The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1901-08-01

fight; but fortunately for us her shells
all passed over us. The Hist ground
ed and thus interfered with the range
of the Hornet. We succeeded, how
ever, in striking the plucky little Span
lard several times, and in u crippled
condition she sought shelter behind
small island on the opposite side of
the bay. which. however, did not con-
ceal her. and the Hist having foated
by this time, and clearing the range
of the Hornet. the latter vessel soon
landed n six pound shell fairly amid
ships, and the little Spaniard blew up.
The water being so shallow. 1t was
impossible for US to maneuvre with
ease, and no more OF the enemy at
this time being in sight, our vessels
renewing their former position in col
umn. moved on towards Manzanillo,
everyone in our little feet joyous that
in less time than 1t takes to tell 1t,
we had succeeded in destroying one
of the three or four gunboats which
we had expected to encounter later.
This unexpected resistance proved to
be but the "curtnin raiser" the bat
tie was yet TO come. Perhaps during
the interval here. and before our little
fleet reaches the Harbor of Manzan-
lilo, it might be well for me to give
my readers an idea OF the armament of
the three members of the Mosquito
Fleet, the actions of which am about
to relate. The Hist mounted one three
pound rapid fire ard four automatic
one-pound guns. The Wampatuck. an
armed tug, mounted one six-pound
rapid fire, and two thres-pound rapid
fire guns. The Hornet Ga well named
ship mounted four rapid fire six
pound, two rapid fire one pound, two
automatic nm machine guns, and
one AZ nm revolving cannon; thus 1t
will be easily seen our armament was
light, and, had We any idea of the
surprise that awaited us. no doubt
there would have been no battle of
Manzanillo to go down in history as
fought on that day. Our approach
had evidently been wired or otherwise
signalled from Negueron, and ON our
opening Manzanillo Harbor, which lay
on our right, instead of the three small
gunboats we had been looking for
much to our surprise we found
crescent formation of nine ves-
sells stretched across the harbor close
in shore; large torpedo boat on the
right in entering, and large gunboat
(the guardship of the harbor) on the
left, with three smaller gunboats be-
tween them, armed with four and six
inch and three and six pound rapid
fire and machine guns; on the right of
the line was fianked by big smooth
bore gun on Caimanero Point. and on
the left by four large pontoons armed
with six inch smooth bore guns. To
the rear the line was supported by a
mortar battery of six pieces, and a
heavy battery Of three pound field ar
tillery pieces on the water front and
two forts on the hills, one to the right
and one to the left of the town, and
the shore for nearly two miles In
length was lined with soldiers who
kept up a fusillade of small arms dur
ing the entire engagement When
within 1000 yards OF the large torpedo
boat the Spanish gunboats opened fire,
followed closely by the shore batteries.
Instantly we realized the overwhelm-
ing odds we had to fight. but with the
courage and determination of the true
American, the fire was Immediately
returned with every gun that could be
brought to bear. The channel being
4 nf cof fa 10 ttlp
for fear Of grounding, thus we were
obliged to fight our way directly
across in front of the enemies entire
line. and as they were firing twenty
shots to our one, it seemed as If our
chances were slim of ever escaping;
but If fate was to doom us, we were
determined to do some damage before
we went. and. with careful and delib-
crate aim, we kept up hot fire, while
the air shrieked overhead and the
water around us boiled with the shells
of the enemy. Our shells were begin
ming to take effect and they had dis
covered the fact that the Hornet was
doing the work, whereupon their en-
tire fire was concentrated upon the
little craft TO destroy her, and soon
succeeded in landing a shell which
severed the main steamplpe and thus
rendered her unable for further move
ments. She was crippled and lying Mt
their mercy. the target of over 100
| guns, and enough shells were fired at
her alone in the space of few min
utes to sink hundred such craft
many on board thought the ship in a
sinking condition, but not a gun ceased
firing, the men remaining at their sta
tions like men of iron, some suffering
| from the escaping steam, yet determ-
ined not to miss a chance 10 fire shot
so long as their gun remained above
water and Spanish flag In sight. On
the opposite side of the vessel. aud dis
tant some ten or twelve hundred yards
was an island on which were stationed
Spanish soldiers, who. having noticed
the crippled condition of the Hornet
and believing her thus to be easily
captured, had set out, some thirty or
forty of them, in small sloop and
were fast approaching, firing upon us
with small arms. A few men returned
the fire with small arms from the Hor-
net. but with apparently no effect, and
when they were within 800 yards OF
the Hornet. one man throwing down
a rifle on the deck, crawled ON hands
and knees across the deck in the
midst OF escaping steam, and returned
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