The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-10-12
A TREASURE SHIP.
How the Centurion Captured a Gold
Laden Spanish Vessel.

- 'uA -
popular m:ri tnan the capture of the
great treasure ship Nuestra Sonora de
~CabadongA. CD April 20, l74S. !. me
the frs, place, the value OF toe Trl'
was enormous. in the second. tie uuei
between L:e Centurion anl ensure
ship was a fine single-ship action;
and In the third place. the victory
came at a time when Arson S fortunes
seemed to he at a low ebb. when one
disaster after another had reduced his
squadron to one ship, and when sick
ness had reduced his guns crews to
two men each.
The Nucstra Sonora de Cabadonga,
or as 1t is also called. de Covadonga.
was a treasure ship from Manila. COM
manded by Don Geronimo Montero,
and laden with specie and merchan-
disc She was sighted al sunrise from
the masthead Of the Centurion. and
| Master Richard Walter, Ansons chap
lain and historian, tells us that "a
general JOY spread through the whole
ship" Gallons nearly always cruised
in couples, and it was supposed an
| other must be near. The Centurion at
| orce stood toward the %Spaniard. and
| before s o'clock her officers could see
| the enemy from the deck. The firing
Of a gun by the galleon was taken by
| Apson's men to be a consert to make
| haste and rejoin. and Ito amuse the
| Dons" the Centurion herself fired a
gun to leeward. But Don Geronimo
Montero had no %consort, nor did he
underrate the prowess of his opponent.
| The Spaniards knew they we're face to
face with Arson and nc Centurion,
and ;nev we're keen to fight. Through
| out the forenoon the two ships crept
| closer and closer together, till by mid
day only a league separated them.
| Then the Nuestra Sonora de Caba-
| donga brought to under topsails, with
her head to the northward, and at the
top-eallant masthead the standard OF
Spain was flying.
Arson was not slow to accept the
| challenge, and he laid his plans With
great foresight. Into the tops he SEMI
30 picked men. the best small arms
marksmen in the ship. His broadside
guns were manned only with two
men eacn, and to them he gave in
| structions to do nothing but load their
gun. The rest of the men were divided
into gangs Of II. with orders to move
up and down the battery for the sole
purpose of running out aud firing the
guns as they were loaded. 1t was an
unconventional way Of fighting: con-
| iinuous independent fire was the last
thing the S%paniards expected, and II
threw them into as much confusion
) did the disaster which overtookr'
them within a few minutes Of the
opening of the fight. A mass Of mats
and hammocks In the netting of the
galleon caught fire, burning ~iercely
and blazing up nearly as high as the
nizzen top. The two ships we're prac-
tically within pistol shot, and 1t was
| .OUuDlN SyI.i' Sti'NduS lloh' 'f ~.
| .urion which started the blaze. TIC
REQ themselves from the danger was
no light task, and It took the SPANS
eaL.,i ,,.u.. .,lll1 10 cut the uettingS
away and tumble the flaming mass
yerboard. and i'll the mean vale -"
| sons marksmen in the tops were sub
| Jecting the galleon's upper decks 10 an
| incesSant fusilade. Walter describes
the effect as "prodigious havoc" and
| adds that the marksmen succeeded in
killing or wounding every officer but
| one that appeared on the quarter deck.
and w%ounding in particular the gen.
eral of the galleon himself"
The fight ragged in for two hours.
Arson changing from round shout to
! grape in the second part Of the en-
sagement with deadly effect. The
hips were so near that some OF the
| Spanish officers were seen running
| about with much %assiduity TO prevent
| the desertion of their men from their
| quarters. but all their endcavors were
In vain. After having as a last effort
fired five or six guns with more
| Judgment than usual they yielded up
| the contest; and the gallcon..s colors
being burned off the ensign staff at
the beginning OF the engagement, she
| struck the standard at her main top
| gallant masthead. The Centurion did
not escape unchanged; at the homer
the galleon struck Arson was informed
quietly that his ship was on fire near
the powder room. He received the
news with apparent emotion, and TAX
ing care not to alarm his people. gave
the necessary orders for extinguishins
the fire.
The specie in the Nuestra Sonora de
| Cabadonga included 1,313.S43 pieces OF
eight, and 1852 ounces of virgin sill
yer. and the total value Of the prize
was assessed at G313.0 0O. And in this
connection it is interesting to note
tha two other Spanish treasure ships
captured by English commanders bore
| names similar to that of Anson's prize
There was the Nuestra Sonora del
Rosarian. which Drake took, and ii
it great booty" from that most haugh.
ty of Spanish seamen. Don Pedro los
Remedies. which was taken very richly