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F fI I f. e 5 t. t r j t i 31 o b o Oo oo oooo oo oooo oo oooo o 4 14 i O The e Battle of Q I W 10 o o o 0 Y r o j 10 O g o One of the Greatest Na Naval v al Battles of 8 81 o g gg of 10 g Modern Times gi S o 10 o o 0 oo o 0 00 0 0 00 0 0 00 0 0 Qt 0 f. f v T TIt It was p. p m. m Saturday April 30 when the American fleet passed i bay which is on the China sea and around Mariveles peninsula from Manila Manila Ma Ma- t nila and Manila bay and steered directly dl- dl di directly for the entrance to the mouth of the tho latter As It drew near the entrance the fleet slackened speed for It t was then near sundown All the ships were dark the decks cleared for action and the sharpest outlook kept in all The entrance to the harbor was thought b by the Spaniards to be well defended and it would be so considered against anything but a fleet such as came there from On the 4 left-hand left sIde elde entering there are two batteries one on Point Mariveles and anda a n smaller one further up the bay On the right hand side there are also two batteries one at point and another at These last are on the Cavite side of the ba bay In the middle of the entrance are three Islands is islands islands Is- Is lands the largest of which is Carre- Carre which was to have been fortified forti forti- fled fied but the Spaniards did not haveland have haveland land armament to spare It was understood understood understood un- un that the entrance to the b bay y o as well as tho the bay itself was loaded with electric mines and torpedoes but if this was the case they did not explode explode explode ex ex- ex- ex for the American fleet sailed over and through them unharmed As the fleet approached the entrance in the dark the progress became slower and andone andone andone one officer of the Olympia suggested to Commodore Dewey the danger of beIng being be- be f Ing blown up To this Dewey is is s said saidy ro y to have replied grimly Its a case of Mobile Day Bay now which was Interpret Interpreted ed to mean in Farragut's words D n D n the torpedoes Go ahead f All this time the vessels proceeded almost noiselessly on their way When the fleet had rejoined inside of the bay Commodore Dewey reformed his f line In the following order t t 11 j. j A 5 o f fr r f 5 d a 2 o e fa 6 e o c. c co 0 c 15 5 0 I rz P 1 0 g S I 11 g o 5 S t a S a 0 S o 0 01 a K 1 a l' l j S 8 M o 0 5 a fc N N s T c The re formation of the fleet took some little time but so soon as this t was accomplished the flotilla proceeded proceed proceed- ed with full steam on as though it were sailing in broad daylight in American waters It was still dark at this time but presently the dawn began to break and the sun arose in all its oriental splendor The weather was calm and sultry and andover andover andover over the waters of Manila bay a thick haze so common to earl early morning in those parts hung like a curtain 1 through which the rays of the coming day penetrated with dull but beautiful hues Gradually however this lifted and the dim outlines of the hills In the neighborhood of Cavite were discern discern- ible Nothing whatever could be seen of the Spanish fleet but the Americans knew they were but a few minutes awa away from the greatest naval battle of modern times The nerves of the officers officers officers cers and men on Deweys Dewey's fleet were keyed up to the strongest tension Ev- Ev v- v ery officer was at his post and every gunner behind his weapon which he had watched for hours The word had gone around not by word of mouth but by some subtle psychology Remember the Maine Remember the Maine and into drawn faces there came that look which one sees only when man stirred by strong and primitive primitive prim prim- emotions determines to meet and fight his enemy to the death The breeze freshened up from off Cavite and at the enemy was Insight in insight insight sight ships as well as land batteries As near as could be determined at that time eight Spanish ships were in full fullvIew fullview fullview view but their identity was not of or course known to the Yankee fleet It was soon apparent however that two more Spanish cruisers were close at hand and there was other shipping not clearly distinguished near by It was plain that the Spanish admiral ad admiral admiral ad- ad miral was taken entirely by surprise His fleet was ready but he did not expect expect expect ex ex- ex- ex the Americans to to enter the bay Admiral Montejo had fully expected the American fleet to remain in the vicinity of bay and that he would have to go out to the open water to meet it He thought Commodore Dewey Dewey Dewey Dew Dew- ey would try to force an entrance past the batteries of bay and make a landing there and the governor general had a force of men there to prevent prevent prevent pre pre- vent a junction between the Insurgents and the Americans That the latter would have the temerity to enter the sowed mine-sowed bay and give him battle in front of Manila never entered his head With the rapidity for which he is noted Admiral Montejo formed his line It is not known yet what his exact formation formation formation for for- mation was It is a mistake however to say that the Castilla was part of th the formation That cruiser ran aground Friday morning and could not be