Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-10-27
! Sun and Tide Table.
High tide 6.3o a. m. and 6.5Op. m
Sun lises 6,23h. Id. sess sos P. N
sWA|NB|GH7 TO RETIRE.
Hero of Remarkable Sea Fight in
Spanish American War VIII Re-
tire From Active Service.

Hero of Remarkable Sea Fight IN
Spanish American War Will Re-
tire From Active Service.
! Washington. D. G., October 27.-
The United States Navy wiI!sfos one
Of its shining marks when Rear Adj
miral Richard Wainwright retires
from active service next December
as it is announced that he will do
It is now more than thirteen years
since the naval fighting of the Span
| ish War, and not many persons re-
member that Wainwright was the
hero of one Of the most remarkable
sea fights OF that contest.
In It's way Wainwright's fight was
a more remarkable performance than
the sinking of the Spanish fleet at
Santiago. This was case where the
Spaniards could say that they were
oyermatched, at least in numerical
strength.
When the Maine was blown up in
Havana harbor Wainwright was on
board as the executive officer of that
Inflated vessel. He was given COM
mand of the Gloucester, which was
converted into a warship from the
Morgan yacht Corsair. 1t was not q
very formidable craft. In fact, it was
the intention to use the Gloucester
not for fighting, but for dispatch
boat.
1t carried less than 100 men. two
six-pounders and some lighter guns.
Nobody but Wainwright thought II
was worth while for fighting purpos-
es.
While Sampson was blockading
the harbor of Santiago, Wainwright,
with the Gloucester, was assigned
the duty Of running into the mouth
of the harbor every night in order
10 make sure the enemy should not
escape. When Ceryera's fleet final
" came out, Wainwright with the
Gloucester, though he was not sup
posed to do any fighting. closed with
two torpedo boat destroyers, the Plu-
ton and Furor. He feared these two
destroyers might get within strlk-
ing distance Of one of the big bat
tleships and destroy it with tor
pedo, while attention was concen-
trated on the larger Spanish vessels.
AS the Gloucester engaged with the
two destroyers, they dashed at VAIN
wright's craft. He didn't wait for
an invitation, but swooped down on
them in return. A brief but terrific
struggle followed. The Spanish fire
was heavy, but inaccurate. Had 1t
been accurate, the Gloucester would
have been sunk in few minutes. AS
it was, the six-pounders on the Am
erican yacht wrought fearful havoc
with the two torpedo boats.
Under the personal direction OF
Wainwright, the gunners literally
tore the steel armored destroyers to
pieces. First the Pluton staggered
and ran ashore in sinking condition
In less than half an hours fight. Then
smashed by projectiles, the Furor
caught FIRE. One gun crew after the
other was shot down. and in a little
while the vessel ran up the white
flag.
Two-thirds of the officers and men
of the two destroyers had been killed
or wounded. The commanding officer
of the Pluton, Captain Villamil, was
among the killed. 1t was slaugh-
ter and this by converted yacht
that was not supposed to be fit to put
up a fight.
Wainwright was promoted and
thanked for his work, and the exploit
will not soon be forgotten in navy
annals.