Hemingford herald. (Hemingford, Box Butte County, Neb.) 1895-190?, July 08, 1898, Image 1

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The Hemingford Herald.
1 .
VOLUME IV.
HEMINGEORD, BOX BUTTE COUNTY, NEBRASKA, FRIDAY, JULY 8, 1898.
NUMBER 21.
X
T
S
FIGHTING NEAR SANTIAGO
SPANIARDS MAKE A DESPER
ATE RESISTANCE.
Thrilling Account of Two Days'
Fighting by Our Brave Soldiers
on Cuban Soil Many are Killed
and Wounded.
San Juan Hill, Overlooking Santiago,
July 4. Friday and Saturday, two day
of the most terrlllc lighting, in which
more than 800 of our brave soldier
have been killed and wounded, have
not sufficed to rorce the Spaniards to
lay down their arms. Our field bat
teries look down on the city from all
Hides, and are constantly pouring an
awful fire Into the Spanish fortifica
tions. Our brave men face the deadly
fife of the Spaniards ns they lie in
their intrenchments, struggling for ev
ery Inch of ground.
The Spanish soldiers are fighting like
demons, but our men are forcing them
back constantly, mowing them down
by hundreds and never yielding the
Ich of ground that is gained now and
again. Outside of the harbor Samp
son's fleet hurls broadsides of death at
old Morro castle with awful precision.
Every whistling, shrieking shell tells
on the city's defenses. The hills and
valleys have been laid waste by the
withering volleys. Accompanying this
is the Incessant roar of the field pieces
and the rattle and crash of the mus
ketry. At this hour Morro castle looks more
like n heap of ruins than massive for
tifications. The batteries have been all
but silenced. The Spanish flag, which
still floats over Mdrro, hangs In tatters,
and Is the only one in sight at this time
on the south coast of Cuba. Great
yawning holes appear In the masonry
and in the adjoining earthworks.
TWO DAYS' FIGHTING.
To give a complete account of these
two days of incessant fighting is all
but Impossible, but the Journal corre
spondents have advanced steadily with
the line of battle, observing closely
every movement of Shafter's heroic
army and following with equal care the
dogged retreat of the enemy's lines.
Couriers were sent from the front of
Slboney, reaching here late In the aft
ernoon, Just one week after the terrific
battle of the rough riders, with a de
tachment of the Spanish army, which
lay In ambush for them.
Shafter's men are in position to make
the final, Irresistible attack. The en
tire army thoroughly understands the
situation, and now well knows every
foot of ground that must be covered
before the city falls.
The doomed city lies six miles from
the sea at the head of the harbor, sur
rounded on nil sides by high mountains
starting up from the sea In ridges. San
tiago lies between the first and second
of these foothills. Thus Santiago Is a
walled city, -walled by nature herself.
Shufter firmly believed that the best
way to wrest Santiago from the enemy
was by a siege, but he yielded to argu
ments In favor of an attack, and de
cided to advance against the city at
once with never a stop In the battle.
The American army had the city
practically surrounded by Thursday.
The plan of attack, which had been
agreed upon after a council of war, at
which all the great leaders were pres
ent, was for a joint movement of the
fleet nnd army on Aguadores. The ar
my alone was to move against Caney
and San Juan, the fleet diverting the
enemy's attention by occasional bom
bardments. Just at sunrise Captain Capron fired
the first gun, the signal for the first
day's terrible battle. At G o'clock the
lighting began in earnest. The sharp
rattle of musketry resounded over the
hillsides, punctuated with the roar
from Grimes' guns. Then there was a
pause, but no reply came from the
enemy. Another volley and still an
other, and yet there was no answering
shot. It began to look as if the Span
iards were not in battle mood.
ONSET OF THE CUBANS.
The Cuban insurgents, who were de
ployed In front of the attucking army,
were led to the belief that the Spaniards
were under full retreat. A thousand
Cubans, under Garcia and Castillo, hur
ried along the road toward Caney to
head off the retreating Spaniards. They
were Just In time to overtake the flee
ing enemy at the Ducurnnce estate,
where there was a hot fight, lasting for
several minutes. The Spaniards fell
back on Caney, taking with them their
wounded.- Nineteen Cubans were
wounded In this brief engagemet.