dis dis- dis- dis lodged She was therefore Improvised as part of the land batteries although a good portion of her armament comprising comprising comprising com com- the movable guns was removed removed removed ed to shore Saturday Later she was riddled with American shells some of which set her on fire and she burned nearly to the waters water's edge The American fleet forced the fighting fighting fight fight- ing from the first Captain Wildes of the Boston was ordered to run out ahead and his ship had the honor of firing the first shot The effect was not noticed for the battle began almost immediately afterward on both sides the fire of the Spanish fleet being augmented augmented augmented aug aug- by that of the Cavite batteries Under orders the American boats deployed deployed deployed de de- de- de to the right and left until ordered ordered ordered or or- dered back for the formation and advance advance advance ad ad- vance which finally destroyed the Spanish fleet Admiral Montejo directed direct direct- ed the movement of his fleet from the deck of the Reina Maria Marla Christina durIng during during dur dur- ing the early part of the the fight and Commodore Dewey never left the Olympia until it was all allover over The Boston and Baltimore were in advance of the American line and the roar of their guns was incessant But presently the commodores commodore's flagship came up as though envious of the part I Ithe the others were playing Her main I battery of Inch eight-Inch guns was soon I thundering away while the cannon of the Concord and Raleigh were making 0 It Interesting for tor the r remainder of ot tho the Spanish boats The Petrel was not Idle nor was the McCulloch which dodged in and out among the fleet doing its work of dispatch boat The noise of the bombardment was deafening deafening deafening deafen deafen- ing on both sides and tho the firing tiring considerIng considering considering con con- the dense smoke which soon arose and obscured the fleets fleet from each other was well nigh continuous al although although although al- al though every shot was Intended to count The noise was plainly heard at Manila each shot being easily noted although of course the tho result was not known i Suddenly a Spanish ship which proved afterward t to be the Don Juan Juande Juande Juande de Austria ran down the Spanish lino under a mistaken signal from the ad ad- miral It was struck at least three times by the American shells one of which was plainly seen to hit one of its guns disabling it It fired as it went but a shot from an eight on the Olympia struck the Spanish boat near the waterline Watchers saw the Don Juan quiver as a horse does when shot in battle Then in a sudden cessation cessation cessation ces ces- ces- ces of firing on both sides which seemed almost for tho the purpose of watching what followed the Spanish cruiser exploded with a noise which made all the cannonading that had gone before sound like the popping of so many corks The tearing of steel the splitting of timbers even the shrieks of the wounded could be plainly plain plain- ly heard following this awful noise Dead bodies of men were seen flying through the air while the survivors were noticed jumping from from the decks The Don Juan careened over to port righted again and dipped once more and began to sink rapidly Hardly a seconds second's time elapsed between the striking of the fatal shot and the explosion explosion explosion ex ex- ex- ex but it seemed to the watchers that it was five minutes The shot undoubtedly penetrated and exploded the Don Juans Juan's maga maga- The Americans had an opportunity opportunity opportunity to see this for at that moment the dense clouds of smoke had settled in the direction of the Spanish line while the American ships were comparatively comparatively comparatively com com- free The vice consuls consul's report report report re re- re- re port says The notoriously bad marksmanship of the Spaniards was apparent from the start The fleet was managed with daring and skill but al although although although al- al though numerically stronger than Its enemy It was no match for It in gun gun- nery The latter was splendid and much regret is expressed that our naval representatives were not given a better opportunity to take note of an engagement engagement engagement engage engage- ment which must mark an epoch in naval warfare As a matter of fact the Raleigh Boston and Baltimore were reported to have been struck by Spanish shells shells' and several men killed and wounded but the victims having been landed at a distant point upon the shore the names n mes could not be ascertained ascertained ascertained as as- at the time the Spanish authorities authorities authorities au au- au- au cut the cable or at least stopped stopped stopped stop stop- ped its use at Manila When the Don Juan blew up a cheer arose from each of the American fleet and again the cry went up Remember ber the Maine The Maine is avenged From his post Commodore Dewey gave out his orders and these commands were to keep maneuvering It was war this order which rendered the shots from the Spanish gunners so ineffective They and their commanding officers seemed unable to locate any of the American ships in time to deliver the broadsides where they Intended No sooner