Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 87, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 July 1898 — NOTONE IS LEFT. [ARTICLE]

NOTONE IS LEFT.

Last Vessel of Cervera’s Famous Squadron Falls Into Our Hands. Chase of Christobal Colon by the Oregon and Brooklyn Ends in Her Capture. Her Flag Hauled Down and Her Commander Surrenders to Her Pursuers. The Important Event Occurs at a Point Sixty Miles West of the City Santiago. Plus Laid by Cervera and Hla OB* •era to Escape from Santiago Harbor—Took Wrong Coarse. Oft Santiago de Cuba, July 4, 6 p. m., Per Dispatch Boat Cynthia, via Kingston, Jamaica, July 6.—After a chase of 60 miles to the westward, the Brooklyn, closely followed by the Oregon, overhauled the Cristobal Colon after she had ran ashore and had hauled down her flag. Capt. Cook, of the Brooklyn, went on board of her, and the commander of the Spanish armored cruiser came forward to surrender, and was taken on board the New York, which came up an hour after the Brooklyn and Oregon had completed the capture of the Cristobal Colon. The latter was not seriously damaged, though she was struck several times by shots from the Brooklyn and Oregon. During the chase a clever maneuver of Commodore Schley's In heading due west to Cape Caney, while the Cristobal Colon had taken a more southerly direction with a much greater distance to cover, rendered the Spaniard’s escape Impossible. Due to Schley’s Prompt Action. There seems to be no doubt that the Cristobal Colon, and perhaps the other three Spanish armored cruisers, would have escaped had’ It not been for the prompt action of Commodore.Schley. The Brooklyn, his flagship, alone was In a position to attack the Spanish vessels as they left the harbor, and the commodore steamed dlrecetly toward them and engaged all four cruisers, Inflicting great* damage upon them. The Oregon was the flrst to Join the Brooklyn, and afterward the lowa, Texas and Vixen closed around the Spaniards, all pouring In a deadly tire; but, from the beginning to the end of the fight, the Brooklyn, Oregon and Gloucester took the most Important part In the destruction of the enemy. One man, George Henry EUU, was killed on board the Brooklyn. His head was blown off by a shell. One other man, J. Burns, was injured on board of her. The Brooklyn was struck half a dozen times, but no Injury was done to any of the other American ships. Planning the Sortie. Admiral Cervera held a consultation with his officers before sailing out of the harbor of Santiago de Cuba, and by a small majority the move was agreed upon. The minority said that destruction was sure as many of the flremen had mutinied, and the best men In the fleet were worn out by serving the guns In the shore batteries. Early on the morning of the sortie careful observations were taken of the sea, east and west. Admiral Cervera decided upon taking the westward course with Manzanillo, Clenfuegos, or If possible, Havana, ths port to be reached. Ha would have gone east but for the sighting of a large transport fleet off Slbbney, and the assurance that a convoy of war vessels was ■till with the transports. As a matter of fact, there Is no war vessel larger than a converted yacht, except the New York, that could have obstructed Admiral Cervera’s escape eastward. Naval men here are sure that the Spanish vessels could have disabled or sunk the New York and escaped had the eastward course been chosen. One Shell’s Awful Work. It Is claimed that one shell killed 100 men on the Vizcaya, raking the vessel fore and aft. It was feared for a time by many that lome of the sailors and oncers who swam ashore from the Vizcaya, the Almtrante Oquendo and the Marta Teresa were killed by the insurgents who were seen In the chapperel near the beach. This could not be verified at this writing, as no accurate estimate of the loss to the Spanish fleet was obtainable. The Only Thing Left. Off Santiago de Cuba, July 4, via Port Antonio, Jamaica, July 6.—The flrst and onjy statement concerning the recent jtfy al battle made by the Spanish comJ minder. Admiral Cervera. was to a eorf rsapondent of the press on board the battleship lowa. It was as follows: “I would rather lose my ahtps at sea, like a sailor, than In a harbor. It was the «nly thing left for roe to do.” Guns Were KeshlppeU. London, July 6.—A dispatch to the Evening News from Madrid sayß that after Friday's battle at Santiago de Cuba the marines and guns belonging to Admiral Cervera’s fleet wire reahlpped, preparatory to the squadron’s sortie from the harbor. Gen. Linares’ Wound. Madrid, July o.—An official dispatch from Santiago says that the wound of Gen. Linares has developed no complications. He Is profoundly touched by the numerous congratulations he has received. His troops also are grateful for the queen regent's cablegram of fellcltutlon. Mow the Army Received the Hrn>. At the Front, Headquarters of Gen. Shatter's Army, Before Santiago de Cuba, July 3, via Kingston, Jamaica, July 4.-a Early in the day a man on the lookout had 1 reported that the Spanish iltet, under the command of Admiral Cervera. hud sailed out of the harbor of Santiago de Cuba, but It was not until late this afternoon that the result was known at the front. As the word of the magnificent victory flew from sentry to sentry along the tiring lines, and was shouted to the companies, regiments and brigades, a great cheer ■wept down the line of weary men, which gathered force aa It went, until the rattle of musketry was drowned In the roar from glad American throata. The news was flashed back Into the underbrush, where the reserves lay, and the men almost stampeded In their enthualaatlc desire to get to the front. The cheering continued through the evening as the details of the flrst tight came In. The men could not have displayed more enthusiasm had the victory been theirs Instead of the navy’s. Although the firing continued all day

