The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-11-01

captain q Obeyed this fnJuncuon and
the messages were received with cheers
from below.
Describing the going h of the
Spanish ships In succession, he said he
knew the following American ships
would TAX care OF them and protect
the Spaniards against the insurgents.
and h fire on their ships
AS the battle proceeded at this time,
the admiral aid he was very anxious
about the range as he did not want the
Teresa and Viscaya TO get beyond
range. II feared the ships were gain
ing n / asked Ellis who was very ex-
pert with the stadimeter n he replied,
after a use Of the instrument that he
thought we were holding our own. ]
thought differently at the time"
A TRIBUTE TO ELLIS.
At this point the admiral paid his
tribute to Ellis who he said in the
magnificent performance of his dIty
had lost his life. His voice lowered as
he spoke feelingiy of the shocking
sight when the sailor was decapitated
by a shell which spattered his brains
and blood upon the deck. Some of II
reached me-" he said. He saw Lieuten-
ant McCauley and the doctor pick the
body up and carry il to the side as IL
to throw ii overheard. He called to
them not to do so, that one who had
fallen so CALAMITY deserved a better
burial.
Continuing the story of the fight
proper the admiral described how the
Viscaya had turned toward the Brook
Ign just before she went ashore. AS
she turned he distictly saw the effect Of
a shot which then entered her how
whereupon she wheeled back and head
ed for the shore. AS she did so he saw
her raked fore and aft. by a big shell
and she listed SO far over that he
thought she might turn turtle. 81 sig
nailed the Texas to lookout for her, but
received nc answer" Admiral Schley
testified. THE Texas was too far back
probably. 1 remarked at the time: Tt
does not matter. Philip is always sem
sible. He needs no instructions"
EFFECT OF THE SPANISH FIRE.
Speaking then of the effect of the
Spanish fire on the Brooklyn he said
it was so heavy that all the rigging OF
the Brooklyn had been cut; even h
speed cones had been shot away, DIG
of them nearly striking him as he stood
On the bridge. After the Viscaya haul
ed down her colors the chase of the
Colon confined.
She edged in shore and appeared 10
be following the contour of the coast.
He thought she was looking for a soft
place to shore, but h kept on. She
was then out of range and he told Cook
to lave the men come up and get a
breath of air and s)mething to eat.
He himself went into the coming tower
and sang out to those below through
the tube hat all hands except one lax
gone ashore and that he would depend
upon them to get her. There was much
jubilation among the men, he said, but
the Brooklyn'S motion seemed slow n
heavy and the admira said he directed
Captain Cook to make an examination.
The result was the discovery that a
water tight compartment was full. 1t
was at first thought that there had been
an injury to the ship below the water
line. After that. however, the speed of
the Brooklyn increased. She was kept
straight for Torquino point on the
theory that the Colon to get away
would have to pass that point. He Or
dered extra ammunition brought UP for
use when they came to close quarters.
The Colon was gradually overhauled
and he signaled the Oregon to try one
of her 13-inch guns. He said he had
supposed until Captain Clark testified
that the order had been received.
The Oregon, he said, vas abalft the
beam of the Brooklyn, working up a
little during h chase, but he did not
lii the two boats were 500 yards
apart at any time. At 1880 o'clock
both the Oregon and the Brooklyn
opened, the former with her 13-inch
and the latter with her S-inch guns.
The shell from one of the 13-inch guns
he distinctly saw fall beyond the Colon
and also n of the S-inch guns. Sud
denly the Colon turned her nose in
shore, firing a gun to leaward and
hauled down her flag"
The admiral said he at once signaled
that the enemy had surrendered. He
mentioned the fact that there was diff
Guilty in getting a boat out to board the
Colon. w steamed into a position I
should say of 1000 yards. 1 remem-
Der distinctly Captain Cook asking me
if he should slow up. I said: No. con-
tinue in
"At the time the Colon hauled Gown
her flag I think she was about four
miles from us. We were running then
in the neighborhood of fifteen knots.
l thlnk it was about 100 o'clock D.. m.
When the surrender occurred 1 looked
for the other vessels of our fleet. I
saw three vessels astern. 1 could see
the masts of two. L could see only the
smoke of the third one. When CAPTAIN
COOK started for the Colon, after the
surrender he said to me 'Comnlo-
dore. what are the terms of surrender
L said to him unconditional. These
are matters h commander-in-chief
must arrange
Abou 2:23 o'clock the New York
odHie up. Wnen she came up / made
the signal to her that it was a glorious
day for our country. AS soon as pos
slble L went on board to pay my re-
spects to h commander-in-chief. T re-
ported substantially what had occurred.
While talking with the officers Of the
New York the chaplain OF the shin
came up to me and said: Commodore.
your work is not over yet. The Reso-
lutte has just arrived and reports a
Spanish battleship on the coast. and
the admiral wants to see you 1 found
Captain Clark with the commander
in-chief. I made some suggestions to
MIN about hosting the flag on the Colon
and said to him that I was prepared,
If he had not come UP, to have sent a
force of fifty or sixty on board to take
possession and avoid anything like
'm~onkeying' with her.
When he mentioned to me to take
the Oregon and go eastward to meet
this ship I must say I felt some little
delight because I thought that after
the admirable work of the squadron
on that day and the part the Oregon
and the Brooklyn had in it, that there
was mo- anything that carried the
Spanish colorS that we should have hes.