Jasper Weekly Courier, Volume 40, Number 45, Jasper, Dubois County, 15 July 1898 — Page 3

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LIKE DEWEY AT MANILA.

Admiral Cerven's Spanish Squadron al Santiago Completely Wiped Out.

A Brilliant Dash Out of the Harbor that lad Only Two Alternatives, Escape or Destructian.

f I'T. V. T. 8 MI'S OX. tnni mnnillne orlh Allnntlc Squadron lrilt.il Sfntr Xry

Of iii-iido emu throbbing toward the op'll Sea. !-liiml her came the Vizcaya. nlso at full speed, while the rear was brought up by the Infanta Maria Teresa and the two torpedo boat dentfoyorn, the l-'ii r it and t he I'luton. This stirring MdB, so dramatic and f(i nnexpeeted, qntekly put the onptnlo of every American vests n his mettle. "( 'ervcru's trying- to eSCnpsP was the cry that resounded through the fleet. Every American vessel quickly

' Weig-hcd anchor. The engines were j started, and one ly ne the great j Aiueriiiin warships made ready for I halt U-. Kvery man scampered to his gun. and the captains, knowing that , Admiral Sampson hau none along the coast, eagerly wattdicd the brook lyn, I onmodore Schley' flagship. In a few moments the Resolute was

speeding to the east ward after the New York, hut the advance of the .Spanish licet was so rapid that our men could

Tin Career sf tlw Spanish Squadron Soon Kmicd Uwt&tt Um Terrifb Whet oi Sampson's Fleet

Admiral Cervera and a Large Number of His Officers and Men Prisoners Many Others Were Killed.

The following grnphw descrlpt Ion of the attempted flight and the subsequent destruction of Admiral Cervera'a Beet is from the pen of Marry S. Itrown, ipecial correspondent of the New York Herald and Iondon 'l imes: scattered along t he shore for a distance of ten miles to the west of Morro castle now lie the fonr-nrnaorod cruisers and two torpedo boat destroyers that comsrlaed Admiral Cervem'n feet. In a running light of two hours tlicso vesseln, the cream of the Spanish navy, irerc almost annihilated this morning by the powerful ships of Admiral Sampson's Meet under the immediate comnmnd of Commodore Bel ley. Admiral ('ervcra, after making as plucky a light against overw helming odds us is recorded in naval history, ran compel led to sin rentier, lie was ;i ii as prisoner of war. toget her with t cry man of his licet not drowned or killed in the action. The .'span ish admiral was wounded in one arm. His splendid ships, the Cristobal Colee, flagship: the Vizcaya, Almirante Oquendo and Infanta Mana Teresa, und the torpedo boat distroyers Furor mid Pluto lie on the Cuban rocks, shell riddled, smoking hulks. i ervcra, on thcl'olon, made the long

est run toward liberty. He yielded to fate only in the face of death, and is sc ner ii w on t he Gloucester. w hich before the war was J. l'ierpont Morgan's yacht Corsair. When his ships, all a flame, were pouadlttg on the shore ten mi les from Santiagos a boat from the Qloneester put out to hiiu. ami he gave his sword '. i Lieut. Morton, w ho w as in charge. As the holden Rod steamed past the flagship, after the battle, 1 was infirmed by un officer ou the deck that Admiral Cervcrn. with 1,300 of his Una had surrendered. Of the prisl eis, more than fttO of the crew of the V .cay a were taken the low a, ( apt. Laos. livery vessel in Admiral Sampson's Bed went through the fierce engagement without injury. Hut one man in the American Beet was killed and two were injured. 1 1 om the very first of the fighting the little iloncester was in the thickest of it. At One time she was pouring her si.-ioundcr shel's against the entire Spanish licet, while the guns of Morro castle were making herjtludr Urget. She riddled the Spanish destovers and fought the Yi.aaaml Oipiendo as hcrcely as if she w ere a

battleship. not wait for Admiral Sampson to get

M agniliecii t beyond description w as

(he bold lasli iv nun .er vera ni- J ust as the t r:s t..hal i nion was piKtcmpted to get his fleet out of Santiago ;nir .r n,se out into the open sea

Commodore Schley sent the Hrooklyn imollv rushing to the westward to head

to liberty or to Lff tvrvera s fleet.