between the outposts very little damage Was done on either side. Gen. Chaffee sar wounded slightly, a rifle bullet cutting through bi 3 foot, but he will not be compelled to leave the field. Desperate Night Attack. The Spanish made a desperate night attack upon our left shortly ' before ten o'clock Saturday night. The assault was directed at the position that had been carried by Gen. Kent’s men. The Spaniard's left the trenches and charged across the” open, striking heavily upon Gen. Wikoff s brigade, consisting of the Ninth, Thir- , teenth and Twenty-fourth infantry. They Were reenforced by a heavy fire all along their line of guns and batteries, and succeeded In driving some of our men from the trenches, bur the heavy fire the Americans in turn poured in staggered the Spanish line and sent it reeling backward with i heavy loss. The Americans had advanced 1 from the trenches for the first time, and while the Spaniards were in the open sorr-e of our Gatlings on extreme lelt did ter- ! rible execution. The casualties among our | men was not heavy. Gen. Hawkins was! Bhot In the foot. Over 200 additional I wounded were taken to the rear during the | night, one batch consisting of 120. Our Lokmc* In the Fighting. The fighting Friday and Saturday cost the American army 1,700 men. This estimate is made by the surgeons at division hcaoquarters after careful figuring .by the surgeons at the hospitals. The list of wounded, as made up at the division headquarters, is very large in proportion to the list of those killed outright. Probably less than 100, all' told, of the number of wounued. have died, making the total number of deaths In the neighborhood of 160. The remainder of the wounded will probably recover. Bravery of the Spaniards. Considering the fact that not over 12,000 were engaged on our side, and that not ail of those were actually under fire, the percentage of loss is very heavy. The s.aughter was brought about mainly by the gallantry with which our troops advanced into the open ground in the face of a heavy fire from the Spanish entreneninents and rifle pits. Our men generally had an opinion tnat the Spaniards could not shoot, and many, it must be confessed, thought they would not fight. Both impressions were erroneous, particularly tne latter. The Spanish have fought with great determination and bravery. The returns show that g number of regiments suffered vtry heavily, the Seventy-first New Y'ora being the worst cut up of the volunteer regiments, and the Thirteenth and Sixth regular infantry suffering most among the regulars, with the Seventh and Sixteenth close In the race for glory. In some companies of the Thirteenth regiment onethird of the men are gone, and there 'are companies in that regiment now entirely without officers. In the Sixth infantry more than one-third of the officers are gone, only one field officer, Maj. Arinur, being left.