Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1899-08-31

was Charles r. Marshall, of Chenille.
He was on the cruiser Baltimore during
the battle OF Manila bay, serving in
the electrical engineering department.
An account of the world-renoWnedf fight
was published in the Ell Diano De
Manila, Spanish newspaper in Manila
under date of May A, 1888. The paper
was a radical Spanish organ. Mr..
Marshall obtained a copy containing
the account of the battle, and has
translated it into English says the
Cleveland Leader. AS showing how
the great sea fight looked to the Span
iards, it is intensely interesting. The
translation follows:
When the enemys squadron was
sighted in perfect line of battle
through clouds of misty dawn, on
the morning Of the LIST Of May, gloom
and surprise were general among the
people Of Manila. AT last these ships
had strained their boldness to point
of appearing on our coast and defying
our batteries, which showed more
courage than effect when they opened
| fire on our squadron, 1t needs some
thing more than courage to make pro-
jectiles penetrate. Indeed it does
Our batteries, when compared with
those of the squadron which alarmed
the inhabitants of Manila at 5 in the
morning, were enough to transform
the tranquil character OF our tropical
temperaments. While ladies I'D
children in carriages or on foot fled
in fright to seek refuge in the outlying
suburbs around the capital, from dan
ger, multiplied by their imaginatlons,
every man, from the stately parsonage
to the most humble workman, mer-
chants and mechanics, Spanards and
natives, soldiers and civilians, all, we
repeat, sought their stations and put
on their arms, confident that never
should the enemy land in Manila UNI
less he passed over their corpses. Yet,
from the first moment, the strength of
the enemys armor demonstrated that
his ships were invulnerable to our en-
ergies and ornaments.
The city walls, the church towers,
the roofs of high buildings, and all
laces convenient for observation, were
Occupied by those who were not re-
tanned by their military duties within
the walls, on the bridges, or at the adj
vanced posts.
The slightest detail Of the enemy
was eagerly watched as they advanced
towards Cavite, in a line parallel with
Manila, as though they had just come
out of the Pasg river. There were no
gaps in the lines as they steamed
slowly towards Cavite. where our noble
squadron was eagerly waiting for them.
All who appreciated the impunity with
which the hostile ships Unanswered as
If on a harmless parade We're full of
such rage and desperation as belong
to the brave man, who can make no
use of his courage to whom remains no
remedy. except an honorable death
rather than a cowardly inactivity.
A soldier of the First battalion of
Cazadores gazed at the squadron
sweeping over the waters out of reach
OF our batteries, looked out and at the
ships, and then towards heaven, say
ing; If Holy Mary would turn that
| SGtt lHlD itllNl, llt ltilNit0 "oNlA hllNl
out how we can charge in double
! tme," and native staring out at the
ships said Just let them come ashore
and give us a whack at them,"
On they stood at full speed, heading
for Cavitc with decision due to
sense of safety and a firm assurance
OF success.
| hnn Il hnl
the bomhardment held in sus-
pense those whose souls followed the
struggle, in which the Spanish ships
went down with their glorious banners
flying. What was going on in the
waters of Cavite? From Manila we
saw through glasses the two squadrons
almost mingled together In clouds Of
smoke, This was not far from vic
tory for our side. for once alongside
the enemy the cry of 'Boarders,
away" and the flash of cold steel
might have enabled our devoted sea-
men to disturb the calm in which
watches and instruments were regu-
lated and directing those engines of
destruction. In the blindness of our
ldSt IhN Slbull we paint lIit HSlulG
deeds. the prowess, the waves of valor
which burst forth from our men-of-
war! Those who fought beneath the
Spanish flag bore themselves like
men, rs CHOSEN sons of our native land,
who never measure forces nor yield to
superior force in the hands OF an
enemy who would rather die without
ships than live in one that had sur
rendered
When the hostile squadron turned
towards Cavite the crew of the steamer
isle de Mindanaol heard the drums
beating to quarters, and answered with
enthusiasm; three round cheers for
the kiug, for the queen, and for Spain
was echoed along the line.
Untll quarter to absolute silence
reigned Everything was ready. The
idea of death was lost in ardor for the
fray, and every eye was fixed on the
battle flags waving 1t our mastheads.
In nerfcCt order (whv should we