In the meantime, Captain Capron's
battery kept up an Incessant firing.
Twenty-seven shots were fired, with
never an answer from the enemy. The
Spaniards, driven back by the sharp
volleys of musketry, now began to fight
desperately. The shells from Captain
Capron's battery landed In the town,
but did no damage to the fortifications.
At the twenty-eighth shot the Span
lards opened fire with thel- heavy guns.
A sharp whistle near Capron's bat
tery, followed by nn explosion, was the
first Spanish Bhell hurled from the
Relnn Mercedes battery. Another and
still another followed. Their aim at
Capron's battery was wild, but one
shell fell on a house, some distance
away, where a group of American sol
diers were firing at the Spanish. Three
were wounded.
EVERY SHELL TELLS.
Now the American battery began
sending shells In quicker succession,
straight at the enemy's earthworks.
Every shot told. After the first few
shots the enemy's fire improved vastly.
Their guns seemed to be handled by
masters. The firing on both sides ceased
after an hour.
In the meantime Grimes' battery at
121 Pazo opened fire on the enemy, send
ing shell after shell across the gulch
to the hill below San Juan. The enemy
made no reply till the tenth shot. Then
shells suddenly began to whistle out of
the enemy's fortifications and burst
over the Americans. The Spanish lino
of fire was excellent, but too high at
first.
The Tenth cavalry and the rough rid
ers were lying along the hillside, under
cover of the bushes. Shell and shrnp
nel were raining over them while they
cracked Jokes at each other. Not a
man was hurt seriously. For half an
hour shells whistled and shrieked on
both sides, while the Spaniards on the
hilltops were surrounded by a great
cloud of yellow dust, thrown up by the
shells. Still they continued to fire too
high.
At the expiration of a half hour the
Spanish position got too hot for com
fort. Their battery was suddenly si
lenced, nnd when the dust cleared not
a Spaniard was to be seen.
The rough riders, the Tenth nnd First
cavnlry were ordered to mnkc a de
tour and take the hill where the Span
ish battery hnd been planted. Then be
gnn the real battle of the day. The
Spanish were nowhere to be seen, but
when the rough riders advanced across
the gulch to the slope below the block
house the enemy opened a sharp fire
again.
The first shell wounded Mason Mit
chell, a Cuban trooper, and Surgeon
Devore. At the snme time the enemy's
sharp shooters began peppering nwny
nt the Americans, picking off a man
here nnd there ns the line ndvonced.
ROOSEVELT IN THE LEAD.
Roosevelt, mounted, led the Tenth
cavalry, which was lined nlongslde the
rough riders. The Spanish fire grew
hotter nnd hotter. The heroic men be
gan to drop In twos and threes by the
time they came to the open, smooth
hillside, which offered no protection
from the enemy's deadly volleys.
A perfect storm of shot and shell
swept the hillside. There was a mo
ment's hesitation along the line. Then
the order wns "forward, charge'Roose
velt was In the lead, waving his sword.
Out Into the open and up the hill where
denth seemed certain, In the face of
the continuous crackle of the Mausers,
came the rough riders with the Tenth
cavalry nlongslde. Not a man flinched,
all continuing to lire as they ran.
Roosevelt was o hundred feet nliend
of his troops, yelling like n Sioux, while
his own men and the colored cavuh-y
cheered ns they chnrged up the hill.
There wns no stopping as their neigh
bors fell, but pn they went, faster and
faster. Sudenly Roosevelt's horse
stopped, pawed the air a moment and
fell in a heap. Before the horse wns'
down Roosevelt disengaged himself
from the saddle, nnd landing on his
feet, again yelled to his men, nnd sword
In hand charged on foot. It was some
thing terrible to watch these men rnce
up that hill with death. Fast as they
were going it seemed that they would
never reach the crest.
