The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-12-22


. ~ ~. ~ ~. -. ~, -: ~ -: s,:M =::.sE
Lieutenant Jose Baquero y Ordonez
of the navy of his Catholic majesty Of
Spain stroked his long white beard
and decided on a brilliant and great
action. From the decks Of his little
gunboat he looked once more-"WhO
knows" thought he, "but it is for the
last time"-on the sleepy cove Of Tu-
riguano. that had sheltered his craft
so long and well from the prowling
Yankee fleet. Then sharp orders were
given, and the white, shining ship
moved swiftly out Of the tiny Cuban
harbor and stood for the open sea.
On the shore there was strange COM
motion as she went. 1t came from
Spanish loyalists, who had fed her
crew and officers for years and sup
piled the vessel with material, and
their emotion was vivid, for Lieuten-
ant Jose Baquero y Ordonez of the
navy of his majesty Of Spain had omit
ted the formality of paying the bills.
Lieutenant Ordonez had things more
| weighty than mere bills to consider.
| After long reflection he had decided on
a stroke that would end an imperish-
able glory for him and his-or annihila-
ton. He had decided to run the fierce
| blockade and enter Havana; to force
| his way through the enormous steel
| fleet of the enemy, to defy battleships
| and torpedo boats and cruisers and to
| do deed that would re-echo in Spain.
| He did not aspire to the empty glory
Of sinking Yankee ship, and, inciden.
tally, being sunk himself. The Lieu
tenant Ordonez would have dared that
| too, for it would have been a chival
rous thing to do. and he lived for chiv
airy. But that ripe reflection to which
he had become a prey taught hin
that, if we were sunk, the Yankee pigs
never would give credit to him and hi.
crew for their glorious blow for Span
ish arms.
And, then. where would be all the
good effect of his enterprise, as far a!
the fame of Spain was concerned? No
The Lieutenant Ordonez saw clearl,
that he could nerve the Spanish arm
and force the worlds acclaim for tn,
valor of his land best by entering Ha
vana and flashing the news around tn,
globe that Spanish warship had brok
eE the boasted blockade. "On, then
my brave onesw cried he. Fear not
Honor and cigarettes and senoras
smiles await us! And if you see
Yankee pig boat, do not hesitate to lie
me know in ample season." He look
ed enthusiastically on his crew, a crey
any commander might be proud t
have-all old. white haired men, VIII
had served in the Spanish navy fo
many, many years.
Intrepidity that was the inheritanc
: of the Lieutenant Ordonez did not in
terfere with his sound Judgment. Care
fully. though bravely, he steered alon
the coast. and at every sign of smok
or sail on the horizon he felt his re
sponSibility for the care Of his ship an
men keenly enough to suppress hi
natural desire for battle and to Ii
hidden in a snug harbor till nigh
made 1t safe to venture on again.
And so making port wherever a d.
serted bayou or bay was to be fount
) the little gunboat San Jago worke
: her way along the north coast of Cub
, night after night, giving a wide bert
, to harbors like Sagua la Grande an
} Cardenas, where the enemy might b
in force. till at last, on the midnigb
of the seventh day after venturing ou
of their port, the brave Spaniards crep
, in sight of their goal.
| Now thpsp was intaDSo nynitop,1r
on the little ship. The men lay dow
by their guns and whispered wha
they had to say to each other. Th
5 officers crowded together and stralne
! their eyes through the gloom for th
2 dusky shapes of the American ship
that must be within a few miles a
the most. And softly the engine
worked and every moment the coas
loomed more plainly. Still there wa
] no sign of foeman. No pencil of way
ering, cropping light was to be see
3 anywhere on the rolling sea to betra
an American ship with her pryin
searchlight.
1t seemed almost too good to be tru,
5 and the Lieutenant Ordonez and hi
3 men began to suspect a trap. The
redoubled their watchfulness, an
7 more than one sailor muttered a hui
ried prayer in wise provision for
s possible emergency when he Nigh
not have time to commend his soul t
his patron saint. But still there wa
5 no sign of an enemy's craft, and finall
the ship opened up the entrance
Havana harbor without having met
: single obstacle.
Then an involuntary exclamation c
surprise came from the watching mel
Havana was dazzling with illumin;
4 tions. The waters of the bay wer
: bright as day with the flashes Of ele'
tric lights, and from all parts Of th