The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1911-07-14
THE hj;nlnIIRAl FLED
An Incident OF tie Great Naval
Battle Off Santiago.
SCARED BY THE FIRST SHOT
The laundering 6oom of the Cregon's
Big Gun In Opening the Attack on
Ccrvera's Fleet Proved Too Much
For the Nerves of the Old Veteran.

LcrNefS FlcSt fTONeG W. 'hHNH
For the Nerves of the Old Veteran.
ITS II remarkable thing" said the
captain. that almost always in any
great event OF exciting experience.
even one in which human lives are in
VOWED. there is likely 10 be some little
minor feature with humorous side to
It that will call forth smile, If not a
sudden burs. Of laughter. 1t seems as II
in such trying moments ones feelings
seek Il quick vent and seize upon any
little incident as safety valve
This particular piece Of philosophy
was expressed by the grim Old captain
Of our steamer rs we were Iazily churn'
ing along the lower coast Of Florida.
II never get down on these southern
seas" continued the captain. without
thinking Of that Sd Of July. 1898, when
our fellows pushed the Spanish fleet
up on the shore after their attempt to
steal out Of Santiago harbor.
IL was first officer Of the DashPr. one
Of the auxiliary steamers that the gov
crnment had chartered and rushed lnfo
service. We had been engaged In car
rying provisions from Tampa down to
the ships OF the fleet, and 1t was tlckllSn
business. TOO. because no one really
knew up to the last few days just
where the Spanish feet actually was,
and we expected to be Overhaulcd ana
captured almost any time.
This particular trip had been an
evcntfuI one. and after rounding Cape
Maisi, on the eastern end OF Cuba, we
soon sighted our splendid feet OF fight
prs ranged in thai fatal semiclrcle
round the entrance Of Santiago Ike q
pack Of hounds watching for fox 10
c0uc out ut his hole II was great |
sight, tel YOU. The smoke was Iazl-
lv curling up ont of each stack. show
tng that steam was MP and everything |
ready fer the spring from the leash the |
mnurnt the fox showed his head.
1--WE nad our orders and in short |
tiinr were close alongside the big old |
Oregon which. yon remember, had |
ilsl made mat wonderful trip round |
the Horn 10 take part in the fracas. |
don't believe there ever was q hot |
ter day even in the tropics than this |
Sunday the I'd Of July Things were
>iuliN sizzling everywhere, and the |
ocean U>rli seemed to he Straming.
"Aftrl V,' had warped alongside and |
the crew pad begun carrying aboard |
the consignment Of bread. potatoes on
lau~ ana other slutf stepped into the
rHinalus room to see II could get |
any comfort 0ut at the electric fan |
vhlch was working overtime. ! had !
iuSr spnk"n to old Admiral, the cap |
hr wH~ who was lying on the floor
stretched out as wide as possible. fair |
~ gHSpnc for mir. when, holy mack
erpl there were Il COncuSSiOn and d
Inc and nearly knocked my head off,
All | remember seeing that instant
WAS II big cat going almost to the
ceiling. with n tail rs hiG around as
II grar"irui' and every leg, claw and
hair standing straight out The Ore
gun h"d Tot ~ one ot It's big forward
turrcl gus righ alongside Ui us. for
the Spanish foy nud started ont OF its
huIr
tn inst one instant everything on
earth IN the way Of activity seemed TO
be doing rushed IT, the door. and
the Ihn& thai caught my eye was that
0!d toHnlr Going aft on the upper deck |
Iik" Il StrrNE OF CREASED n&ntning with |
every Sl SIT to eaten the wind and |
fairly CIawing at the deck IN his effort !
70 make time.
an almost less time than it has TAX.
rO to tell You that one shot had grown |
into deafrning roar from almost ev,
cry gun in the fleet that could bear on
the fox Our nShings had been cut
loose, and away went the fleet in that
dramatic rush to victory for us and
death to the Spani0rds.
NN ''N Nhll'illl 'llNi I NlVNh pu lIt
bridge and watched the sight he turned
To mr ana said: Knight. I'm an old
man and haven't bur Il few years more
to iivr ~ hes; III give the rest of
my years 10 Ser this fight TO the finish.
and, 10y the gods. I'm going to follow
en-" And he gave the signal for full
speed nhrHd
Say, hut that was n sight, No man
who saw II will ever forget 1t. The
race was all IN front OF us, the Span.
iarls running tor cover aud putting up
the best fight they could in their half
hak"d condition and our fellows plug.
gine them fast and turiously
1--WE followed until the hight was all
over nnd then came about to return to
Santiago The captain gave orders to
srrvr supper In the officers mess. for
neither ot us in the excitement OF the
day nHd though, Il thing about eating
As We sal down To our meat he turned
10 me Hnd said; Knight, have YOU seen
my old tomHt Admiral: I've hunted
for him at over the ship
"'Wrll rcpIed pulling ont my
watch ana nakins ut It, II he has kept
lp tho pncp he was making when saw
him tNSt going aft on the upper deck
he's u'n' IN about six minutes now on
his lnlrd mp around the world
"Nr never did see old Admiral again.
and ~" captain moururd him till his
dying dHV iHuE l'reshrey In Chi
cagU Errord Herald