The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-04-17
REMARKABLE CRUISE.
Career of the Raleigh During the Past
Three Years.

Three Years.
New York, April 16.-The career of
the Raleigh from the time she left this
port nearly two years ago until her
return has been a remarkable one. The
following sketch of the firing Of the
first shot in that battle is told by an
officer on the Raleigh, the time dating
from the hour when the cruiser was
stripped for action.
About p. m. Saturday, April 80, the
commanding officers of the fleet re-
paired on board the Olympia for final
consultation with the commodore. Capt.
Coghlan returned with a typewritten
document, and ordered AL hands
called to muster!" On the quarter
deck, amid a dead silence, he mounted
one of the poop ladders and said: Il
want to read the proclamation of the
governor general of Manila to let you
see what he thinks of you"
Consul General Williams had brought
translation of this remarkable docu
ment, which had been published in all
the papers and placarded over the town
on the 2Sd-the day he left Manila.
The captain then read it. In amaze
ment we listened to it's language. We
were composed of all the social eXcres-
ences of the world. A squadron manned
by foreigners, possessing neither in-
structions nor discipline, was coming
to their archipelago to try to rob them
of life, honor and liberty.
I'VE were to enslave the natives,
pillage the holy Catholic churches and
crafty our lustful passions at the ex-
pense of their wives and daughters
honor
Vain designs, ridiculous boasting.
The struggle would be short and deci
sive; the god of victories would give
them one as complete as the righteous
ness of their cause demanded.
Towards the close mutterings among
the men could be heard, and faces were
seen to draw and assume look of
ironical amusement and determination.
AS he finished, the captain said:
I'VE run the forts tonight and attack
the fleet tomorrow morning. Ihen
show them what you are made OF"
Roar upon roar cheer upon cheer of
defiance went up from crew. Practi-
cally the same scene was enacted on
each of the other ships. At 8. p. M. all
preparations had been made. All lights
save one stern light, to keep position
by, were extinguished or obscured. The
crew were silently sent to quarters.
Corregidor island which rises in the
mouth of the bay, could be seen ahead
and on our port bow. The bright moon
light made it seem impossible that the
enemy should not discern us.
The guns were loaded. AS we had
long night before us and the time when
the battery would be needed was uncer-
tain, as the intention was to slip by the
forts unobserved if possible, the word
was passed along that tne crew need
not remain strictly at their stations,
but keep ready for an instant call.
The officers and gun captains were to
remain in the immediate vicinity of
their guns. The men were gathered in
knots around the deck, chatting and
laughing in subdued tones and watch
ing eagerly the dark mass of Corregi-
dor island and the steady course Of the
flagship. The powder division was all
below. On this division, it may be
noted, were all the servants of the Off
GERS, including Chinese and Japanese, a
mixed lot that could not be expected to
burn with a great degree of patriotic
fervor.
How they would act when the shells
began to scream was doubtful. When
the fight was over, it was a matter of
comment and mild wonder among the
officers at the cheerful and cool manner
in which these celestials and Latins
performed their duties and entered into
the excitement of the battle. Not a
man showed fear. but on the contrary,
all expressed regret that there was mo
more fight" At about midnight the
fleet was exactly between the islands
of Corrigedor and Eel Fraile, and about
three-quarters of a mile distant from
the latter. Beyond the flash Of a
couple of signal lights on shore the en-
envy gave no evidence of having discov-
cred us.
The men below deck not being able
to watch passing events, had gotten
Ia
singing softly the old patriotic and ia
miliar songs of country, home and
mother. This form of passing the
time did not have a cheering effect.
Suddenly by a stroke of inspiration, |
one who felt as most Of US did, started
up, "Therell be a hot time in the old
town tonight" The strain was re-
lieved and a quiet but mirthful laugh |
went around. while each poined in the |
chorus.
We were still laughing at some i'm
provised and appropriate words when
a flash came and the whistle and /
scream of an eight-inch shell caused /
everybody to grow silent and duck"
Each man looked at his neighbor to 4
see if he had done likewise, and smiled
with relief when he saw that he had
company. This shell passed directly
over the forecastle Of the Raleigh and
kicked up the water in a white geyser
a couple Of hundred yards ahead on
our port bow. Immediately the order
was shouted from the bridge, Fire
from the aft five-inch guni"
This gun, in charge Of Ensign Babin,
had been kept pointed at the rock and |
almost simultaneously with the order, |
the electric firing key was pressed and |
the first shot of Dewey's feet went
HURTING on its way. The first hostile |
shots had been exchanged, and the |
war in the Philippines had practically |