Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-07-20

show how useless in hot battle they and
their class can be.
When the action began the Gloucester
lay farthest inshore in the starboard di-
vision. She Tapped over the huge Indiana
and her gallant commander sent her for
ward and then swept in wide circle,
clearing the way for Taylor. She blazed
away with her guns-mere toys compared
to those of her big consort-but at too
long range for effective service. Then
Captain Wainwright, knowing the speed
of his ship, held her back to gain steam.
He was still waiting when the torpedo
boats made the outer entrance. Then
came his opportunity.
Opposing two vessels regarded as the
most dangerous in the feet of the enemy
by this time was but one daring Yankee
seaman with a crew of daring Yankees
aboard a fragile yacht built for pleasure
and not stern war. 1t was contest none
need have felt shame in avoiding, but
Wainwright had seen the Maine sink be-
low the waters of Havana harbor, had
seen his men in mangled heaps crushed
out of life. and he knew no hesitation.
Like a greyhound his little vessel shot
forward. Down under the fire of the
battleships which had turned their fire
upon them the yacht bore in between the
deadly torpedo boats. Often in that bril-
liant action they tried to torpedo the
Gloucester, but the skill of the command
err and the skill Of the men behind the
guns smothered both vessels with a dam
aging ire.
In and out like a snake of flame and
smoke raced the Gloucester. Back to-
ward the harbor entrance the worried tor
pedo ships turned in a vain effort to es-
cape, but escape was not to be. Smoth-
cred at their guns by a boat with fewer
weapons and lighter projectiles, but with
deadly aim, they blew up into fragments.
One went ashore and the other dropped
beneath the waves, while the victor hui
namely devoted his time to the rescue of
the few men who had survived his awful
fire. Less than one hour had passed,
less than sixty minutes had been neoes-
sary to show the limited value of such
vessels against the deadly accuracy and
rapidity of the Americans.
Cervera Opens Fire.
AS the Teresa opened fire she received
the return fire of all the ships of the
American feet. Steering to starboard
she made a futile effort to escape to the
west. Closely following in her tracks
came the Oquendo. the Vizcaya and the
Cristobal Colon, all superior in armament
to the Brokolyn and but little inferior to
the bulldogs of the American navy. The
| Spaniards made a gallant and desperate
| fight, but the constant rattle of the rapid
| fire guns in main and secondary battery
aboard the enemy, combined with an &C
curacy at long and short range little short
of marvellous, made the Castilian gunners
| fee from their guns.
The Iowa and the Indiana being short
on steam were operating at long range
until well after the action commenced
But they closed in and by the lapse OF
half an hour were dealing deadly blows al
all but the swift Colon, which seemed II
a fair way to glide out to the sea to the
west and make good her escape. The
Oregon, with burst of speed which ha:
| caused naval authorities and writer's Il
gasp and continue gasping, set sail FOL
the flying flagship, and before the Color
| gave up the fight was well up with tbs
chase. In. to the shore turned the flag
| ship Of the enemy, but as she turned Cap
| tain Clark's gallant vessel flew by, rakinl
her as she faltered. Then she flew tn,
white flag and dashed a wreck on tn,
| beach.
On flew the Oregon, followed by thu
Texas, Indiana and Iowa, ali delivering
hot volleys from, large and small guns
The Brooklyn, ahend Of her enemy, wa
sending back her compliments from TIL
after turret. while her forward piece
bore on the Colon, which passed inshor
of the Oquendo, just as the Oregon rake,
the flagship. AS the Oquendo we're,
inshore the Oregon passed asterl
and sent a compliment or two a.
she headed for the Yizcaya, now hotl.
engaged with the Brooklyn and Texas
The Iowa and Indiana. coming up slower
aIss beat the ship into shapeless mas
of twisted iron and steel. Less than
full hour of fighting and two of the es
Gaping feet ashore. abandoned and wit
colors trailing their decks.
j Nine and eleven miles from the harbo