They did not stop to fire, but poured
In rifle shots as they marched In the
ranks. "We could clearly see the won
derful work the dusky veterans of the
Tenth were doing. Such splendid shoot
ing was probably never done under
such conditions.
As fast os Spanish fire thinned their
ranks, gaps were closed up and after
an eternity they gained the top of the
hill and rushed the few remaining yards
to the Spanish trenches.
Had the enemy remained stanch, the
slnughter at close range would have
been nppalllng.The daring of the Amer
icans dazed them. Their fire driveled
to nothing. They wavered and then
ran. Our fellows dropped to one knee
and picked them off like partridges In
the brush. The position was won. The
blockhouse wns ours. Some of the
Spaniards' guns had been abandoned,
but a good many they had been able
to carry off. Across tho gulch the sol
diers wildly cheered the gallnnt Tenth.
The Tenth gave tongue to an an
swering cheer and rushed on to drive
the enemy further. Over the Spanish
trenches they tore, passing the Span
ish dead. The trenches were full of
dead men, but the wounded had been
carried off by the retreating foe.
In the last wild rush more than half
of the rough riders were winded. We
had the hill, but Ihe position was peril
ous. The enemy's sharpshooters galled
us from their rifle pits further along.
RECEPTION IN TOWN.
The Infantry split In two directions
and never ceased firing during the
maneuver. This was hot work, but was
nothing compared to the reception we
got In town. Volleys came from every
direction.
The Spaniards were well concealed,
and their smokeless powder gave them
a splendid advantage. Above the edges
of the trenches lines of hats were vis
ible. The Americans shot the hats to
pieces. Thus they uncovered a Spanish
ruse; the hats were stuck on sticks,
while the Spaniards themselves were
In other trenches further along.
It was some time before our men
learned that the most galling fire was
coming from the breastworks in the
northeast corner of the town.
The fire from this position was blight
ing. Our men dropped on their faces,
but the Spnnlnrds had the range nnd
many of our boys were killed nnd
wounded ns they lay there. The offi
cers remained erect. Genernl Chaffee
was particularly conspicuous. He
flashed from one end of his line to
the other, calling on his men to remain
firm. They did. When they once got
the line on this northwest entrenchment
every Spaniard who showed himself
was picked off by the flre of our men
on the ground.
The trenches ran with blood. Capron
silenced the fort again. The officers
gave the word and the men Jumped to
their feet nnd, led by their captains,
charged right on the fort and ran up
the slope. They captured It with hardly
n struggle at last.
The other divisions, three miles nwny,
watched the gallant charge and their
cheers were heard by Chaffee's gallant
soldier boys.
Captain Clark was detailed by General
Chaffee to take a block house off to
the left. He did It with a single com
pany, advancing under an awful flre
up nnd over the entrenchments. The
Spnnlnrds fled. The battle was won.
The Spnnlnrds on the left retreated
In the wildest disorder, streaming out
of the town by every street that nf-J
rordeu an outlet. One hundred and
twenty-five of them were cut off nnd
captured.
The Seventy-first had been following
Lawton toward Caney. They found the
road taken by the Twenty-fourth und
turned off to Join the Sixth nnd Six
teenth of the First division of the
Fifth army corps. Colonel Kent of
the Sixteenth deployed a company of
the Seventy-first that had straggled to
him us pickets along the road. Cap
tain Rnfferty gathered them up and
made use of them further along In the
fight.
CAPTURE A BLOCKHOUSE.
A Spanish blockhouse a mile up the
hill had been giving us great trouble.
Away we went after It, the Sixteenth
nhead, the Eighth on the left, the
Seventy-first on the right. Rafferty's
company held the skirmish line on the
wooded side of the hill. Between them
and the blockhouse was a half mile
of level land without cover. The
skirmishers were half way ncross It
and were counting on nn easy enpture
when the whole hillside blazed. Shot
and shell rained among thum. The
Spnnlnrds held their flre until our men
hnd ndvnneed so far that there wns no
chance of their getting back to cover.
The slaughter wns awful.
The Seventy-first saw whnt hnd
happened and dashed madly out In
the open, facing the withering flre.