For th- next live minute-, he ran the gauntlet such as no ship had ever run in history, and when his consort were burning and lie surrendered his ship he still had a gun or two capable of action. The Indiana fell on the Oquendo. paying no heed to the Morro battery, whose gunners tried hard to protect the cruiser as she moved to the Westw ard. The Iowa let Cervera go into the hands of the Oregon. Massachusetts and ltroJklyn. and then turned with the Texas to pound the Iqllcndo. Then every American ship was in action, and smoke shrouded the coast and blew away lazily, revealing geysers about the ships where the Spanish shells from the cruisers and the Mono tore the water. A ship emerged from the harbor It was the Vizcaya, coming at full speed, smoke curling over her Lows as she took her course to the westward aud brought her guns into play.

COMMOOOKE SllII.KT.

amid the thunder of gisat rifles told of naor-piercing shells driven into and through their protected sides. Still they fired. Their shots fei I altout the Indiana and town tb lokly . Tbe Golden IJod was close enough t set all that the thick smoke did not hide. She

was too float sometimes for comfort. 1 could not see that, our battleships were hit. No doubt they were, hutitseeined that none of their guns were sileuccd, so lot! lie oowtlaaed their fire. Once free of the Morro battery range. I stopped the Ooldeu Rod ahrenst of the Spanish lest royers to sec what would be the fate of the Gloucester. Lieutenant-! omnia n der U alawrigbt, like Nelstin, seemed to have a bliud eye. If he were signaled to pull out. he remained, with his six-pounders, to do work which was heroic aud astonishing. At one time the Gloucester w as Wiog fired sit by the Vizcaya. loth torpedo boat distroyers ami the Morro battery.

they sped away from the Gloucester ; bat to the eastward of his ship lay tho

and tried to overtake the i.eaya ami

get into shelter on her starboard side

If that could be done there ought to be

burning wrecks of his two destroy

ers.

Tlic torpedo boat Kricsson was seen

a chance to torpedo the Indiana ami i coming along with the New York.

bn ak through our line to the open sea, where speed would save them, but the Indiana steamed in shore and the Iowa, loo. but farther away. The Indiana's secondary battery hail the first destroyer's range and rained shells upon it Splintercl and torn, but still with their steering gear and machinery intact, both destroyers turned back to run for the mouth of the harbor and seek safety inside, but

it was too late. 1 lie tlgnt nail oeen carried nearly four miles west of the Morro. and the New York was already past the harbor mouth. The Gloucester was ready for them close at hand She and the destroyers and the Indiana formed a trinngle of which the destroyers were the apex, and the American tire, converging, w as

THE SPANISH SQUADRON THAT WAS ELIMINATED OFF SANTIAGO DE CUBA.

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Turpeüo Ikmt I'luluu.

I'rlstobal i ol.in

Admiral ( .un i.co. Tr Uo Hunt Utstrujcr.

u.i u a.

Torped.

M..r !nn ... lloul Deiliur.

l.aiUor. ervcra himself led the way W lb his flagship, the Cristobal oiou.

1 as to be a dash

it h. and the Spanish admiral made ptaagl w itli eyes open. Sunday quiet rested over the en1:. nice tu .Santiago harlxir. No signs ('f life were visible nboal old Morro. Beyond sail toward the city of Santitio all was still. After two days of lighting the armies of IhiIIi nations Vcr' resting in their trenches il' tins way, for a distance of half a doz.-n Holes from shore, the vessels of Aduiir.i. Sampson's fleet lay lazily at their 'at ions. Admiral Sampson, desiring to ascertain the exact condition of the Spanish coast defenses about Aguadmes. ordered the flagship tO go la that dire. -t on, All alone the New York leisurely kt ainctl ofT to the eastward. Idle thoughts occupied the munis of the men in the fleet. Tiny were speculating, as they had liecn for sresb n, w hen would come their opport unity t I at the Spanish fleet in t he harbor. suddenly as a flash, at 9:M o'chu-k, a i sppomrnd near the entrance to the harbor. She was throwing mit i it hlack clouds of smoke, an I was pointing straight towurd the American fleet.

