The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-10-26


astern and observing what had happened
TO her consorts she was seeking
the best place she could find in order
TO end the matter at once. From As
saderos. which was behind some sixteen
miles west of the harbor OF Santiago.
10 the point Rio Tarquino, Is perhaps
about thirty miles, so l said 70 Captain
Cook: Cease firing and TO make the
signal I also told Captain Cook to let
his men come out of the turrest into
cooler air and get something TO eat and
i hurry up his men below. I think went
into the battle tower myself az that time
and sang out TO the men below that
we had got all of them except one and
I thought that they could be depended
upon 10 catch that other vessel.
MEN BEHIND GUNS REJOICE.
I heard a great deal OF merriment
and rejoicing. 1 went back 10 the bridge
| and soon realized that they were doing
| their best. Ther was jingle 10 the
rails and a vibration TO the vessel but I
perceived that the motion Of the vessel
was sluggish. I suggested to Captain
Cook that we possibly had some com
partments filed. He sent the carpenter
down. and il developed thar one of the
after compartments had filled with water
which we thought was due to the fact
/ that we had received some injury below
I the water lire. The carpenter. as Wei
as the captain, thought it unwise 10
( examine the compartment until we got
! into smoother water. where we could
possibly handle it more readily.
RIGHT AFTER COLON.
]
ships speed, of course. came up with
some rapidity and toward u O'Clock il
was very apparent that we were gaining
upon the chase. said to Captain Cook
/ several times during the action: Would
it not be a good idea TO edge in. SO that
we could finish those fellows quicker?'
and he replied that we had them IN most
excellent target range and that the guns
Of The two ships seemed TO be doing most
admirable work. We were pointing at
that time for TarQuino point under Cape
Cruz, at the point extending TO the south
ward. My idea was that. IN steering
that course, if the Colon kept her course.
she would be obliged to come out.
then said I would get a 10 tof extra am
munition so that when she came cut into
close quarters it would be a question OF
but a few minutes before we knocked
her out. AS we were going out TO head
her off there were various signals be-
tween the oregon and myself. Of pleas
ing character. Some were official.
gave the order to Captain Clark to open
fire with his thirteen-inch guns. Cap
tain Clark has testified that he did not
receive it and I always had been under
the impression, until I heard him say
otherwise. that that order had been trans
mitter. However we continued to ad-
vance. the Oregon and the Brooklyn.
I don't think the Oregon was further
astern than 500 yards ] do not believe
the prolongation Of her course at any
time would have passed within 500 yards
of the Brooklyn. We were practically
and relatively at the same distances;
perhaps the Brooklyn was a little nearer
at times. and then the Oregon a little
nearer. We continued in this position
until about 1880, when we realized that
we were within range of this vessel. (
and we tried the thirteen-inch guns and
the eight-inch guns on her. Several Of
them fell short. but I remember that one
Of the Oregop's thirteen-inch shells pass
ed entirely over the Colon and that one
of the eight-inch shells OF the Brooklyn
passed over her also.
COLON HAULS DOWN COLORS.
II saw with my own eyes the jet Of
water beyond. I thought AT first that il
had gone through her but it appears it /
did not strike her. The position of the
Colon being directly under the fire OF the /
two ships. there was no question In the 1
mind of the captain of the Colon that it +
would be fatal. I think he did exactly 4
right A sacrifice of life would have been I
unnecessary. So he fired a gun to the .
leeward and hauld his nag down and !
ran in on the bar ar the mouth Of Rio 4
rarquno- I slgnaIled at once to stop .
firing: that the enemy had surrendered.
We hauled UP and Immediately passed .
into position We had some difficulty IN
getting out boat, on account Of steam
being turned OF and the cranks having
been struck They were more or less
jammed. We steamed into position Of
a thousand yards I remember distinctly
Captain Cook asking II we should slow
up. I answered: No; continue in. Cap
tain Cock changed his course. We ar
rived IN the vicinity Of the Colon certainly
at 1.30. At the time she hauled her col
ors down 7 did not think she was over
four miles from US We were running
then in the neighborhood OF Is knots
When this surrender took place I natur-
ally felt interested in the vessels that
were following. 1 was then on the bridge
and with glasses I saw three vessels
astern. Z could see the nasts of two.
1 could see only the smoke of the third
one. We lowered the beat ana Captain
Cock went ashore. II said 70 me: Com
what are the terr.s OF snrren-
der7' I said to him: Unconditional. Those
are matters the commander in chief
must arrange. VIC can only receive an
surrender"
NEW YORK COMES UP.
at o'clcck and . minutes the New
York came up. made signals 20 her.
think she was quite half an hour in ans
vering one Of them OF course there was
not very much breeze under the land
She then came up and ! made signal 70
her that it was glorious DAY for our
and as soon as / could / went
n board n pay my respects IN the
Meantime Captain Cock. Who had been
detained a little time started on % make
his report and vent aboard the aaEship.
when he returned took the boat and
vent or board myself There reported .
what had occurred the in-
.ideuts and events az the bettle. iu Is
,urried way After having stated them a
-r0up of officers who were st1n5ing ou
be opposite side cane 70 % ire ami .
-sked ne-of course eveFyh1dy uas iH-
.-.-+ s.f r-- -rr ga-affa 20 fhs- f-4sr.