Shrapnel burst In their ranks, tearing
holes four deep, while the Mauser
bullets dropped men all over the field,
The Seventy-first never wavered. They
closed their ranks as fast ns the Span
ish shells tore them open, nnd marched
In, pouring a dendly flre nt the Spnn
lnrds to save the strlokcn Sixteenth.
Their officers ran along the line calling
on the men to be cool. The thought
of death did not deter a single soldier.
Before they were half way ncross the
field the Seventy-first hnd lost over
seventy men, nnd the fire wns getting
more drendful every moment.
The enemy wns well protected behind
breastworks, but realized that the
Amerlcnn line must rench them. They
begnn a retreat. Our men broke Into
a run, heading full Into the enemy's
fierce fire. The blockhouse when tnken
wub found crowded with dead Spun
Inrds. Outside the hill wns covered
with them. The enemy's rifle pits were
full of dead and wounded.
The Spnnlnrds, In their retreat, left
their dead and wounded behind. Every
hilltop around Santiago is crowned
with n blockhouse and Intrenchments.
The dendly nlm of the Americans to
tally demolished the enemy's line of
battle. They began to waver nnd shoot
wildly ns our line ndvanced, nnd then
they broke for the renr. The First and
Tenth cavnlry enme up with the rough
riders nt 3 o'clock In the afternoon. Un
daunted by the terrific fight which they
had pnssed through, they were ready
to advance on the enemy again.
The Spnnlnrds poured volley lifter vol
ley of shot and shell Into the ranks,
but they could no more be stopped than
nn avalanche. At 4 o'clock In the nft
ernoon General HawklnB ordered nn
nssault In force. This wns the key to
the Spnnlsh position, the most Im
portant point In all the line of nssault.
Santiago's chief defense.
Hawkins, sword in hand, ever led the
way. The flre now came from the sides
ns well ns the front nnd the rnnks were
being cut to pieces. Still there wns no
more wavering. Men fell by tens, but
others yelled nnd dashed on.
Over the dip of the hill they rushed
nnd nt Inst had their enemy in full
view. The heights were won, but vic
tory had cost us dear. From the posi
tion of vnntnge hnd our forces had
artillery they could, hnve driven the
Spaniards out of Santiago nnd won the
fight then and there, but they hnd no
ndequate guns.
The trenches were full of dead Span
lnrds, but In some of our companies
there were not over twenty or twenty
five men who had not received wounds.
That tells the story of one of the fierc
est .fights of nil time.
DUFFIELD AT AGUADORES.
Genernl Duffield and his forceH had
done their part at Aguadores, aided by
the fleet. The Suwanee started firing
on the fortifications to the eastward
nnd the Gloucester blnzed awny nt
everything. The nlm of the New York
wns also true, nnd she raked the shore
batteries at every shot.
This bombardment wns kept up for
nn hour nnd It seemed an If every part
of the fort had been hit. Many of the
garrison must have been killed.
Friday night was a nervous one. The
enemy kept up a constnnt flre, although
of course they did little damage. All
the men that could be spared were en
gaged In carrying the wounded back to
Slboney. The dead were being burled
on the battlefield.
The fighting began nt 5 o'clock In the
morning ngaln. The Spnnlnrds opened
the day with a desperate attempt to
recapture San Juan. As soon as they
came on they were driven back with
awful losses. Our Hotchklss guns
mowed them down by platoons. Our
men drove them until they were back
Into their third line of intrenchments.
There their sharpshooters were too
strong for us. Mnny of our men went
down.
The battery was planted In n safer
position, but one in which great dam
nge could be done. The battery Imme
diately opened flre on the San Juan
blockhouse.
When the last couriers left the front
fighting wns going along on the whole
line. We were driving the Spaniards
back Inch by Inch Into Santiago.
If we only hnd heavy artillery It
would be over In no time. While the
bnttle Wns rnglng north und eust of
Santiago Sampson was bombarding the
hnrbor forts. The orders were Issued
Inst night to the ships to begin firing
before breakfnst.
