The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-05-21
Bernddou Tells Story OF
Fight.
CONTINUED from Page Five.)

for me to write to you. The gen
eral accounts of the fight published
We're garbled. Your brother did not
fall overheard, as stated, nor was he
killed in attempting to reach any tow
line; he died instantly at his post.
while observing the movements Of the
enemy. To the of his end he
was as cool and collected as when
and Judgment on the field of athletic
contest"
Official Account.
Commando BernardOu's official &C
count of the engagement. sent to me
Navy Department. is as follows:
Convert Hospital,
Key West, Fla, May l6, 1898.
The Honorable Secretary of the Navy:
/. l respectfully submit the follow
ing report of the action off Cardenas,
Cuba, as participated in by the {. =.
torpedo beat WinsloW, to supplement
the summarized statement submitted
by me on the 18th inst, the day Of the
fight.
=. The Winslow arrived off Car
uenas' from Matanz2s at 9 a. m. on
the 18th. having left her station Oh
the block ade to obtain an additional
supply of coal, the amount OF fuel in
her bunkers being reduced to five
tons. The II. 5. 5. Machias and Will
mington were found at Peidras Cay.
Upon making application to Captain
Merry the senior officer present, | was
directed to apply to Captain Todd,
commanding L. S. S. Wilmington, for
necessary supplies.
3. On boarding the L.. S. S. Whining
ton. l was informed by her command
ing officer of his intention to enter
Cardenas harbor on the afternoon Of
that day. OF the three lead
ing through the Gays, two We're be-
lieved to be mined; there remained
UNEMPLOYED a third channel between
Romero and Blanco Cays, over which
the minimum depth Of water, as
shown by the chart, was one and
three-quarter fathoms. AS the rise of
tide at this place was about one and
one-half feet. and as the Wilmington
drew scant ten feet, | was directed
to receive on board a Cuban ptlot,
Santos, to take with me the revenue
cutter Hudson to sweep the channe
for t~orpedos. This work l completed
by noon, except the sweeping Of the
channel, which could not be done on
account of the grounding of the Hud-
son. The WinsloW, therefore, dragged
the channel with grapnels and return
ed to the Wilmington, reporting to
Captain Todd upon the p~racticability
of the entrance.
4. The entrance was begun at 1880.
high tide, the Hudson on the ~rbo
side and the WinSlOW on the port side
of the Wilmington assisting in mark
ing out shoal water. No vessels wera
in sight on entering Cardenas bay
save two sQuare-rigged merchantmen
with sails unbent, anchored directly
off the town. AS 1t was thought pos
sible that gunboats might attempt to
escape, the Hudson was sent along
the western side and the eastern side
of the bay to intercept them In event
of such movement; not hiding them,
the three vessels met off the town
at a distance of about $500 Yards.
When in this position, the WinSloW
was signalled to approach the Will
mington within hail and | was direct
ed by Captain Todd to go in and in
vestigate a small gunboat observed
for the first time-painted grey. with
black smokestack, apparently not I'M
der steam and mOored to a wharf,
to the left of which arose a compact
mass of buildings close to the water
front. T~orpedoes were set for sur
face runs. the fans upon the war
noses were run up, 80 as 20 rovide
for explosion at short range for use
alongside of the gunbOat. and all pre-
parations were made for immediate
action
3. At a distance Of about 1000 yards.
at which time the Winslow was ad-
yancing about II knots, which seems
her maximum speed in quite shoaI
water, the first gun Of the engagement