The Naval History of the United States Volume Ii Part 27

[Ill.u.s.tration: Rear-admiral Montgomery Sicard.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Commodore W. S. Schley.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Captain A. S. Barker, _Late of the "Oregon"; Now of the "Newark."_]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Captain "Jack" Philip, _Of the Battle-s.h.i.+p "Texas."_]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Commodore J. Crittenden Watson. _Second in Command of the Gulf Squadron._]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Ensign Worth Bagley Of The "Winslow." _The first American Officer killed by the Enemy._]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Cadet George T. Pettengill. _Who fired the first Shot of the War._]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Captain F. W. d.i.c.kins. _Chief of Bureau of Navigation._]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Commodore John A. Howell. _Commanding inner Line of Coast Defenses._]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Brig.-Gen. H. C. Hasbrouck. _Commandant of Fort Monroe._]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Captain C. E. Clark. _Of the Battle-s.h.i.+p "Oregon."_]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Admiral F. M. Bunce. _Commandant of Brooklyn Navy Yard._]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Bombardment of Spanish Ports and Fleet at Santiago De Cuba, July 6, 1898.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: "Maria Teresa" and "Vizcaya" burning on the Beach near Santiago.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Flags.h.i.+p "New York," followed by the "Vixen,"

closing on the "Cristobal Colon," while the Latter was being run Ash.o.r.e West of Santiago.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Effect of a single Spanish Shot on Upper Deck of the Battle-s.h.i.+p "Texas".]

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Part of Crew of "Texas"_ Band of the "Oregon" playing Funeral March after the Defeat of the "Colon".]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Engineer Battalion unloading Tools at Siboney.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: "St. Louis." A Transport. "Suwanee." "Vixen." Auxiliary Cruisers Protecting Landing.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Commodore Watson's Fleet for Service in Spanish Waters.]

At 9.30 on the morning of the 3d the lookout on the "Texas" saw smoke rising above Morro Castle. Immediately after, the black prow of a wars.h.i.+p appeared in the channel coming out at full speed. It was the "Almirante Oquendo." Instantly the "Texas" broke out with bunting signaling to all the vessels of the fleet that the Spaniards were coming out. On every side rung out the bugles and clattered gongs calling the crews of the American s.h.i.+ps to quarters. Admiral Sampson with the "New York" was far away, and Commodore Schley with the "Brooklyn" commanded the fleet. The odds were not so greatly in favor of the Americans, for the Spaniards had four armored cruisers and two torpedo-boat destroyers, while the Americans had five battle-s.h.i.+ps, one armored cruiser and a yacht. The superiority of the Spaniards in rapid-fire guns was very great.

The "Brooklyn," thinly clad with armor, dashed first into the fray and was soon engaged with four armored vessels, each her superior; the "Iowa," "Texas" and "Oregon" rushed to her aid. It was soon apparent that the Spaniards were more intent on running than fighting.

Nevertheless, they kept up a rapid fire, but showed the bad marksmans.h.i.+p which characterized Montojo's gunners at Manila. One sh.e.l.l from the "Oquendo" crashed through the pilot-house of the "Texas" just after Captain Philip had left it for the securer retreat of the conning tower, and one exploded in the smokestack. These were about the most effective shots aimed by the enemy.

A correspondent of the New York "Journal" and the "Sun" stationed aboard the "Texas" sent the most graphic account of the battle which has at this date, July 6, been printed. Some extracts from it will give a clear account of the fighting:

"Almost before the leading s.h.i.+p was clear of the shadow of Morro Castle the fight had begun. Admiral Cervera started it by a sh.e.l.l from the 'Almirante Oquendo,' to which he had transferred his flag. It struck none of the American vessels. In a twinkling the big guns of the 'Texas' belched forth their thunder, which was followed immediately by a heavy fire from our other s.h.i.+ps. The Spaniards turned to the westward under full steam, pouring a constant fire on our s.h.i.+ps, and evidently hoping to get away by their superior speed.

"The 'Texas,' still heading in sh.o.r.e, kept up a hot exchange of shots with the foremost s.h.i.+ps, which gradually drew away to the westward under the shadow of the hills. The third of the Spanish vessels, the 'Vizcaya' or 'Infanta Maria Teresa,' was caught by the 'Texas' in good fighting range, and it was she that engaged the chief attention of the first battle-s.h.i.+p commissioned in the American Navy. The 'Texas' steamed west with her adversary, and as she could not catch her with speed she did with her sh.e.l.ls.

"The din of the guns was so terrific that orders had to be yelled close to the messengers' ears, and at times the smoke was so thick that absolutely nothing could be seen. Once or twice the 12-inch guns in the turrets were swung across the s.h.i.+p and fired.

The concussion shook the great vessel as though she had been struck by a great ball, and everything movable was splintered.

The men near the guns were thrown flat on their faces.

"Meanwhile the 'Oregon' had come in on the run. She pa.s.sed the 'Texas' and chased after Commodore Schley, on the 'Brooklyn,' to head off the foremost of the Spanish s.h.i.+ps. The 'Iowa' also turned her course westward, and kept up a hot fire on the running enemy.

"At 10.10 o'clock the third of the Spanish s.h.i.+ps, the one that had been exchanging compliments with the 'Texas,' was seen to be on fire and a mighty cheer went up from our s.h.i.+ps. The Spaniard headed for the sh.o.r.e and the 'Texas' turned her attention to the one following. The 'Brooklyn' and 'Oregon,' after a few parting shots, also left her contemptuously and made all steam and sh.e.l.l after the foremost two of the Spanish s.h.i.+ps, the 'Almirante Oquendo' and the 'Cristobal Colon.'