The New York's turret guns belched
forth the first shot. This Wns Immedi
ately answered from the batteries on
both sides of the harbor. The other
ships chorused in. Our fleet kept up n
stendy hall of shells for half an hour
without changing position.
At C:40 the Oregon left the line, nnd
sailed deliberately In until she wus
fairly In the harbor entrance. The In
diana swung Into the east of the Ore
gon. She brought every gun possible
to bear on the east battery. The shells
rained on that east battery until It
seemed that there could not remain
one stone upon another. The battery
did not answer.
The Oregon, Just ncross the harbor
south, hnd marked the Morro for her
target. The tremendous ship from the
Pacific knocked great holes In the pic
turesque old castle. The great Span
ish flag waving over Morro crowned
the smoke thnt met and rose from
Spanish and American guns.
At exactly 7 o'clock a triumphant
yell from the Oregon was taken up by
the other ships. The Morro's flag was
down.
The ships kept bntterlng away nt the
seaside fortifications, nnd nil the shells
seemed to land nmong them. Once
more tho whole hill wns clouded with
dust of flying earthworks. When the
fleet nt Inst drew off the western bat
tery fired three or four shells, not one
of which landed within a mile of our
ships. Indeed, during the whole bom
bnrdment not one of the ships wns hit
with even the fragment of a shell. It Is,
of course, too early to send anything
like a list of the dead and wounded
among our troops.
Chlckamauga, Chattanooga, National
Military Park, Ga., July 4. Yesterday
was another quiet Sunday at the park,
The sun poured down intensely hot,
but the presence of a good breeze wns
a source of great rellof from the heat,
The reglmentB all Rpent the dny quietly
In en nip. except thnt some of the
troops, by permission, went upon the
mountain to spend the day.
Later In the afternoon nn order ar
rived from the war department to Gen
ernl Brooke to designate about 20,000
men for Immediate departure to tho
south, and there wus grent excitement
nnd bustle In the ranks. Genernl
Brooke declined to muke public tho
order, but it Ib understood that he had
selected the First division of the First
corps, und two brlgndes of the Second
division to be moved nt once.
The First division Is composed of the
following regiments:
First Brigade First Kentucky, Third
Wisconsin. Fifth Illinois.
Second Brlgnde Fourth Ohio, Third
Illinois. Fourth Pennsylvania.
Third Brigade Sixteenth Pennsyl
vnnln, Second Wisconsin, Third Ken
tucky. Second Division: First Brigade Thirty-first
Michigan, One Hundred nnd
Sixtieth Indiana, First Georgoa.
Second Brigade Sixth Ohio, One
Hundred und Fifty-eighth Indiana,
First West Vlrglniu.
The regiments of the First division
were Inspected Sunday evening and are
ready to move. They hnve been kept
busy since the order to prepnre for the
Held n week ago, getting rid of their
excess of equipment and clothing, nnd
It will require very little time to break
enmp nnd depnrl.
In anticipation of this order, the rail
roads have been accumulating enrs at
this point for n week. The Western &
Atluntlc railroad Ib crowded with Pull
mnn enrs. It Is stnted tonight thnt
there are thirty trnlns of twenty enrs.
each on the trncks nere ready to trans
port troops. The regiments will em
bnrk nt Rossvllle and Ringgold, to In
sure speedy trnnsportntlon, ns was
done when the regulars were moved
south, nnd It Is thought by the railroad
authorities that they can move the 20,-
000 men In two days. It Is understood
nt this hour thnt three reglmentB will
move tomorrow morning.
Washington, D. C, July 4. Adjutant
Genernl Corbln voiced the feelings of
every one of the officials when he said:
"I don't enre how the fleet wns de
stroyed. It was destroyed. That Ib
enough for me. It Is grent news for the
Fourth of July."
The fleet of Admiral Cervera wns one
of the finest Spnln possessed.
The Almlrnnte Oqeundo, the Vlzcnya
nnd the Crlstobul Colon were modern
nrmored cruisers of the first class.
The Vlzcnya, which visited thlB coun
try soon nfter the Mnlne wnB sent to
Havana, was of 7,000 tons dlsplncement,
340 feet long nnd heavily nrmored, her
belt armor being twelve nches In thick
ness and her deck armor three Inches.
