| Show CAPTAIN CLARK S VERSION of the orgon or Orr gon fjon atal a the r k 1 I lit it sir lir 1 girat art I 1 havo have the conot to ie nort that at 0 9 JO 30 il ai J july a ay 3 the spanish illet fleet was discovered winding out of tho the it irbit at santiago de cuba ahey tumid to the westward stward wc and opened file to which four ships ie plied vigo vigorously I 1 or ft a short time there was au an almost continuous flight of projectiles over this ship but when lien our line was fairly engaged and tile the levu buwa had bad made IL sift sn ift adv allinee al vinee tal as if to minor close cloge the enemy a ilia file became defective in tt ti tin it us well ivell as 8 range hie Ibes ship bip was waa only struck three ti times mes and at least two of them wei e by fragments of shells we had no casualties casual lits second As soon as it was eid nt that the enem enemy a ishits acio cl trying strying to I 1 reak through gh and escine t the west 0 wai waid d we went ahead at full bleed with the determination of cai crying out to the utmost your cordei I 1 if the enemy tries to escape the thipa must close and en engage gage as soon us its possible and endeavor to sink his bis vessels or bome fome them to run ashore we soon passed il nil all of our ships except the brooklyn bearing the bro broad id pennant of Coi commodore lodore schley only used our kalabat malabat main bat tory but when it was that the en enemy my a torpedo do boats were following their ships we used our rapid well agthe as the FIx upon them IN eiith ith telling effect As wo a ranged up near the of their ships bile bho headed beaded foi the beach evidently on fire we raked her as we passed pad pushing en cu for tho the next ahead using her ter starboard guns guna as they were bi ought to bear anti and before we bad her fairly abeam she too was making for the bench beach the two i remaining ema ining vt vessels asels were now some distance ahead but our speed had increased to sixteen knots and our tiro tire added to that of the brooklyn Bio oklyn soon sent another the vizcaya to the shot a in flames only tho the cristobal colon was left and for a time it seemed as it if she might escape but bat when wo we opened fire with our forward turret guns and the brooklyn followed to ed she ah began bega a to edge i in n toward the coast ua 4 her capture or destruction was assured As aa she slie struck the beach flag came down and the brooklyn signalled signal led cease firing bring follo following vying w ith congratulations fol fo the grand victory thanks for your splendid assistance third ille iho brooklyn Iho Bio oklyn sent a boat to her and when the admiral came up with the new york and lexas and vixen bhe was wag taken possession of A prize crew was waa put on an board from tills this shin under lieutenant commander gogswell cog Fog swell m ell the executive officer but before 11 llam p in the ship which had been filling in spite of all efforts effi oita to stop leaks was vias abandoned and justas just as the crew left she alie went over on her side aide fourth I 1 cannot speak in too high terms of tho the bearing and conduct of all on board this ship when they found that the oregon had bad pushed to the front and was hurrying ton to a one BUC cession of conflicts with mith the vesi vessels sels it if they could bo be over overtaken talen and would engage their enthusiasm was waa into intense I 1 math As those vessels were so BO much nil t it more heavily armored than the bi oaklyn they might have concentrated upon and overpowered her ani and consequently I 1 am nik persuaded that but for the way the and men of the oregon steamed and steered the ship and fought and supplied her batteries the colon and perhaps the vizcaya would have escaped therefore There foie I 1 feel that they rendered meritorious service to the conniry coun iry and while I 1 cannot mention antio the name of each officer and man individually I 1 am going to append a list at of the officers with their stations that they occupied hoping that they may be of service to them should claims of 0 there others for advancement above them ever be considered |