I lie ease of the AmeJican otticersamd s.i Ts rudely was dislurbadL Th.-v i 1 1 .bed their glasses, scanned the i irbor entrance, anl w ere ama.cil to w r that an armored cruiser was ("innig out. In the absence of Admiral S.unnson, Commoner Bobley, from the Brook lyn, ordered the American warships to ' li inshore. In a few moments it was seen that the vessel emitting S' h great clouds of smoke was the 'i Stobal Colon. Admiral ervera's diip She had passed the wre. k of tbe Merrimas ami was mahmg for the sea lit full speed. before iimtno.lore Schley and bis men could recover from thir surprise Other clouds of smoke came into view hi J ond the Cristobal Colon Wtlb a rush fully equal to that of tbt Spanish flagship, the Almirnntc

He ordered the Massaeusctts and Oregon to follow after, at the same time ordering the Indiana. Iowa und Tanna to intercept the other vessels of the escaping fleet. Then In-gan one of the greatest sea lights in history. it is not know n whether Admiral Cervera had blow n up the Merrimaeor aaswedtt in single column. His ship.

the Crbtobal Colon, glided out of the

mirhorand shot to the w est w ar.l. her

two funnels and high black bulwarks Khowing plainly against the green of th.- hills, her pennant and the Spanish red and yellow ensign in lashing ab ve. I ii a few seconds the American fleet wu In motion, the Indiana, which w as c losest, heading Straight in shore to get close range. The Spaniard opened tire with an 11-inch lloiitoria. and mighty fountains of water rose alx.vc tbe battlenbip nod iretknedanka The shell fell near her bow.

l'he Indiana replied with her 1.1-inch

Behind bar oasne Iks infanta Maria Teresa and Spain's two much lr-a.lel torpedo Ixiat destroyers, perhaps '.'on yards apart. The Muri.i Tureen was received with a terrific storm of shells

Smashed and on tire, she was beached idose to UM Morro. The Iowa steamed for n time forward with the Qqaendo. And the Indiana did the same with the Vizcaya. but as the fight thus moved westward it Is'camc clear that the Americans wer- willing that the Spanish ships, should run far enough from the Morro to lose the aid of the guns there, und in 20 minutes this was done. This was a bit of lllStagJ whi h was

demlopsd ander tire and w hich wasaeecpt"l at once by all the American ships without onlcrs. In fact, the bbmIm often made it ImmonsibM to ee the signals which Commodore Schley was making from the Urooklyn. sotreinendous was the tiring all along the line. I loth the Oquemlo ami the Vizcaya were sometimes within l.noo yards of the Indiana. The rang- varied, but as a rule it was short ami extremely deadly. Nevertheless the high speed and tlie thick armor of t heir lass stood

the Spanish in good stead as they fol-

guns and a tnotieiit later let go every- OWed in the path of honor marked uut

thing she e.mld bring to bear

One of the lirst shells fell on the Spanish cruiser s leck, ( en era was going past, the Indiana rounded to und gave him a broadside, and then as the Iow a and the Texas opened .n him the doomed admiral turned to the harbor mouth, where the Almirant- Oqin-ndo was just coining into view. At first one could scarcely believe ins sjan, but Mrhefl the Qqanade appeared and steamed quickly wesivarl into the SmObS and nglitning where ( ervera's flag still flew, it flashed upon us that here was tobe history making Ludsed. It was a sublime spectacle of a d.-s perat.' admiral, who bad decided 0 give battle against overwhelming .bis in the open water rather than remain ami blow up his own ships in the harbor of the b lcaguicd city. Cervera s flag was hidden for a time us be fled west w ard, his port broaside emitting flssh.-s and tongues of flame, w hich marked his progress.

by Aimirni Cervem.

