efforts to
catch up with the running fight his orders
were carried out to the last word of the
full sentence. Destroy or drive ashore"
he said. In order that there might in the
future be no reason to say that part had
been done and part omitted the gallant
sailors destroyed the enemy and also
| drove his entire feet ashore.
| But tne of the vessels engaged that
morning evaded the latter portion OF that
stern order. But for the pernicious ac-
tivity Of "Dick" Wainwright the Pluton
doubtless would have completed the duty
thus assigned TO her. But the Gloucester
was so active that this dreaded ship blew
up and sank when not far from the shore,
| so that IL any question should arise II
must be answered by the captain Of the
converted yacht. IL Is not generally be-
| neved he will be asked to explain, as the
blowing up and sinking will be held to be
practical execution Of orders.
/