Her armament consisted of two eleven
Inch, ten 5.5-inch Hontorla guns; eight
2.2-inch rapid lire guns, eight 1.4-Inch
rapid flre guns nnd .two mitrailleuses.
Her complement wns 500 men.
TJie Almlrnnte Oquendo wns In nl
rnost every respect a duplicate of the
Vlzcaya.
The Cristobal Colon had a displace
ment of 6,840 tons, nnd wns 328 feet
long. She hnd six-inch armor both at
the water line and at the gun positions,
and l.C nrmor on her deck. Her arma
ment consisted of two ten-inch, ten
six-Inch rapid fire guns, six 4.4-Inch
guns, ten two-Inch guns, two mitrail
leuses nnd four torpedo tubes. She
wns capable of a speed of twenty
knots, and carried 450 men.
Of the remaining vessels of the fieer
the Terror und Furor were torpedo
boat destroyers, nnd the Relna Mer
cedes wns an old vessel that waH Bunk
a short time ngo by a shell from Samp
son's fleet. The Terror was not with
the fleet nt Santiago, hut Is supposed
to be at San Juan, Porto Ico. In nd
dltlon to the above-mentioned vessels,
there were two torpedo bonts and n
collier In the Spnnlsh fleet originally.
Mndrld, July 4. The government hns
received cipher dispatches from Cuba,
the contents of which have not been
made public. It is said, however, that
the Spaniards offered heroic resistance
to the American forces which made an
nttack on the outer positions at Santi
ago. Genernl Vera de Roy, commanding nt
El Cnney, fought with the greatest
cournge, setting his men nn example
by leading the advance. It wns under
similar conditions thnt General Linares
was wounded. According to official dls
patches received, the Spanish troops
fell back upon the city of Snntlago In
order to nwalt reinforcements. The
dispatches do not mention the death
of General Vera de Roy, which, it was
rumored, hnd occurred.
Captain General Blanco reports to the
government under date of July as fol
lows: At noon today the enemy vigorously
attacked and succeeded in tnklng the
ndvnnce position of Lamas and San
Juan after a vehement resistance last
ing three hours on our part. We were
able to save our artillery, though half
the troops were placed hors du combat.
General Linares was severely wounded
In the left arm and relinquished his
rommand to General Taral. The en
emy In considerable force attacked tho
village of El Caney this morning and
wsa repulsed by General Vera. The
fight was resumed this evening, and
ended In El Caney itself being taken.
nfter a vigorous resistance on our
part. Our losses were heavy. I have
no news from the Escarlo and Caresa
columns, with which I found It Impos
sible to communicate, despite all efforts
to do so.
Private dispatches from Santiago
give the following details:
Genernl Shafter's nrmy, composed of
17,000 Infantry nnd eighty-two siege
guns of various caliber, attneked the
Spanish positions before Santlngo, C.OO0
rebels under Genernl Garcia assisting
them. The Spaniards had only 2,000
men, partly volunteers.
Our troops fought with heroic cour
age The battle lasted three hours and
the Spnnlsh were then compolled to
nbandon the trenches nnd to fall back
on Santiago. The retreat was conduct
ed In perfect order.
Our losses were heavy and the ene
my's were enormous. The list of our
wounded Includes Genernl Linares, Col
onel Ordonez and Majors Amadrld and
Arralzn, the latter being General Li
nares' aide-de-camp.
The American nttack upon El Caney
was severe. The position wns defendod
by General Vera de Roy with 500 men,
The enemy was at first repulsed, but
ultimately renewed the attack.
BACKBONE
ADMIRAL SAMPSON'S DISPATCH.
