The San Francisco call. [volume], July 05, 1898, Image 1

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

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■;^AYftlilJME ' LXXXIT.- NO. 35.
GREAT NAVAL BATTLE
IN WHICH CERVERA'S
SHIPS WERE DESTROYED
N BOARD THE CALL-HERALD DIS
PATCH BOAT GOLDEN ROD, WITH
ADMIRAL SAMPSON'S FLEET, OFF
; SANTIAGO, Sunday, July 3, via Port
Antonio, thence to Kingston, Ja
maica, Monday, July 4.— Scattered
..along the shore for a distance of
"ten miles to the west of Morro
. Castle now lie the armored cruisers
and v torpedo-boat destroyers that comprised
:Adm|rai Cervera's fleet. In a running fight of
two hours these vessels, the cream of the
v Spanish navy, were almost annihilated this
by the powerful ships of Admiral
yiSarripson's fleet under the immediate command
v of Commodore Schley.
'-'£?:£ ./'Admiral Cervera, after making as plucky a
■ : : :f ight against overwhelming odds as is recorded in
naval history, was compelled to surrender. He
■J'/wgs. taken as s prisoner of war. together with
gevery man in his fleet not drowned or killed in
action.
The Spanish admiral was wounded in one of
chilis arms. His splendid ships, the Cristobal
§V:.C6IOn (the flagship), the Vizcaya, Almirante
v-Ocjuendo and infanla Maria Teresa, and the
.; ::t6rbedo-boat destroyers Furor and Plurnn n^
spn Cuban rocks, shell-ridden, smoking hulks.
■ •:;: V- :; : . Lervera, on the Colon, made
■\ :: 'vti:c longest run toward liberty.
Jic yielded to fate only in the
face of death, and is a prisoner
' "v.iiw on the Gloucester, which,
before the war. was J. Pierpont
Morgan's yacht Corsair.
As the Golden Rod steamed
pjast the flagship after the battle
/: I .was informed by an officer on
the deck that Admiral Cervera,
. .with 1600 hundred of his men,
Had surrendered. Of the prison
ers more than 400 of the crew of
the Vizcaya were taken by the
lowa, Captain Evans.
Every vessel in Admiral Samp
SCENE OF THE NAVAL BATTLE OUTSIDE THE HARBOR OF SANTIAGO DE CUBA: '
A
son's fleet went through the
fierce engagement without in
jury. But one man in the Amer
ican fleet was killed and two were
injured.
From the very first of the
fighting the little Gloucester was
in the thickest of it. At one time
she was pouring her six-pounder
shells against the entire Spanish
fleet, while the guns of Morro
Castle were making her their tar
get. She riddled the Spanish de
stroyers and fought the V'izcaya
and Oquendo as fairly as if she
were a battle-ship.
Magnificent beyond descrip
SAN FKANCISCO, TUESDAY, JULY 5, 1898.
Every Spanish Vessel Lost.
The Admiral With 1600
Seamen Captured.
WASHINGTON, July 4.— The following bulletin from Commo
dore Watson was received to-night:
PLAYA DEL ESTE, July 3.— To the Secretary of the Navy:
At 9:30 A. M. to-day the Spanish squadron, seven in all, includ
ing one gunboat, came out of Santiago harbor in columns and
was totally destroyed within an hour, excepting the Cristobal
Colon, which was chased forty=five miles to the westward by the
commander-in-chief, the Brooklyn, the Oregon, and the Texas,
surrendering to the Brooklyn, but was beached to prevent sinking.
None of our officers or men were injured except on board
the Brooklyn Chief Yeoman Ellis was killed and one man
wounded.
Admiral Cervera, all the commanding officers, excepting of
the Oquendo, about 70 other officers and 1600 men are pris
oners. About 350 were killed or drowned and 160 wounded.
The latter are cared for on the Solace and the Olivette.
Have just arrived off Santiago on the Marblehead to take
charge, while the commander-in-chief is looking out for the
Cristobal Colon. WATSON.
tion was the bold dash by which
Cervera attempted to get his fleet
out of Santiago harbor. Cervera
himself led the way with his flag
ship, the Cristobal Colon. It was
to be a dash for liberty or death,
and the Spanish admiral made
the plunge with his eyes open.
