Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-10-23
ADMIRAL RICHARD WAINWRIGHT
70 QUIT ACTIVE SERVICE
NEXT DEcEMsER.
HERO or FAMOUS SEA
FIGHT NEAR SANTIAGO
wainwright Commanded Littts Yacht
Gloucester, Which Took Aggressive
Part In Destruction Of csrvsra's Fleet
WAS Exsesivs Officer Of IIi.Fatsa
Maine.
Especial correspondence.1

Washington, Oct 23.-when Rear
Admiral Richard Wainwright retires
from active service next December, as
it IL announced he will, the navy will
lose not only one Of its best liked Off
GERS but one of its fighters. 1t is now
thirteen years and more since the
naval fighting Of the Spanish war and
not many people remember that VAIN
wright was the hero Of one Of the
most remarkable sea fights Of that con-
test.
In it, way. wainwright's fight was a
more remarkable performance than the
sinking Of the Spanish fleet at Santi-
ago. This was q case where the Span
iards could not say they were over
matched. at least on paper.
On Inflated Maine.
When the Maine was blown up in
Havana harbor, Wainwright was the
executive officer of the Inflated YES
eel. He was aching for a chance to
blow up . few Spanish ships and their
compliments In return and the chance
came to him. He had been on board
the Maine when the explosion shook 1t
and Il ID not to be supposed he viewed
tho spectacle without yearning to get
even with somebody for the disaster.
Anyhow, he was given command of the
Gloucester. which was converted into a
warship from the Morgan yacht. Cor
sair. It was not very formidable
craft. In fact, it was the intention in
the hrst place to use it not for fighting
but for q dispatch boat
It carried less than 100 men, a cou-
pie Of six-pounders and some lighter
guns. Nobody but Wainwright thought
it was worth while for fighti~. pur-
poses.
Active at Santiago.
While Sampson was blockading the
narbor Of Santiago, Wainwright with
the Gloucester was assigned the hard
duty of running close in to the mouth
of the harbor every night in order to
rnal<e sure the enemy should not es-
caps. when Cervera's fleet finally
came out. Wainwright with the Glou-
cester. tho he was not supposed to do
any fighting, closed with two torpedo
boat deetroyers. the Pluton and Furor.
He fear9d that these destroyers might
get within striking distance Of one Of
the big battleships and destroy it with
trated on the larger Spanish vessels.
AS ICUu1G WdS SAA<AS &AAc 'S1AouSCSSCI
engaged with the two destroyers. They
dashed at Wainwright and he didn't
wait for an investigation but swooped
down On them in return.
Little Ship in Thick Fight.
A brief but terrific struggle follow
ed. The Spanish fire was heavy but
inaccurate. Had it been accurate the
Gloucester would have been snnken in
fifteen minutes. AS it was, the SIX
FOUNDERS on tho American yacht
wrought fearful havoc with the two
torpedo boats Under the personal di
rection Of Wainwright the gunners lit
orally tore tho steel -armored destroy
ers to pieces. First the Pluton stag
gered and ran ashore in a sinking con-
dition and In less than a half hours
fight. Then, smashed by projectiles,
the Furor caught fire. One gun crew
after another was shot down and in
a little while the vessel ran up the
white flag. Two-thirds Of the officers
and men on the two destroyers had
been killed or wounded. The command
ing officer Of the Pluton. Captain
Villaamii. was among the killed. It
was slaughter and this by con-
verted yacht that was not supposed to
be ft to put up a fight. Wainwright
was promoted and thanked for his
work and the exploit will not soon be
forgotten in navy annals.