Wellington, July G. The secretary of the navy yestordny received tljo
following:
"Ployu, Via Hnyti. 3:15 a, m. (Slboney, July 3. The licet undor my com
mund offers the nation ns u Fourth of July present the destruction of the
whole of Cervera'H fleet. No one escnped. 11 attempted to escape nt 9:50
u. in, ami nt 2 p. m the last, the Cristobal Colon, hnd run ashore six miles
west of Santlngo nnd had let down Its colors. The Infanta Marie . Teresa,
Oqueudn und Vlzcnya were forced nshore nnd were burned and blown up
within twenty miles of Santiago; the Furor und Pluton wore destroyed within
four nillcB of the port! Loss one killed nnd two wounded.
"Enemy'H loss probably several hundred, from gun tire, explosions nnd
drowning.
"About 1,300 prisoners, Including Admiral Cervern.
"The mnn killed wns George II. Ellis, chief yeoman of the Brooklyn
"SAMPSON."
The following message was sent to Admiral Sampson today by the presi
dent: "You hnve the gratitude on congratulations of the whole American people.
Convey to your noble officers nnd crows, through whose valor new honors
have been ndded to the Americans, the grateful thanks nnd appreciation of
tho nation. WILLIAM McKINLEY."
Washington, July 5. At 11:35 last nlKht the navy department posted the
nppended translation of n cipher cableRinm received from Commodore Wat
ron, It Is similar to that received from Admiral Sampson earlier In the day,
hut contains the additional Information that 350 Spaniards were killed or
drowned, 1C0 wounded and l.COO captured. Commodore Wntson's dispatch
follows: i
"Plnya del Este, July 3. Secretary of the Navy, Washington: At 0;30 a.
in. todny the Spanish squadron, seven In all, Including one gunboat, cume out
of Sntlago In column and was totally destroyed within nn hour, exceptlg the
Cristobal Colonr which wan chased forty-live miles to westward by the com-mander-ln-chle'r,
Brooklyn, Oregon and and Texas, surrendering to the Brook
lyn, but wnB benched to prevent slnklntf. None of our officers or men were
Injured, except on beard the Brooklyn, Chief Yeomnn Ellis being killed and
one mnn wounded. Admiral Cervern, all commanding officers except those of
the Oquendo, seventy other officers nntl 1.C00 men are prisoners. About 350
were killed or drowned nnd 1G0 wounded. The latter are being cared for on
the Solace and Olivette, Have Just arrived off Santlngo In the Marblehead
to taku charge while commander-in-chief Is looking after tho Cristobal Colon.
"WATSON."
CERVERA'S DASH
FOR LIBERTY ENDS IN TOTAL
DESTRUCTION OF HIS FLEET.
1,300 PRISONERS TAKEN
MADE A DESPERATE ATTEMPT
TO RUN-THE BLOCKADE,-
Late Reports are to the Effect that
Not One of the Spanish Fleet Es
caped and That Admiral Cervera
was Wounded andTaken Prisoner
Washington, D. C, July 4. President
McKlnley and hlB cabinet have been
deliberating upon Important and grat
ifying news froVn the front. According
to dispatches received from Colonel
Allen, In charge of the cable station nt
Playa del Este, by General Greeley,
stationed In New York, and transmit
ted to the secretary of war, Admiral
Snmpson hns met and destroyed all of
Admiral Cervera's fleet except one ves
sel, which the vessels of his squadron
are now pursuing, nnd General Shatter
has demanded and momentarily ex
pects the surrender of Santiago.
According to the message.which first
came through the source Indicated, Ad
miral Cervera's fleet, In desperate
straits, made an effort to leave the
harbor nnd run the gauntlet of the
American fleet. He wns partially suc
cessful, but was met by a fierce flre
from the vessels of Admiral Sampson's
squadron, which, following In hot pur
suit, engnged and destroyed all the ves
sels of the Spanish squadron except
one.
A later report was to the effect that
Admiral Sampson had forced his way
Into the harbor and hnd destroyed all
of Admiral Cervera's fleet except or.e.
They have one dispatch from General
Shatter, filed nt 3 o'clock Sunday aft
ernoon. The general states that he has
demanded and expects the surrender
of Santiago. He also confirms the re
port via Madrid that General Linares
has been mortally wounded and that
half of his command has been rendered
hors du combat.