"Just then the two torpedo-boat destroyers 'Pluton' and 'Furor'

were discovered. They had come out after the cruisers without being seen, and were boldly heading west down the coast. 'All small guns on the torpedo boats' was the order on the 'Texas,'

and in an instant a hail of shot was pouring all about them. A 6-pounder from the starboard battery of the 'Texas,' under Ensign Gise, struck the foremost torpedo boat fairly in the boiler.

"A rending sound was heard above the roar of battle. A great spout of black smoke shot up from that destroyer and she was out of commission. The 'Iowa,' which was coming up fast, threw a few complimentary shots at the second torpedo-boat destroyer and pa.s.sed on. The little 'Gloucester,' formerly a yacht, then sailed in and finished the second boat."

The "Gloucester" of which the correspondent speaks was in command of Lieutenant-Commander Wainwright, who had been the executive officer of the "Maine." For two months after the disaster to that vessel Wainwright lived on a United States s.h.i.+p in the harbor of Havana, refusing to set foot on sh.o.r.e until he could go "with a landing party of marines." In his attack on the torpedo-boat destroyers--vastly superior to his craft in weight and armament--he threw prudence to the winds and fought with a fierceness bred of bitter hatred for the Dons.

His was the most stirring display of personal courage shown on a day when all were brave.

To return to the correspondent's account:

"Gun for gun and shot for shot the running fight was kept up between the Spanish cruisers and the four American vessels. At 10.30 o'clock the 'Infanta Maria Teresa' and 'Vizcaya' were almost on the beach, and were evidently in distress. As the 'Texas' was firing at them a white flag was run up on the one nearest her. 'Cease firing,' called Captain Philip, and a moment later both the Spaniards were beached. Clouds of black smoke arose from each, and bright flashes of flame could be seen s.h.i.+ning through the smoke. Boats were visible putting out from the cruisers to the sh.o.r.e. The 'Iowa' waited to see that the two wars.h.i.+ps were really out of the fight, and it did not take her long to determine that they would never fight again. The Iowa'

herself had suffered some very hard knocks.

"The 'Brooklyn,' 'Oregon' and 'Texas' pushed ahead after the 'Colon' and 'Almirante Oquendo,' which were now running the race of their lives along the coast. At 10.50 o'clock, when Admiral Cervera's flags.h.i.+p, the 'Almirante Oquendo,' suddenly headed in sh.o.r.e, she had the 'Brooklyn' and 'Oregon' abeam and the 'Texas'

astern. 'The Brooklyn' and 'Oregon' pushed on after the 'Cristobal Colon,' which was making fine time and which looked as if she might escape, leaving the 'Texas' to finish the 'Almirante Oquendo.' This work did not take long. The Spanish s.h.i.+p was already burning. At 11.05 o'clock down came a yellow and red flag at her stern. Just as the 'Texas' got abeam of her she was shaken by a mighty explosion.

"The crew of the 'Texas' started to cheer. 'Don't cheer, because the poor devils are dying,' called Captain Philip, and the 'Texas' left the 'Almirante Oquendo' to her fate to join in the chase of the 'Cristobal Colon.'

"That s.h.i.+p in desperation was plowing the waters at a rate that caused the fast 'Brooklyn' trouble. The 'Oregon' made great speed for a battle-s.h.i.+p, and the 'Texas' made the effort of her life.

Never since her trial trip had she made such time.

"The 'Brooklyn' might have proved a match to the 'Cristobal Colon' in speed, but she was not supposed to be her match in strength.

"It would never do to allow even one of the Spanish s.h.i.+ps to get away. Straight into the west the strongest chase of modern times took place. The 'Brooklyn' headed the pursuers. She stood well out from the sh.o.r.e in order to try to cut off the 'Cristobal Colon' at a point jutting out into the sea far ahead. The 'Oregon' kept a middle course about a mile from the cruiser. The desperate Don ran close along the sh.o.r.e, and now and then he threw a sh.e.l.l of defiance. The old 'Texas' kept well up in the chase under forced draught for over two hours.

"The fleet Spaniard led the Americans a merry chase, but she had no chance. The 'Brooklyn' gradually forged ahead, so that the escape of the 'Cristobal Colon' was cut off at the point above mentioned. The 'Oregon' was abeam of the 'Colon' then, and the gallant Don gave it up.

"At 1.15 o'clock he headed for the sh.o.r.e, and five minutes later down came the Spanish flag. None of our s.h.i.+ps was then within a mile of her, but her escape was cut off. The 'Texas,' 'Oregon'

and 'Brooklyn' closed in on her and stopped their engines a few hundred yards away.

"Commodore Schley left the 'Brooklyn' in a small boat and went aboard the 'Cristobal Colon' and received the surrender. Meantime the 'New York,' with Admiral Sampson on board, and the 'Vixen'

were coming up on the run. Commodore Schley signaled to Admiral Sampson; 'We have won a great victory; details will be communicated.'

"Then for an hour after the surrender in that little cove under the high hills was a general Fourth of July celebration, though a little premature. Our s.h.i.+ps cheered one another, the captains indulged in compliments through the megaphones, and the 'Oregon'

got out its band, and the strains of the 'Star-Spangled Banner'

echoed over the lines of Spaniards drawn up on the deck of the last of the Spanish fleet, and up over the lofty green-tipped hills of the Cuban mountains.

"Commodore Schley, coming alongside the 'Texas' from the 'Cristobal Colon' in his gig, called out cheerily, 'It was a nice fight, Jack, wasn't it?'