Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-04-26
THE PLUCKY GLOUCESTER.
what the Converted Yacht Accom-
Plished in the Santiago Fight.

Lieut.. Com. Wainwright in the Century.
AS we neared the destroyers, the shot and
shell began to whistle about US in a lively
fashion. l can remember my astonishmcDt
at not seeing any wounded or any sign Of
blood when L looked about the decks. The
shell from the batteries on shore also :ell
about US. A shot from any one Of them
would have ended our usefulness.
1 did not see a man who was not doing
his best to serve the guns, or one who
wasted any time watching the encmy's
shot. Bond. the chief boa5swains mate.
fired the forward three-pounder. and It was
a cheering sight to see how coolly he took
aim, and what beautiful shots he made
Green. young quartermaster, who steered
the ship during the action, was as cool as
at drill, and never made a mistake. when
the firlng-pin of one Of the six-poundyrs
dropped out in the heat of the ac-ioa, the
breech-blOck was removed and the pin TO-
placed by Bee, chief gunner's male, as
rapidly If al drill.
The Maxim automatic One-pounders from
the Pluton and the Juror appeared likely
to DE our most dangerous enemies. When
we came within three THOUSAND yards OF
the destroyers these guns began to play
rapidly in our direction. Their fire could lie
traced by the splashes of the projectilcs
coming closer and closer TO US. When they
began to fall about twenty yards from Us.
and the water was stirred up as if a hail
storm was raging, the fire suddenly ceased
Had these guns secured our range, the exc
cution on board would have been terrible
and the Gloucester would have been dis
aGled, If not sunk.
When within twelve hundred yards l or
dered the two small Colt rifles 10 open fire.
Paymaster Brown had been given charge Of
these guns at the beginning OF the cruise
ard he had worked over and fired them
until they became formidable weapons in
his hands He with one gun and Chip,uan
TN-ifh fh.aD ut h.ar
let's pouring on the enemy. After the action
our prisoners spoke OF the deadly effect Of
these guns.
Toward the end OF the action we were
making over seventeen knots and closing in
on the destroyers rapidly, The remainder
of the enemys vessels had rounded the
point ahead, and our rear vessel, the IN
diana, 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 csc ape our
vessels by running inside of them and maxi
ing 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 iron-clads had turned
in to run ashore.
Shortly after this / could see that the
Pluton was slowing down. as the distance
lessened between her and the Furor and IL
soon became apparent that she was dis
abled. 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 were within six hundred Yards
OF her, and every shot appeared to Ftrike.
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. II appeared
to be a critical situation. She might sue
ceea IN torpedoing u.s. or she might escape
up the harbor. But as she continued to
circle, 1t became evident that she was dis
abled, and her helm was TANNED hard
over, Our tire had been too much for her.
AS the Furor turned toward her the flag
ship New York, coming up from the east
under the fire of all the batteries let drive
TWO or three shots at her. / hoisfed tie
signal "Enemy's vessels destroyed" She
gave us three cheers, and kept on under
high speed after the big vessels.