The War Between Spain and the United States, Part III, Chapters VII-X [pp. 155-173]

OVERLAND MONTHLY
and sinking wreck. The Gloucester at tacked the other destroyer, and a running
fight was made for several miles. The de stroyer saw the impossibility of escaping
and turned to retire into the harbor once
more. This movement was prevented by
the Gloucester, and the vessel was run
ashore in a sinking condition, four miles
from the harbor mouth.
The action between the battleships and
the cruisers proceeded furiously. It was
an engagement of almost ship for ship.
The Massachusetts and Indiana were off
the harbor, but too far to the east to be of
effective service, and the New York with
Admiral Sampson was near Siboney, carry ing the Admiral to a consultation with Gen eral Shafter. The New York turned back
at once, and hastened after the flying bat tle, but did not arrive in time to take part
in the contest. It was the Brooklyn, Iowa,
Oregon, and Texas, against the four cruisers
of Admiral Cervera. The Spanish gunners
fired rapidly, but with poor aim. Few of
their shells reached the American vessels,
and none of those interfered with the
effectiveness of the ships. The American
fire was more deliberate, but a great number of the shots told. The decks of the
Spanish ships were swept by the fire of the
small guns, and shell after shell pierced
their armor plates.
Less than twenty minutes after the first
shot of the action was fired, smoke began
to rise from the Almirante Oquendo and
the lnfanta Maria Teresa. They had been
set on fire by the shells which were poured
in by the Texas, the Oregon, and the Iowa,
rending great holes in the doomed ships.
Almost at the same moment the commanders of the two cruisers gave up hope,
and headed their ships for the beach. A
few minutes later the ships grounded on
the shore eight miles west of the harbor
mouth and hardly a quarter of a mile
apart, and the crews began clambering
over the sides in an attempt to reach the
land from the blazing wrecks. As the
Oquendo grounded her captain shot himself
upon the deck of his vessel. The three
American battleships then engaged the
Vizcaya, and Captain Eulate made a gallant
fight of it. The swift cruiser drew ahead
of the Iowa, firing rapidly but wildly, passed
the Texas, and was nearly up with the
Oregon, with all three vessels sweeping her
with shot and shell, when she too was seen
to burst into flames, and suddenly turned
and ran slowly upon the beach fifty minutes after the first shot was fired.
As the Vizcaya struck shore she was rent
by an explosion, and the crew of the Texas,
which was then at her stern, set up a
cheer.
"Don't cheer, boys," shouted Captain
Philip. "Those poor devils are dying."
And the Texas was turned to follow the
Brooklyn and the Oregon in chase of the
Cristobal Colon.
The Iowa and the Gloucester now devoted
their attention to saving the lives of the
survivors on the three wrecked warships,
and the small boats of the American vessels were soon about the burning vessels.
The great ships furnished a magnificent but
dreadful sight. The flames streaming from
the jagged shot holes in their sides, the
ammunition exploding, and the cries of the
wounded Spanish sailors, furnished all the
elements of a splendid tragedy. Admiral Cervera escaped to the shore from the
lnfanta Maria Teresa in a boat sent by the
Gloucester, and surrendering to Lieutenant
Morton, asked to be taken aboard the gunboat. He was welcomed by Lieutenant
Commander Wainwright with congratulations on the gallant fight he had made.
The most vivid description of this part
of the battle is given by Captain Evans of
the Iowa in the following words:
As it was apparent that I could not possibly catch
the Cristobal Colon and that the Oregon and Brooklyn
undoubtedly would, and as the fast New York was also
on her trail, I decided the calls of humanity should be
heard and attention given to the twelve or fifteen
hundred Spanish officers and men who had struck
their colors to the American squadron, commanded by
Admiral Sampson. I therefore headed for the wreck
of the Vizcaya, now burning furiously fore and aft.
When I was in as far as the depth of the water would
admit, I lowered all my boats and sent them at once
to the assistance of the men who were being drowned
by dozens or roasted on the decks. I soon discovered
that the insurgent Cubans from the shore were shooting on men who were struggling in the water, after
having surrendered to us. I immediately put a stop
to this, but I could not put a stop to the mutilation of
many bodies by the sharks inside the reef.
These creatures had become excited by the blood
from the wounded mixing in the water. My boat's
crew worked manfully and succeeded in saving many
of the wounded from the burning ship. One man,
who will be recommended for promotion, clambered up
the side of the Vizcaya and saved three men from
burning to death The smaller magazines of the
Vizcaya were explodingwith magnificent cloud effects.
The boats were coming alongside in a steady string,
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