would a gun be sighted than the whole American squadron would have seemed to change position and the Spanish shots simply churned the water in the bay Those shells which did take effect did so almost without exception merely by chance and It Is quite likely that some of them came from the land batteries When the Spaniards heard the explosion of the Don Juan they gave shouts of Joy t tI tl I l i s s1 r 1 71 i G TilE THE BALTIMORE R e i ti I J i rf B t V thinking It was one of the American fleet but when the dull yellow moko lifted and they saw their cruiser a total wreck and the bay In its vicinity full of dead and wounded Spanish officers they shrieked with agony and Montejo is said to have lost his head and to have run up and down the deck al alternately alternately alternately al- al cursing the Yankees and the Don Juans Juan's captain for his r reckless reckless- ness The explosion unnerved the whole Spanish fleet and it may be bo said to have determined the whole battle for forIt forIt forit It proved the turning point Montejo had no time for vain regrets for his own flagship was soon struck twice by shells The attack of the American fleet was recommenced almost immediately immediately immediately imme imme- after the explosion and some of the hardest knocks were directed at atthe atthe atthe the Reina Maria Christina Her lIer captain captain captain cap cap- tain Cardozo and eight gunners were killed by a shell and almost In the same instant a full broadside from two American ships struck the Spanish boat killing two officers and a largo number of men Just then the tho Maria Christina was discovered to be on fire and sinking The crew broke from all discipline and rushed to the sides jumping over officers and men preferring preferring preferring pre pre- ferring to trust to their powers as swimmers rather than suffer the fate of their companions of the Don Juan Several other shots struck her but the Americans seeing that it would be a waste of ot powder turned their attention to the other boats The Maria Marla Christina began to sink rapidly and Admiral Montejo and a afew afew few tew officers had barely time to untangle a boat and pull off in it before his flagship flagship flagship flag flag- ship the finest Spanish boat in Asiatic waters sank in the bay He tried to reach the Reina Mercedes but she was f. f r f j I forced In the direction of Manila Mon Man Montejo 1 tejo had bad by this time time- recovered his presence of mind and reassembled his bis shattered line Une presenting a n bold but b battered front to the enemy lie He endeavored endeavored en en- to put heart Into his men but the tho fi fight ht had been taken out of the 5 Spaniards and they seemed to feel that there thero was not pot the slightest chanco chance of their winning Montejos Montejo's officers and 1 j most of his men behaved splendidly for forthe forthe the first hour and stood by their guns with bravery but It was clear to the foreign warships In Manila harbor harbor harbor har har- bor that they were outclassed as gunners gunners gun gun- ners acre as their commanders were as sea sea- men The last half halt hour of fighting had no heart In it so far as tho the Spaniards Spaniards Span- Span lards were ere concerned and the Luzon Velasco and Cuba were the only ships which really made any show of standing standing stand stand- ing up to the Americans At 11 o'clock the work of the American fleet was shown to be more effective than was at first supposed for In the ba bay toward Manila three other sunken Spanish ships were seen The names could not be bo ascertained The Spanish government government government govern govern- ment officials claimed that these vessels ves vas vessels sels were sunk by Admiral Montejo to to keep them from falling into the enemy's enemy's ene one mys my's hands but the AmerIcans Americana deny this and say that they were sunk by r i shots from Deweys Dewey's fleet The Cebu a Spanish transport loaded with coal and ammunition was set on fire by American Ameri Ameri- can shells and sank off Cavite The Tho Cavite batteries continued the 11 fight ht for some time after the fire of the Spanish ships slackened but they too became silent about A Spanish lieutenant lIeutenant lieutenant lieuten lIeuten- 0 ant who was badly wounded on the Reina Mercedes and was landed near Cavite with a load of other victims many of them dead or dying said The greatest naval battle of the tho world I w yg THE CRUISER OLYMPIA CA CAPT PT DEWEYS DEWEY'S FLAGSHIP in so hot a a. corner that he had to go on onboard onboard onboard board the nearest boat which proved to tobe tobe tobe be the Isle Isla de Cuba a small and Inferior in inferior inferior In- In cruiser It is said that a majority majority majority ma ma- of the Reina Christinas Christina's crew were killed or drowned but some of or orthe the men were picked up by the Spanish fleet and the ships ship's exact loss in men cannot now be ascertained The flagship flagship flagship flag flag- ship burned fiercely during the rest of the fight but sank before any explosion explosion could occur She is a total wreck All this had taken place within sixty minutes min min- utes There was not a gun Iun on board I Ithe the American fleet which had not been used and most of them had done exe exe- i cution The Spanish |