Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1899-09-07

There was unusual commotion on the
deck of the Iowa the night before the
battle with CerveIa. Captain Evans
executive officer called attention to the
activity around the Spanish ships. Tall
columns of smoke could be seen stand
ing straight up from the stacks Of Ger
veras ships. Captain Evans did not
take the matter seriously and gave no
orders about it. but his subordinates
made ready for instant use the signal,
"Enemy's ships coming outr That
was the reason the signal was hoisted
so promptly when the ships did come
out the morning Of July 8. "a fine
sight they made. too" said Captain
Evans, ''as they came, like a lot Of
angry bulls, ready to go at anything.
They were all neat and clean and pref
tily painted-it seemed pity to spoil
their beauty"
When the Spaniards were sighted at
8:81 q. m., Captain Evans was in his
cabin with his son, cadet on the
Massachusetts. The alarm for action
rang on board ship, and Cadet Evans
cried out joyfully, Papa. the enemy's
ships are coming out" Before the
commander Of the Iowa reached the
spar deck a gun doomed and the ship
was making full speed ahead The posi-
tion of the Iowa was such that her ont
look saw directly into the harbor. while
MORO and other elevations shut out the
view of the other ships until the Span
ish were well ont from MORO point
Ce.vera's flagship had the head Of
column and was steered straight with
the current under the admiral's personal
direction. he standing by the pilot and
giving sailing orders while his ship re-
ceived the fire of three Americans, In
Guiding the Iowa. The latter was head
ed straight for MORO. The starboard
battery of the Iowa opened at 5000
yards. As she swung clear of the shoals
at the entrance the flagship Teresa
opened and fred with spiteful rapidity
full broadsides, taking westward
course. The Spanish shots showered the
Yankee ships, but none struck the
Iowa at that time.
For some time Captain Evans ma
neuvered with the intention of ramming
or torpedoing the enemy, but he found
his speed tco slow. The Teresa had
passed the Iowa, and the Vizcaya and
Oquendo were abreast of the active
Yankee. Captain Evans swung his ship
30 as to give the Teresa his full port
broadside, then as quickly swung
around to bring the Vizcaya under the
star board guns. The Vizcaya got the
full force Of a broadside, the forward
guns meanwhile firing at the Teresa.
After deluging the decks of the vizcaya
with iron hail the Iowa swung again.
and her course lay across the path of
the Oquendo.
Finding that he could not keep speed
with the Oquendo, Captain Evans shift
ed the helm and lay his ships course
parallel to that of the Oquendo. The
vessels were abeam and about 1000
yards apart. The Iowa g rapid fire bat
teries were manned, and the full force
Of the starboard battery was given to
the Spaniard. At the same time the
guns of the Indiana. from position off
the quarter of the Oquendo, was firing
at her. and the Oregon Also
The Colon, being the fastest cruiser,
was the last in the line, and. keeping
inside the other ships, at first passed
ahead, getting in shots whenever her
consorts uncovered the range Two her
shells struck the Iowa, one at and one
above the water line. Seeing the Ore
gon dash for the Colon, Captain Clark
turned his attention to the torpedo
boats, which came out of the harbor
just as the Iowa settled down to a
fighting chase westward after the fee
ing Spaniards. The Iowa, Indiana and
Oregon sighted the torpedo boats at the
same time, and all opened fire, which
the plucky Spaniards returned. while
the American shots churned the water
into foam all about them. The little
Gloucester dashed in, also, and was
nearly struck by the Iowa's fire, being
enveloped in the smoke of her own guns
and that of the battleships. A large
projectile, from the Iowa probably, cut
one of the torpedo boats in two just as
her boilers exploded. But in all this