The Boys of '98 Part 10

It was 7.35 A. M. when the battle, which began at 5.41, came to a temporary close. The first round was concluded.

There was yet ample time in which to finish the work so well begun, and from the flag-ship _Olympia_ went up the signal:

"Cease firing and follow."

The fleet was headed for the opposite sh.o.r.e, and, once partially beyond range, "mess-gear" was sounded.

The only casualty worthy of mention which had occurred was the death of Chief Engineer Frank B. Randall, of the steamer _McCulloch_, who died from heart disease, probably superinduced by excitement, while the fleet was pa.s.sing Corregidor.

There were handshakings and congratulations on every hand as smoke-begrimed friends, parted during the battle, met again, and loud were the cheers that went up from the various ships in pa.s.sing.

After breakfast had been served and the ships made ready for the second round, or, in other words, at 10.15 in the forenoon, the Spanish flag-ship _Reina Christina_ hauled down her colours, and the admiral's flag was transferred to the _Isla de Cuba_.

At 10.45 a signal was made from the _Olympia_:

"Get under way with men at quarters."

Again the fleet stood in toward Cavite, the _Baltimore_ in the lead, but the latter vessel's course was quickly changed as a strange steamer was observed entering the bay.

Not many moments were spent in reconnoitring; the signal flags soon told that the stranger was flying the English ensign.

Then came the order for the _Baltimore_ to stand in and destroy the enemy's fortifications, and ten minutes later the battle was on once more.

Now the fire was slow and deliberate, the gunners taking careful aim, bent on expending the least amount of ammunition with the greatest possible execution.

The _Baltimore_ suffered most at the beginning of this second round, because all the enemy's fire was concentrated upon her.

Soon after this second half of the engagement had begun a Spanish sh.e.l.l exploded on the _Baltimore's_ deck, wounding five of the crew, and another partially disabled three. It was as if every square yard of surface in that portion of the bay was covered by a missile from the enemy's guns, and yet no further damage to the American fleet was done.

When the _Baltimore_ was within twenty-five hundred-yard range she poured a broadside into the _Reina Christina_ which literally blew that craft into fragments, and the smoke from the guns yet hung like a cloud above the deck when the ill-fated flag-ship sank beneath the waters of the bay.

The _Don Juan de Austria_ was the next of the enemy's fleet to be sunk, and then a like fate overtook the _El Correo_.

The _General Lezo_ was run on sh.o.r.e and abandoned to the flames.

The cruiser _Castilla_ was scuttled by her crew lest the fire which was raging fiercely should explode her magazine.

The _Velasco_ went down before all her men could escape to the boats. The guns of the _Don Antonio de Ulloa_ were fought with most desperate bravery, and even as she sank beneath the surface were the pieces discharged by the brave Spaniards who stood at their posts of duty until death overtook them.

The _Concord_ started after the _Mindanao_ lying close insh.o.r.e, and was soon joined by the _Olympia_, who poured 8-inch sh.e.l.ls into the transport until she was set on fire in a dozen places.

The entire Spanish fleet had been destroyed; not a vessel remained afloat, and Commodore Dewey turned his attention to the Cavite battery.

It was 12.45 P. M. when the magazine in the a.r.s.enal was exploded by a sh.e.l.l from the _Olympia_, or the _Petrel_, it is impossible to say which, and the battle of Manila had been fought and won.

Not until the thirteenth of May was Commodore Dewey's official report received at the Navy Department, and then it was given to the public without loss of time. It is copied below:

"FLAGSHIP OLYMPIA, CAVITE, May 4, 1898.

"The squadron left Mirs Bay on April 27th. Arrived off Bolinao on the morning of April 30th, and finding no vessels there proceeded down the coast and arrived off the entrance to Manila Bay on the same afternoon.

The _Boston_ and _Concord_ were sent to reconnoitre Point Subic.... A thorough search of the port was made by the _Boston_ and the _Concord_, but the Spanish fleet was not found....

"Entered the south channel at 11.30 P. M., steaming in column at eight knots. After half the squadron had pa.s.sed, a battery on the south side of the channel opened fire, none of the shots taking effect. The _Boston_ and _McCulloch_ returned the fire.

"The squadron proceeded across the bay at slow speed, and arrived off Manila at daybreak, and was fired upon at 5.15 A. M. by three batteries at Manila and two near Cavite, and by the Spanish fleet anch.o.r.ed in an approximately east and west line across the mouth of Baker Bay, with their left in shoal water in Canacoa Bay.

"The squadron then proceeded to the attack, the flag-ship _Olympia_, under my personal direction, leading, followed at distance by the _Baltimore_, _Raleigh_, _Petrel_, _Concord_, and _Boston_, in the order named, which formation was maintained throughout the action. The squadron opened fire at 5.41 A. M.

"While advancing to the attack two mines were exploded ahead of the flag-ship, too far to be effective. The squadron maintained a continuous and precise fire at ranges varying from five thousand to two thousand yards, countermarching in a line approximately parallel to that of the Spanish fleet. The enemy's fire was vigorous, but generally ineffective.

[Ill.u.s.tration: U. S. S. CONCORD.]

"Early in the engagement two launches put out toward the _Olympia_, with the apparent intention of using torpedoes. One was sunk and the other disabled by our fire, and beached before an opportunity occurred to fire torpedoes.

"At seven A. M. the Spanish flag-ship, _Reina Christina_, made a desperate attempt to leave the line and come out to engage at short range, but was received with such a volley of fire, the entire battery of the _Olympia_ being concentrated upon her, that she was barely able to return to the shelter of the point. The fires started in her by our sh.e.l.l at this time were not extinguished until she sank.

"The three batteries at Manila had kept up a continuous report from the beginning of the engagement, which fire was not returned by this squadron.

"The first of these batteries was situated on the South Mole head, at the entrance to the Pasig River, the second on the south bastion of the walled city of Manila, and the third at Malate, about one-half mile farther south. At this point I sent a message to the governor-general, in effect that if the batteries did not cease firing the city would be sh.e.l.led. This had the effect of silencing them.

"At 7.35 A. M. I ceased firing and withdrew the squadron for breakfast.

"At 11.16 A. M. returned to the attack. By this time the Spanish flag-ship and almost the entire Spanish fleet were in flames. At 12.30 P. M. the squadron ceased firing, the batteries being silenced, and the ships sunk, burned, and destroyed.

"At 12.40 P. M. the squadron returned and anch.o.r.ed off Manila, the _Petrel_ being left behind to complete the destruction of the smaller gunboats, which were behind the point of Cavite. This duty was performed by Commander E. P. Wood in the most expeditious and complete manner possible.

"The Spanish lost the following vessels:

"Sunk: _Reina Christina_, _Castilla_, _Don Antonio de Ulloa_.

"Burned: _Don Juan de Austria_, _Isla de Luzon_, _Isla de Cuba_, _General Lezo_, _Marques del Duero_, _El Correo_, _Velasco_, and _Isla de Mindanao_, transport.

"Captured: _Rapido_ and _Hercules_, tugs, and several small launches.

"I am unable to obtain complete accounts of the enemy's killed and wounded, but believe their losses to be very heavy.

"The _Reina Christina_ alone had 150 killed, including the captain, and ninety wounded.

"I am happy to report that the damage done to the squadron under my command was inconsiderable. There were none killed, and only seven men in the squadron were slightly wounded.

"Several of the vessels were struck, and two penetrated, but the damage was of the slightest, and the squadron is in as good condition now as before the battle.