Sunday quiet rested over the
entrance to Santiago. No signs
were visible about old Morro.
Beyond and toward the city of
Santiago all was still. After two
days of fighting the armies of
both nations were resting in their
trenches. Off this way, for a dis
tance of half a dozen miles from
shore, the vessels of Sampson's
fleet lay lazily at anchor.
Admiral Sampson, desiring to
ascertain the exact condition of
the Spanish coast defenses about
Aguadores, ordered the flagship
to go that way. Weighing an
chor the New York leisurely
steamed off to the eastward. Idle
thoughts occupied the minds of
the men in the fleet. They were
speculating as they had been for
weeks when would come their
opportunity to get at the Spanish
fleet in the inner harbor.
Suddenly, as a flash, at half
past 9 o'clock, a vessel appeared
near the entrance of the harbor.
She was throwing out great
black clouds of smoke and was
pointing straight toward the
American fleet. The ease of the
American officers and sailors was
rudely disturbed. They grabbed
their glasses, scanned the harbor
entrance and were amazed to dis
cover that an armored cruiser
was coming out.
In the absence of Admiral
Sampson, Commodore Schley,
from the Brooklyn, ordered the
American warships to rush in
shore. In a few moments it was
seen the vessel emitting such a
great cloud of smoke was the
Cristobal Colon, Admiral Cer
vera's flagship. She had passed
the wreck of the Merrimac and
was making for sea at full speed.
Before Commodore Schley and
hie men could recover from their
surprise other clouds of smoke
came into view beyonc J the Cris
tobal Colon.
With a rush fully equal to the
Cristobal Colon the Almirante
Oquendo came throbbing to
ward the open sea. Behind her
came the Yizcaya, also at full
speed, while the rear was brought
up by the Infanta Maria Teresa
and the two torpedo-boat de
stroyers Furor and Pluton. This
stirring scene was so dramatic
and so unexpected it quickly put
the captain and every man of his
vessel on his mettle.
"Cervera's trying to escape,"
was the cry that resounded
through the fleet. Every Amer
ican vessel quickly weighed an
chor. The engines were started,
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
and one by one the great ArnerP
can warships made ready for the
| battle. Every man scampered td :
his gun, and the captains, know-.
ing that Admiral Sampson:, had
gone along the coast, ; eagerly
watched the Brooklyn/ CommcK
dore Schley's flagship. In'' a. few/
moments the Resolute . was
speeding to the eastward after
the New York, but the advance.
of the Spanish fleet was so rapid
that our men could not wait for
Admiral Sampson to get back.
Just as the Cristobal. Colon ■
was poking her nose oiit into the
open sea. Commodore Schley
sent the Brooklyn madly rush-.'
ing to the westward to. head pff
Cervera's flagship. He ordered
the Massachusetts and Oregon to.
follow after her. at the same time
ordering the Indiana, lowa and
Texas to intercept the'other-ves
sels of the escaping fleet.. .Then
began one of the greatest s£a
fights in history. •• . '"■;."•
Admiral Sampson this morning: set
out to dislodge the Spaniards from
their works at Aguadores, where tha .
Michigan troops were repulsed, on the
line of the railroad Saturday morning
: while they were marching westward. tb ,
! seize Morro battery and blow, up .the "
j fort after the fleet had -driven the
Spaniards from their guns. ' " ': '; ■= "
Our torpedo-boats were not with the
fleet, and when Admiral Sampson left-
Morro the battle-ships and criiisejr
i Brooklyn were grouped off the harbor
i.n'Uth. • ■' ■•■;• ;
It is not known whether Admiral Cer
vera had blown up the .Merrimac. "■ or
j passed it in single column. His ship-,
the Cristobal Colon, glided ou.t of : th>
harbor and shot to westward, .'her two
funnels and black bulwarks showing
plain against the green of the hllls/her
I pennant and opanlsh red-and-yelloyv
j ensign in the lashing above.' ' .• ' •'••"•
In a few seconds the American ■ fleet '
was in motion, the Indiana; which was
! closest, heading straight inshore Xo.'gat
a closer range. '.
I The Spaniards opened fire with a 11