The Holly chieftain., 1899-06-09
WORK OF THE GLOUCESTER.
Great Achievement at
Santiago,


Santiago.
Lieut.. Commander Wainwright makes
a spirited but modest report of his bril-.
liant achievement at Santiago, where he
commanded Mr.. pierpont Morgan's
yacht Corsair, which had been convert.
ed into gunbont and has become fam.
GUS as the Gloucester.
AS we neared the destroyers, the
shot and shell began to whistle about III
in lively fashion. can remember nv
astonishment at not seeing any wound
ed or any sign of blood when | looked
about the decks. The shell from the
batteries on shore also fell about us. Al
shot from any one of them would have
ended our usefulness.
Il did not see man who was not do.
ing his best to serve the guns, OF one
who wasted any time Watching the en-.
emy's shot. Bond, the chief boat
swain's mate, fired the forward three
Poundar, and it was cheerful sight to
see how coolly he took aim, and what
beautiful shots he made. Green, a
young quartermaster who steered the
ship during the action, was as cool as
Mt drill, and never made mistake.
When the firing-pin of one of the six.
Founders dropped out in the heat of the
action, the breech-block was removed
and the pin replaced by Bee, chief gun.
ner's mate, as rapidly as if at drill.
The Maxim automatic one-pounders
from the Pluton and the Furor ap.
peared likely to be our most dangerous
enemies. When we came within three
thousand yards Of the destroyers these
guns began to play rapidly in our direc.
tion. Their fire could be traced by the
splashes of the projectiles coming
closer and closer to us. When they be.
gan to fall about 90 yards from us, and
the water was stirred up as il hail.
storm was raging, the fire suddenly
ceased. Had these guns secured our
range, the execution on board would
have been terrible. and the Gloucester
would have been disabled. if not sunk
when within twelve hundred yards
I ordered the two small Colt rifles to
open fire. Paymaster Brown had been
given charge of these guns at the be-
vi Vic VI uioC, anu hc ldu WoThtt
over and fired them until they became
formidable weapons in his hands. He
with one gun. and Chapman with the
other kept a stream of small bullets
pouring on the enemy. After the &C.
ton the prisoners spoke of the deadly
effect of these guns.
Toward the end OF the action we
xvara - nvar ~ l,p1fo <,Ioc;x, ~
in on the destroyers rapidly. The re-
nainder of the enemy's vessels had
rounded the point ahead, and our rear
vessel. the Indiana, was just rounding
this point. Huse called my attention to
the Teresa and the Oquendo, heading In
toward shore. We thought they were
attempting to escape our vessels by
running inside of them and making for
the harbor. Should they do this, we
would be exposed to their rapid-hre
battery at close range, and would be
destroyed. There was only one thing
to do: close in with the ,destroyers, SO
that they would be sunk with us by
their own vessels. AS we found out
later, the ironclads had turned in TO
run ashore.
Shortly after this I could see that
the Pluton was slowing down, as the
distance lessehed between her and the
Furor, and 1t soon became apparent
that she was disabled. Up to this time
the forward guns had been firing on
the Pluton, and the after-guns on the
Furor. now ordered the battery to be
concentrated on the latter boat. We
we're within six hundred yards of her,
and every shot appeared to strike. And
now came the most exciting moment OF
the day: the Pluton was run on the
rocks and blew up: and at the same
time the Furor turned toward us. 1t
appeared to be critical situation. She
night succeed in torpedoing US. or she
night escape up the harbor. But as
she continued to circle, it became evil
lent that she was disabled, and her
,elm was jammed hard over. Our fire
aad been too much for her.
"As the Furor turned toward us, the
flagship New York, coming up from the
east under the fire of all the batteries,
ct drive two or three shots at her.
,oisted the signal, 'Enemy's vessels
destroyed She gave us three cheers,
and kept on under high speed after the
Dig vessels.
Flowers In Millinery.