The president nnd his ndvlsers are
eagerly awaiting official dispatches
from Genernl Shatter or Admiral Sump
son to know exactly what has hap
pened. They feel satisfied thnt Admiral
Sampson has met Cervera's fleet, and
credit the report from Colonel Allen
that they have all been destroyed ex
cept one, but they do not know wheth
er the engagement occurred. Inside or
outside of the harbor. This statement
wns given out at the war department
nbout midnight Sunday:
Playn del Este, July 3. Genernl Shat
ter telegrnphs early this morning: "I
sent n demand for the Immediate sur
render of Santiago, threatening to
bomburd the city. I believe the place
will be surrendered."
This contradicts the report that Gen
eral Shatter has fallen bnck.
The following dispatch was received
at the wur department:
Playn del Este, July 3. Slboney office
confirms statement that all the Spanish
fleet except one warship destroyed and
burning on the beach. It wns witnessed
by Captain Smith, who told the oper
ator. No doubt of Its correctness.
ALLEN.
BROKEN.
Another dlspntch wns received at tho
war department from Colonel Wagner,
stating that Pnndo had not yet arrived
and that hlH force consisted of only
5,000 men. General Garcia occupied
such a position with 3,000 men as to
prevent the entrance of Pnndo Into
Snntlago.
From all the Information at hand the
authorities at the hour this dispatch is
filed consider thnt Spain's naval power
In the Atlantic has been destroyed and
that Santlngo de Cuba Is now at the
mercy of General Shatter's army and
Admiral Sampson's fleet.
Secretary Alger authorized this state
ment: "In answer to a dispatch sent by Sec
retary Alger to Major General Shatter,
nr'ilng why he had not sent the gov
ernment more dispatches, this cable
gram was received:
"Playa del Este, July 3. Headquar
ters Fifth Army Corps Did not tele
graph ns I wnB too busy looking after
things that had to bo attended to at
once and did not wish to send any news
that was not fully confirmed.
Spanish fleet left the harbor this
morning nnd Is reported as practically
destroyed.
"I demanded the surrender of the city
at 10 n. m. todny. At this hour, 4:20 p.
m., no reply has been received. Perfect
quiet along the line.
"Situation has been precarious on ac
count of difficulties of supplying com
mand with food, nnd tremendous fight
ing cnpabllltles shown by enemy from
his almost impregnable position.
"SHAFTER."
This dispatch was received from Col
onel Allen about 12:30 Sunday morning:
"All the Spnnlsh ships destroyed ex
cept one. They nre close after her.
Spanish ran their ships close to shore,
set them on flre, and then they ex
ploded." In nnswer to a cable sent Colonel Al
len after the receipt of the first report
concerning the destruction of Admiral
Cervera's fleet, this cable was received
by the president at 1 o'clock this morn
ing: "Report of destruction of Admiral
Cervera's fleet confirmed. ALLEN."
A rumor Is In circulation that Admiral
Cervera Is among the dead on the
Spanish fleet. One report says he com
mitted suicide. It may have been,
however, that he remained on his flag
ship and perished when its magazines
exploded.
Washington. D. C July 4. Admiral
Cervera made a last characteristic and
picturesque dash. Early Sunday morn
ing four warships lying In the harbor
made steam and headed for the mouth.
Three were run hard on the beach at
the entrance and were fired by the
crews. The magazines exploding
made total wrecks' of them. The
fourth ship, supposed to be the Vlz
caya, with Cervera aboard, passed the
Merrimac wreck and reached the open
sen. Ships from the blockading squad
ron nt once started In pursuit and
there Is not one chance in a hundred
for her escnpe.
The dispatch containing the forego
ing sensatlonnl Information was re
ceived from Colonel Allen at Playa del
Este early Sunday morning, prior to
the report from Shatter of his demand
for the surrender of the city. Colonel
Allen's dispatch was meager.
"Papa,' said 5-year-old Bobble," how
long will It be till you quit growing?"
"Why, Bobble, I quit growing years
ago," was the reply.
"Well," continued the observing
youngster, "I thought you were getting
mller, as your head's going right up
through your hair."
The great majority of small fresh
seed fruits are laxative.