The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-03-22

AS I have before stated we feared
that there bad been many killed and
wounded, so we did take him That
is why Wainwright gained new laurels
that day. for later 1t fell to his lot to
pick up the Spanish admiral.
After the doctor had come aboard we
headed again TO the westward, aud pro-
ceeded full speed to Aserradero, where
the Vizcaya lay beached and in flames,
and which place lay the Iowa.
The distance proved TO be nine miles,
and when about half way we passed
the Indiana standing back towards
Santiago. Three cheers and a tiger
were given and returned.
"Any casualties?' l megaphoned.
''Not man injured" was Captain
Taylor's reply, and then came howls
of delight from our crew.
Twenty minutes later we were along
side the Iowa. ''No one hurt,p shout
ed Captain Evans, after we had in
formed him that his surgeon was with
Us.
We then stood in for the Vizcaya.
Brave Lieutenant Usher had taken the
little Ericsson in right under the bow
of the burning wreck. The Iowa also
had her boats there. 1t took but an
instant to man our three boats and put
them to work. The difficulty was in
holding back our crew-all wanted TO
go.
Lieutenant Hunicke and Assistant
Engineer Kellogg were our officers in
charge Of the boats, and they did heroic
work that day. They proceeded under
the Vizcaya's bow 10 take of the
spaniards. The wreck was then on
fire fore and aft, and there was an sx-
plosion almost every minute. The poor
wretches probably believing they were
to be shot, were afraid to drop into the
water. Many OF them clung to ropes
over the side and had to be shaken off
into the water Our men had holes
burnt in their coats and shirts by the
molten metal.
The first % picked up by our boats
were placed on board the Ericsson,
which, few moments later, steamed
out to the Iowa, and thence toward
Santiago. As the little boat passed US
with her 80 prisoners, who loaded her
down almost TO the waters edge,
Usher shouted: "Look out for her
guns-they are all loaded p
AS the guns were pointed in all di-
rections, we could not "look out" 1t
was risk that had to be taken. The
Iowa soon recalled her boats, and also
stood to the eastward. This left US
alone at the wreck. For the next five
hours the gallant crew Of the Hist con-
tinuei the work of rescue. Spaniards
were taken from the ship. the water
and the shores 10 the number OF I4s.
making total of 1856, with the .
placed on the Ericsson.
The cries Of the poor fellows who
had been wounded, and were still on
board, unable to help themselves, were
frightful. They were burned TO death.
The ship was mass Of flames, her
plates were red-hot. Nothing could be
done for them. Explosions were in
cessant. At one time it would be the
| rattle of the Mauser ammunition; an
other, some of the large fixed ammu-
milton, and again, the explosion of
magazine, when column of smoke
would shoot up many hundreds of feet
What few hours before had been a
magnificent lighting ship, teeming
with men, was now a hopeless wreck,
with half her crew dead OF dying!
When we had taken off all we could
get from the ship, our boats were sent
through the surf to bring off the Span
iards who had reached shore, and
whom the Cubans had rounded up"
Despite the reports of Cuban cruelty,
we did not see OF hear of their shooting
the Spaniards at this place. In fact,
our men received valuable assistance
from the Cubans in taking off the
prisoners on the beach. Several of
the injured who came aboard had had
their hands bandaged by the insur-
gents.
In all we had about 20 wounded, five
or six desperately. One poor fellow
had been scalded. He had hardly any
flesh from his neck to his heels. He
had been in the salt water and in the
broiling sun; had been lifted in and
out of boats-and yet he never mur-
INJURED.
Another had been shot in the neck,
while still another had terribly in
jured hip, yet neither uttered sound.
One, who seemed to be dying, placed
in my hands worn, greasy pocket
book containing two five peseta pieces.
We got his name, and when he was
transferred the purse went with him
He had clung to it all day, keeping it
in his hand or mouth, as he was naked
when he was brought on board.
A group of four Spaniards were
noticed talking exeitedly and shaking
their clenched fists at the Vizcaya.
Nearly all were nude aud very hungry
1t was reported to me that they claim
ed 70 have had no food for the pre-, ious
twenty-four hours. When food was
given to them they ate ravenously.
Clothing was also furnished. To find
that, instead of being shot, they were
treated as friends raised their spirits
wonderfully.
Later, when our little band played
for them, they seemed TO enjoy ii inn
mensely and appeared to forget the ter
ribIe scenes Of the morning.
Brave men of the Hist know wha.
fighters they were, for | have seen
them in four battles, yet this afternoon
they were as tender as women. The
wounded received every attention.
Blankets, mattresses, hammocks and
delicacies from the mems private mess
were furnished. / heard no remarks
about "Dagoesp or Remember the
Maine"
Leaving the Yizcaya when all snr-