The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1900-02-21

blNO VI buO AlnSAlCuhos AAOW bpN NhO
Oregon, starting far behind 10 the race,
gained this long lead, and fastened her
self, with grip of steel, upon the flank
of the fleeing Spaniard? Captain Evans,
in spirit of bluff, great-hearted COM
radeship, says of this phase of the flight
and chase:
AS the Colon made her gallant dash for
liberty, Clark OF the Oregon saw his job
clearly cut out for him, and without an
instant's hesitation put his helm to star
board, and came through the lee of the
Iowa with the speed of locomotive. So
sudden was his change of position in the
dense smoke that he had great difficulty, as
he after ward told me, in preventing his
men fro IN firing into us, as they took us for
one of the enemy's ships. AS it was, he
did not waste much time, and as he cleared
us on our port side, his thirteen-lnch guns
fairly raised the scalps OF those in the con-
ming .tower of the Iowa. We may all live
hundred years, and fight fifty naval
battles but we can never hope again to see
such sight as the Oregon was on that
beautiful Sunday morning. We could see
her for moment only as she sped on after
the Colon completely enveloped in the
smoke of her own guns-a great white puff
ball, decorated every second with vicious
flashes as her guns spoke out
The Oregon's wonderful burst of
speed is thus described by another Of
fcer of the Iowa:
The Oregon came racing across the Iowa's
bows, AMI charged right down on the
Spanish fleet, letting 60 first at one vessel,
then at the other and all the time carrying
great white bone in her teeth, that told of
her engine-power and wonderful speed.
And Captain Clark's painstaking at
tention to those common, everyday
things about his ship, like denying
himself, his fellow officers and crew,
the luxury of an abundance of fresh
water, in order that no salt water need
be used in the Oregon's boilers, is
the explanation of his wonderful readi-
ness for the pursuit, when the moment
came; and the wonderful speed in
stantly attained, and increased as the
pursuit grew hot, leading all the rest,
is matter entirely apart from the ex-
cellence of ship or machinery. The
commander had genius for common
essentials-not snowy or dramatic
quality, but the corner stone of sue
cess. Grant had the same sort OF
genius. 1t is the prime characteristic
of capacity for successful command.
1t stamps Captain Clark as truly great
commander, and accounts for his re-
markable success, for a record, in an
acute emergency, unmarried by flaw.
Having placed the Teresa h0rS du
combat, the Oregon closed on the
Oquendo at range of only 900 yards.
The ships titanic battle energy in a
few minutes drove the second of its
antagonists, burning wreck, inshore.
AS the Oquendo turned for the coast
the Oregon's batteries gave her part
ing blast that insured her fate. "We
have settled another; look out for the
rest" commanded the Captain.
Viscaya was now two miles away.
The Oregon "looked out for her."
The official report says at 11:05 she
turned to run ashore. The story of the
chase tells how, after a running fight,
the Oregon planted a 13 inch shell
amidships, which was the eliminating
disaster that forced the Viscaya to seek
the shelter of the Cuban coast, eight
cen miles from Santiago. Admiral
Schley from the Brooklyn, the only
vessel besides the Greg ~ that was
keeping up with the fugitives, sig
nailed, "Well done, Oregon" as the
fate of the third Spanish ship was
sealed. Every other battleship had
been hopelessly distanced. The fore.
most of the followers, the Texas, was
miles astern.
While the Oregon had been settling
the fate Of the Viscaya, the Colon, now
the last survivor of the Spanish squad
ron, had drawn some six miles ahead
and appeared to be making good hei
escape. The Oregon took up the pur.
suit with undiminished speed, sur
passing even her trial record. The fire
OF the Brooklyn, which was still off the
port bow of the Oregon, steering for G
distant headland to intercept the Colon
fell far short of the fugitive. AT dis
lance of some five miles Captain Clarl
: suggested that the Oregon's 13-inct
guns be tried. Soon a shell struck
ahead of the Colon; the next fell
just astern; the remorseless pursuel
had got the range. Warned by the fate
of the Viscaya, before another sho'
should land an 1100-pound missile
amidships, the Colon lowered her col
ors, fifty miles from the spot where the
chase began.
A powerful fleet of American vessels
of various classes was off Santiago