Three-quarters of an hour after the

action began it was evident that th-

Spanish hal many guns disable"! ami would have to surrend-r There were terrible casualties on the enemy's ships. As the smoke cleared a little, one could see the Spanish flagship, her port broadside spouting' smoke, still holding ou to the westwar I. The Texas and the Massa Imsctta joined the Indiana and the Iowa. The Oqnnado and Vizcaya hugged the shore and steamed after Cervera. pledged to go w ith him to infant ami h ath. Slndls burst on the de.ks of the Span -ish cruisers at short intervals. Often they were on tire but again and again they extinguished the flames and manned again ami again the guns from w hich they had been driven. The green coast on their tarloarl side Rinoked with the shells which flew over them, and crashiuf onuodn heard

That she was not sunk and that she had enough men left to wrk her guns was marveioiis. Sin- lay close in to where the Vizcaya came out. and ran along parallel, fir

ing at the cruisers fiercely in propor

tion to her siz'. as did the Indiana ami

low a i apt. Balateof the Vmonya probably feared a torpedo from the Gloucester, for he turnel loose his se'ondary battery at her as he passed on into a storm

of shells from the battleships.

Tiieii tii- dsntrojori annst ut. and the I . louccstcr accepted t hem at once as parts of her -ntr.iet. Tln-se ilestroyers Here strong; in maciiine guns nutl guns of our three ami six pounilcr class. It seemed that smoke jets burst from the destroyers ri 20 pla-es as they lUpped along after the Vizcaya. and the water all abiut the Gloucester was kept splashing by shells ami by bullets from guns, but the yacht steamed

nkOJMi, keeping the destoyers direct! bet w i cn her ami shore ami hammering them. The Morro was throwing shells from behind, ami occasionally the Vizcaya turned a gun or two tu aid her folhwers. The yai'ht was often completely hidasB by smoke. I could not but wonder if she !! been sunk, but she always

forg-l nheail and appeared again busier than ever. In ten minutes tin- tin-of the destroyers slackened, but. although some of their guns were disabled, their machinery was all ritfht ami they moved on till Morro could no longer take part in the battle. Then the New York appeared, hurrying on the news from the Resolute tnat Cervera had dashed

hia wedge of cruisers into the American fleet ami was dying gloriously.

Th- New York was six miles awav

wlu-ii the destroyers saw her. The Morro tknndered at Sampson as he came within range, but the admiral never heeded, seeing on in the distance the dtsi forms of the Vizcaya and the Oquendo. hopelessly hemmed in by a rip . of lire, and i n the foreground the GloiK-ester. fighting two dclrycrs at short range. Whca the destroyers aw tbe flagship

too tare for human beings to stand. One destroyer drifted Into the surf on Iii', ami then civpt on toward the Gloucester und the New York with her guns silent and showing a flag of truce. She wnson Ore, loo. and her crew ran her ashore to save the lives of those who had escaped our shells. She blew up soon after th-y abandoiu'il her. I si ling Ixdiind lr siniotids, ot the Iowa when the Gloucester was in greatest peril, and he could not help turning from the main battle to watch her nefWin wrk ami shouting his hop' that she would not run short of ammunition. Her 'iiimander'a skill and courage were simply inngiiihVent. Tbe Spanish .cht. ra wns lost in smoke to the westward, when, at a quarter bfflom 11 o'clock, the Vireaya hoisted a white flag. This waa fidlowed by the )nicndo's going ashore

with flames bursting from her lecks. The Iowa. Indiana. T as and Massa

chusetts --uscd tiring, the Massachusetts going at oaen to join tin- Oregon

and the Itrooklyniti pounding up und smashing Creva's ship. (nee heade) off. the Oquendo turned into a small bay four or live miles wesl Of WnatingO. where she lay close to the land. With an ever weakening broad side

the Vlanaya followed, first heading out as if to break through the line of battle The Iinliana and Iowa cloaed in, and their lormatloo made bat escape in that direction impossible. Capt. Kulate then attempted to reach the eaat side of the bay. occupied by the ispietnio. but in vain. With a glass I could see that t he Vicaya's bulwark's near the stern hail been torn nua Smoke jxiurcd out w here the shtdls had exploded inside, and she was on lire. Her guns, w ith the exception of those forward, were out of action Her Ihjw guna were still toed at interval. Those who were not

