The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-10-11

sells as they steamed back and forth
under the guns of Cavite. The order
was given To open with all guns and
the roar of the tive-inch rapid firers
was added to the din. The Spaniards
put up a gallant fight. One shot from
them struck the Baltimore and passed
entirely through her, but without hit
ting any one. Another ripped up her
main deck, disabled siX-inch gun and
exploded a box of three FOUNDER am
munition, wounding seven men.
The Olympia was struck abreast
the gun in the wardroom by shell
which burst, doing little damage.
The signal halyards were cut from
Lieutenant Brumby's hand on the after
bridge. A shell entered the BOston's
port quarter and started hot fire; a
second fire was started by bursting
shell in the port hammock netting,
Both these were put out. Another
shell passed through the Boston's fore
mast
After four runs along the Spanish
ships could be taken into closer quar-
tiers. So the Olympia and her sister
ships stood in to 1000 yards for a
fifth run along the Spanish line. At
this distance even the six-pounders
were effective, and the storm of shot
and shell poured upon the Spaniards
began to show marked results. Three
of the enemy's vessels were seen
burning and their fire slackened.
After the fifth run Commodore
Dewey withdrew to give his men
breakfast, as they had been at the
guns two hours with only single cup
of coffee apiece to sustain them. Ac-
ton. therefore, ceased temporarily at
1885. The American ships remained
beyond the reach of Spanish guns un-
til nearly eleven o'clock. 1t could be
seen through the glasses the telling eff
feet of American gunfire on the enc
my. The Reina Cristina lay under the
north wall of Cavite, her bulwarks
awash. The Castillo still fioated, but
was afire, and at ten O'Clock her flag
came down, and flames sprang from
the hull and overran the rigging. The
Don Juan de Austria, which had re-
ceived almost the concentrated fire Of
the American squadron, when the de-
struction of the Cristina was complete,
was badly damaged, and the Isla de
Cuba and the Isla de LuzOn had been
repeatedly struck.
In the lull in the fighting, Dewey
sent word to the batteries near Manila
to cease firing or he would shell the
city. The threat silenced the guns,
and the Americans returned to the at
tack at Cavite. The Baltimore lead
ing the column this time engaged the
shore batteries, and picturesque duel
resulted. The battery at Canacao was
the first to withdraw from the fighting.
Then Fort Sangley was silenced. The
Don Antonio del Ullao bravely opened
fire, but the American ships were too
much, and the crew deserted and
swan to shore. At twenty minutes past
twelve, the Petrol, which CALAMITY
stood into the Cavite arsenal, signaled
that the enemy had surreneded The
battle was won.
The victory was one of the most as
tonishing in American history. With
none killed in battle, only seven slightly
wounded and his ships but little dam
aged, Dewey had destroyed ten Span
ish ships, silenced three shore bat
teries, killed 3S1 men and wounded
many more. 1t gave to the United
States, by conquest, the Philippines,
and coming so early in the war, the
moral effect of the victory was meal
culable in offering the American peo-
pie a good omen of the final outcome.