The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-03-22
GREAT WORK
OF THE HIST
The Destruction of Cervera's Fleet
Seen From the Little Yes
sells Deck.

sells Deck.
The flagship is standing TO the east
ward. sir, and has made signal for the
Hist to follow her," was the message
brought to me by an orderly few mo-
ments before 8 o'clock on that beautiful
Sunday morning, the 5 of July, 1898.
The Hist at this time was almost di-
rectly Off Moro Castle, and but short
distance from the Gloucester, the little
vessel which so greatly distinguished
herself in the few hours that followed.
We did not know at the time where
the New York was going, bat learned
later that the admiral intended to visit
General Shafter, and we were going
to Altares TO take twosix-pounder guns
from one Of our eOlliers. We had only
one three FOUNDER and four automatic
one-pounders, and we needed the large
guns badly.
About $50, when we were five miles
to the eastward of MORO, and follow
ing in the wake of the flagship, heard
firing. A moment later the orderly
burst into the mess room in great ex-
citement:
"Sir, the officer of the deck reports
that the feet has begun another bonn
bardmentn
AS l stepped out on deck heard a
loud yell: "The Spaniards are coming
out -
Sure enough, there was large black
hull just clearing Moro point-the
Maria Teresa-and which was follow
ed by three others. The smoke hid
from our sight the torpedo boat de-
stroyers' exit.
Bangl Bang Bang their big
guns were going, and from where we
were the flashes looked like fire-flies.
The excitement was intense. Our men
threw Off their Sunday clothes 1.-THE
first Sunday in the month being the
time when general muster is held and
when the articles of war are readl and
manned the guns
"Hard-a-port p "Full speed ahead p.
''Start the blowers ~ "All hands TO
general quarters y followed in rapid
succession, and we came around in the
wake of Admiral Sampson's flagship.
Dense black smoke began to pour
from the New York's tunnels, as fires
were lighted in the boilers not then in
use. The little torpedo boat Ericsson,
abeam of the New York, also began to
show evidences that she was getting
ready for her or . knot maximum
speed.
Our exciting race to the westward
had begun.
Flagship makes general signal; 252
calls out the chief signal quartermast-
er. a hasty glance at the emergency
signal list showed that this meant:
''Close in to mouth Of harbor and at
tack enemy
By this time the smoke had some
what cut off our view of the battle, but
the roar Of the guns was terrific.
The New York's speed began to in
crease as she felt the effects OF her extra
boilers, and we were rapidly working
up TO maximum of II knots.
"What terrible loss of life is TAX
ing place" /" we ali thought. There was;
it was one sided, but we did not know
it then. 1t seemed impossible for our
ships to escape fatalities, fighting at
what appeared to US @ be such short
range.
We had forgotten about the batteries
on Morroand Locapa until they opened
on the New York as she dashed by
them. She did not return the fire;
there. was more important work ahead
Our turn came few MINUTES later.
'sThere she goes p shouted someone, as
a curl Of smoke ascended from Locapa-
Then followed what in reality was
only few seconds of time, but which
seemed minutes until the shell struck
the water about $50 yards short of us
With the splash came cheers and cat
calls from our men. Above all was
heard the harsh voice OF some 'jack-
ie:''
"They can't hit nothin' ~
Shell No. = went about 100 yards over
Us, and the next four fell nowhere
near.
The Hist IS only small yacht. bat
when one is being fired at that way,
aud without the excitement of return
ing the fire, one feels that his vessel is
as big as the whole ocean, and that the
spaniards could not miss US even il
they were blindfolded.
Possibly we would have been hit had
that been the case, judging from the
rest OF their shooting that day.
About 1890, when we were three
miles west of Moro, we dashed by the
gallant Gloucester. standing by the
wrecks Of the Pluton and Furore. We
knew then that she and her brave cap
tain, Wainwright, had won fame in
the short time that had elapsed since
we !, II her Off Moro.
"rhe two ships ashore are the Teresa
and O4uendo," called out the Cuban
pilot. The Hist was immediately
headed inshore towards them to pick
up the survivors Here is the reason
why the little Hist did not become IA
nous as the vessel that rescued Ad-
mlrai Cervera:
When within a short distance OF
these wrecks we were hailed by mega
phone from pretty little yacht which
we had noticed in our run to the west.
It proved to be the Herald Republic
di-patchboat Golden Rod When we
had stopped the following message
came over the water:
I'VE have Surgeon Eimons Of the
iowa. on board. He was ashore with