Working the Ikjw guns crowded forward to esi-ape th" smoke and tire nfi, The Oquendo was ashore, her guas silent and smoke rising in thick black clouds. There waa a thundering of guns to the westward now and flashes in the smoke totd that Cervera still fought,

The Oipiemto was helpless. 1 he Indiana and the Iowa wer! closing in, and shell ufter shell burst above and alHird the Vizcaya. irmlatc hoisted a white flag as his ship went ashore, to save the remnant of bis men. and simultaneously up went a flag of white ou the Otpjcudo, ami down came the flag f Spain. An hour and a half had elapsed since Cervera left the harb.r, and of the tivo vessels which came out, only his flagship was still in action. The Morro battery still stormed im potently at tho New York. The Anx'rican army, with l,2i dead and wounded, was not yet in Santiago, but Cervi-ra's fleet was destroyed, and Cervera himself was only struggling on because he wished to make his lefeat gkrijis in the eyes of the attentive world. He had proved, at least, that he was not buttled up so tightly as was supposed. He had lost four vessels, and

perhaps more than half his men, but his pennant was still flying and soma of his guus were still in action. ervera passed the bay in which tha Oquendo had sought refuge and held on a due westwar! course close to the land. but. evidently iumrishing the tleapernfcS bopO that he might br'iik through the line anil reach frc' water. lie had passed in succession the Inliana. the Iowa and the Texas, not to sp-ak of the littb- 1 .louccstcr, which spouted six-pound shells at him. Sitii'O his flag appeared outsulc the harbor hia ship had been struck again and agai n. Hy this time the Vi.-aya and the Oquendo were practically beaten, but in spite of the 1'.' and 13-inch slndls that were rained upon him at a range '. hieb was v. ry short for sudi guns, in spite of the tact that his boilers and inachinry were damaged, he held his course. I'roiu a point a inia' west of the Mrro the Cristobul Colon was invisible frequently in low hanging smoke from In i nn guns, and also that which drifted in shore from the battleships.

( learly now it might have beta better if they had moved in eirch-s and glean battle anemr Ihn fbaaHngo batteries, whose aid would have lessened the ond. against them, hut the Spaniards, through splendid strategy, had not been headed off until the bat :. ies could no long r train their guns OB our fleet. At ll:.iu Cervera saw the Oregon cutting in shore ahead ot him to round him to. The mok" was very thick. Tfsa tiring was iuc ssant. Cervcra's available guns were no longer well reed. Shells had set fire to his ship avathe stem. and the flames wen- control led with difficulty, but the Spanish admiral altered his course and headed off from the coast as if to attempt to pass between two ships and run for it. It was impossible. The ova and the Texas Were already moving Iowa to close the gap. and the Spanish flagship, raked by the Oregon and the hrooklyn at from l.OM to 11. mil yards, aud by the Iowa and the Texas at longer lange, turned in shore again

ami ran for the rocks, where the suif waa breaking. He still replied occasionally, . nd I woudcred when the smoke hid his ship, ii he would Is- afloat when it lifted. The Sölden Rod, leaving the burning cruisers ou the beaeh. Ixire at full sH--d on the Iowa as she closed in oa the doomed admiral. I could still dis-iM-rn the Spanish flag from time to tune as the smoke drifte! away, and

the flash of a guu at intervals proved that the Spaniard was consistently lollowlcm the idea Wktob led hiinte quit the harlior w hich was to make a glorious end. Hut his ship moved slow ly now . as if disabled, und in a few minutes morn his guns, were silent, black smoke rnpdneed the swirling white The flagship was atlam. Her men had liee-ii unable either to work the guns or smother the flames aus-d by bursting shells, and sh' was headed for the rocks. she struck bow on ami ranted therm Kel flames burst through the black

smoke, and soon a pillar of cloud rose straight up a thousand feet uml then lent against the green mountain. Cervera s ship was bqeleasly lst The American battleships eeas. l tiring before she struck aud ran In, apparently with the intention of taviug the survivors as prisoners