Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-25


world was Mortified by the news that our
splendid battle ship had been blown up at
her anchorage in that harbor. and that hum
dreds - her gallant crew were dead under
its waters.
Disaster Found Him on Duty.
ut is not becoming for me here to dwell
upon the picture presented by that great
disaster. 1 will only state that Richard
Wainwright, even at the moment OF the
disaster, was at his post Of duty. With the
surviving officers the succeeding weeks
found him still at his post, devoting him.
I self to the trying duties that devolveo
upon him, which only ceased Wnen the
last body was recovered and tenderiy
placed away with mourning nations hon
ors to its memory.
so faithful was he to his duty during
the trying times down to the close of the
investigation carried on to discover the true
cause of the disaster that his services won
special commendation of his superiors. ana
the President showed his appreciation
thereof by appointing the son, Richard
Wainwright. jr., to be a cadet at the Naval
Academy, that the honored name he bears
might be the longer borne upon the navy
list of our country
Upon the declaration of war VAIN
wright was almost in despair; every battle.
ship and cruiser had its complement OF
officers, and there appeared to be no room
or place for him to win honor in battle
He applied for any duty that would
take him to the front in active service.
Nothing was available except the
speedy pleasure yacht Corsair. then re-
Gently purchased from her owner, Commo-
dore ]. Pierpont Morgan of the New YORK
Yacht Club. which was armed with three
and four-pounder rapid-fire guns and re-
christened the Gloucester-her capacity for
service being deemed limited to carrying
dispatches and scout work, her speed being
specially important.
But Wainwright took command. and
with his clever officers set about the train
ing of his small crew, as they well knew
how to do.
Strange Incidents of War.
How little do We mortals know of what
the future has in store for us? What
strange incidents that war produced.
Back in 1892, Spain sent to those west
ern islands the Santa Maria, Pinta and
Nina, three caravals. whose coming amazed
the simple natives of the newly discovered
lands.
In 1885, Spain sent forth three torpedo
destroyers bearing the ominous names OF
the Terror, the Pluton and the Furor, a
type of war vessel EARNED with torpedoes
and four and six-pounder rapid-fire guns)
with which we had nothing to compete,
and designed to terrorize our coasts.
Their coming had been heralded from
Europe as the gravest menace to our fleets
of ironclads and cruisers; and their COM
manders We're the braveSt of the Spanish
navy-and when the Terror reached the
was at a high pitch which was increased
when the Pluton and the Furer entered the
harbor of Santiago de Cuba in safety with
Cervera's fleet.
Strangely enough the Terror it was
which dashed out from San Juan and
sought to destroy the St Paul, con-
verted passenger steamer, but the former
captain of the Maine-CharleS D. Sigsbee-
was in command and the Terror was soon
crippled and flying back into the harbor.
where she was beached to keep her from
going to the bottom forever.
of the mouth of Santiago bay the lit
tie Gloucester was on duty as a scout-her
officers and crew busy preparing them
selves for any duty before them.
"On the memorable morning of July 3,
1898. Admiral Cervera's fleet made its mem
orable dash for the open sea.
Forth came the Infanta Maria Teresa,
the Niscaya, the Cristobal Colon and the
Almirante Oquendo-their heavy guns send
ing shot and shell into our blockading fleet,
which moved in to the combat promptly,
all passing rapidly westward.
Following those battleshiDs came the
dread destroyers, whose speed it was
thought would bring them in the smoke of
battle. where their torpedoes would bring
disaster to some of our great battle ships.
Peerless Act of Heroism.
Then came the gallant Wainwright's
chance. for which he had been longing and
waiting. With his well-trained officers and
crew he felt ready for action, knowing that
they would go wherever he took them. Up
went Taylor's signal from the Indiana:
''Gunboats. close in But Wainwright's
resolve had already been made He awaited
no orders. With an admirable disregard
of the odds whera duty called for it, his
resolve was instantly made-and just as
soon as the bows of the Spanish torpedo
destroyers had passed the mouth of the
harbor he headed the Gloucester, under full
speed. to intercept them. Passing without
to-. la hot hell h.
land batteries, he opened fire from his little
rapid fire guns as soon as within range,
and, with a steady and continuous stream
of shell upon them, he closed in, until with
in 60 yards.
THE boldness of this act in pitting his
little paper-shelled yacht against both Of
the terrible destroyers won the admiral ton
of all beholders.
Gloucester bore down upon them both of
the Spanish torpedo destroyers concentrated
their fire upon her; and as they sought 10
get her range line of foam was torn upon
the surface of the sea by their rain of Slot
and shell a line drawing closer and closer
as she closed in upon them; but there was
no faltering in Wainwright, and on the
Gloucester went, her every little gun sweep
ing their decks. On, on she sped toward the
foe. while nearer and nearer drew that
white line Of spray, and the beholders look
ed to see her swept from the sea, when just
as that line of spray reached within forty
ners was proved, and the Spaniards fled in
dismay from their guns. Their flags were
hauled down in token of surrender, and the
Pluton turned and was driven a wreck up
on the shore. with flames bursting from her,
and the Furor, after circling awhile with
disabled rudder, slowly dipped her bow and
plunged to the bottom of the sea.
IIIustrative of American Character.
Scarcely had the smoke from his guns
passed to leeward after the surrender of
the dreaded destroyers when the humanity
of the victors was manifested by the
promptness with which Wainwright ran his
little Gloucester in. and, lowering his boats,
began the rescue OF the Spanish officers and
crews.
THE vivid picture drawn, even from the
cold official reports of the work done by
our gallant officers and men after the VIC
tory, illustrates the American character
under such conditions. The conquered were
no longer thought of as enemies but as
fellow-men in distress. The bravest are
the tenderest, the loving are the daring
The deck of the Furor had been made a
perfect shambles by the shell from the
Gloucester, whose lieutenants, Norman and
Wood. soon boarded her and toiled to have
the survivors transferred to safe quarters
battle ships Wainwright continued his work
| of rescue, and Admiral Cervera and the sur
vivors of his crew, many haif-naked, as
I