The San Francisco call., 1908-03-29
Last Hand=tO=Hand Naval
Battle Fought on Pacifis,

ships. Fierce was the onslaught and
terrible the encounter. The concussion
on the Huascar was severe. The crew
was knocked off their feet and several
of the ships deck beams badly sprung.
Its ram had torn a great hole in the
Esmeralda's side. carrying away her
bnlwarks and displaying a horrible
sight of mangled corpses on her deck.
When the vessels came together brave
Captain Prat had Jumped on the bull
warks of his ship and leaped on the
forecastle of the Huascar. sword in
hand, shouting to his crew to follow.
Only one man, Sergeant Aldea, did so.
Through some mistake or excitement
his order was not clearly understood,
and only Captain Prat and his brave
sergeant were left on the deck of the
Huascar, to be shot down as she backed
off. denying the crew OF the Esmeralda
any chance to board.
Captain Grau. seeing his opponent on
his vessels deck, was struck with ad
miratfon at his daring. He shouted,
Surrender, captain, 1 wish to save the
life of hero" but in the din OF battle,
excitement and roaring of the guns
Captain Grau's generous offer did not
reach Prats hearing in time to save
his life lie was shot dead, supposedly
by one OF the gunners in the Huas-
cars tops.
Both ships came out of cloud of
smoke and lay off to give the crews
a breathing spell.
The gallant Esmerelda, which had
lost her heroic commander. barely able
10 keep a7oat. was yet full of fight.
She laid of and renewed firing with
the few guns which were still tman-
aSeable Shot after shot was fired at
the Huascar but they could not pene-
trate her iron sides. The roaring of
guns was fearful, and both ships, which
were enveloped in smoke, ranged
alongside of each other, the contest
even yet in some doubt. When the
breeze carried away the smoke the Es-
mera1da showed signs of the terrible
carnage. Battered and blood stained,
she lay drifting. There was no time to
carry the wounded to the sick bay and
the ship was fast filing. The rushing
water poured into her hull through her
gaping sides. The Huascar sent crush
ing shot, which entered her hull, pene-
trating the engine room and boilers
and causing the scalding to death OF
several of the crew.
This proved the knockout blow
which brought one Of the pluckiest sea
fights OF mShern times to clsse. The
Esmeralda filled and sank to the bot
tom. The sinking of the Esmeralda
off Iquioue was an interesting YET
fearful sight to US who beheld it from
the shore. She never struck her colors
and went down fighting while the Chi
lean flag futtered in the breeze at her
peak The crew went down like true
heroes, singing Viva Chile, viva
Chile" The battle added another
naval victory to the little Huascar
which was built In England, and lived
up to her builders guarantee as sea
fighter.
Both captains of these vessels were
graduates of European naval academies
and earned great regulations as nava
commanders during the Chilean-Peruv-
ian war for their gallantry. The casual
ties aboard the Huascar were light Only
FIVE Of her crew were seriously injured
which was surprising. considering the
number of projectiles that landed or
her decks Her boats. swinging in the
davits. were riddled with shot anc
could not be fioated. The. loss on tht
Esmeralda was terrible. Out of com.
plement of 200 men only IA were saved
The rest went down with the ship the,
loved.
For this brilliant achievement. Cap
tain Miguel Grau was raised to the dig.
nifty of admiral of the Peruvian navy
He was blown to pieces by an explod
fng shell while commanding the Huas.
car in a terrific engagement with the
Chilean ship Cochrane on October s
1879.