Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-01-27
DEWEY AT MANILA.
An Eyewitness Account of
the Historic Fight of May I

Some New Light on this Event, with a
Chapter of Interesting Incidents Now
Told for the First Time.
An article of unusual interest and time
illness is printed in Harper's magazine for
February under the title "With Dewey at
Manila" 1t is from the pen of Joseph L..
Stickney, the only civilian on the Olympia
at the time of the battle, and who was per-
mitted by the Admiral to occupy station
on the forward bridge. The most inter-
esting part of his article is that in which
Mr. Stickney says that, contrary to the
general impression, and to the report that
went out, the Admiral did not by any
means consider the battle won when he
hauled off from fighting at half-past Z,
after the engagement had lasted two hours
and a-half.
1t was not for coffee and a leisurely
breakfast that be stopped, but to call a
council of his captains and to see what the
chances were for success if the fight was
continued. The VOLUME of the enemy's
fire had not been greatly diminished, and
his vessels were steaming about apparent
ly as active as ever. On the other hand
our own condition had been greatly altered
for the worse. The most serious feature
was that our stock of ammunition had
been so reduced that it was extremely
doubtful if the fight could be continued
for another two hours. A little later on
in the interval of rest, however, it was
seen how severe was the injury inflicted
on the Spaniards, for two of his ships
burst into flames, and the explosion of
their ammunition from the intense heat
could be heard.
Extracts which follow will give the
main facts and incidents on interest which
the article records.
Blue Time on the Olympia.
do not eXaggerate in the least when l
say that, as we hauled off into the BAY,
the gloom on the bridge of the Olympia
was thicker than London fog in Novem-
Der. Neither Commodore Dewey nor any
of the staff believed that the Spanish ships
had been sufficiently injured by our fire to
prevent them from renewing the battle
quite as furiously as they had previously
fought. Indeed, we had all been distinct
ly disappointed in the results of our fire.
Our proiectiles seemed to go too high or
too low-iust as had been the case with
those fired at us by the Spaniards. Several
times the Commodore had expressed dis
satisfaction with the failure of our gunners
to hit the enemy. We had begun the fir
ing at too great a distance, but we had
gradually worked in further on each of the
turns, until we were within about $500
yards at the close of the fifth round. At
that distance, in a smooth sea, we ought
to have made a large percentage of hits
yet, so far as we could Judge, we had not
sensibly crippled the foe. Consequently
Commodore Dewey hauled out into the
open bay at the end of the fifth round to
take stock of ammunition and devise new
nsllan CT attack.
How Dewey's Men Viewed the Delay.
The gun-captains were we'll satisfied
with the results of their work. Whether
they had better knowledge of the accur-
acy OF their aim than we had on the bridge,
or whether they took it for granted that
the enemy must have suffered severely af-
ter so much fighting, do not know; but,
at any rate, they were eager to go on with
the battle, and were confident of victory,
told one of them that we were merely
hauling off for breakfast, which statement
ELECTED the appeal to Captain Lamberton,
as he came past moment later:
"For Gods sake, captain, don't let us
stop now. To hell with breakfast"
When 1 told the Commodore that in
tended to attribute our withdrawal to the
need for breakfast, he intimated that it
was not a matter of much Importance
what reason gave, so long as l did not
give the true one. And so the breakfast
episode went to the world as plausible
excuse for what seemed like an extraordi-
nary strategic man9uvre-one which has
been the subject of more comment than al
most any other event during the battle.
Many people have said to me that it
would be pity to spoil so good story by
telling the truth; but, as the Commodore
will be sure to let the cat out of the bag
some day, may as well let her have her
freedom now.
Reports Worthy of a Cesar.
Not fha least intarastin0 of tI,o H..