VIII.—The Destruction of Cervera's Fleet.
On Sunday morning, July 3d, the American ships were lying quietly outside the harbor of Santiago. They were stretched in a line from Commodore Schley's flagship, the Brooklyn, seven miles eastward, where Admiral Sampson had gone with his flagship New York, in order to confer with General Shafter.
ADMIRAL CERVERA.
From the forts on the shore, the great ships looked like mere specks upon the horizon; and it was hard to realize that they were grim sentinels watching every movement of the Spaniards.
The "bright work" had all been cleaned and the men were at Sunday services, when suddenly a thin film of smoke was observed to rise behind the hills. The scene on the battleships was changed at once into one of greatest activity.
"The enemy is coming out!" was signaled in red, white, and blue from vessel to vessel, and on each deck rang out the command, "All hands clear ship for action!"
There was no confusion or noise, and every man was at his post. Powder magazines were opened, and shot and shell were being hoisted to the decks. The engineers stood waiting for the first command with every rod and wheel of the great machinery ready to move.
Meanwhile the film of smoke had become a thick cloud, and the Americans knew that soon the Spanish vessels would appear. Suddenly the flagship of the Spanish admiral was seen speeding out of the narrow channel. She passed the wreck of the Merrimac, and with the spray dashing high over her bows, started westward along the coast.
Close behind her came another vessel, and then another, until the six Spanish ships were all rushing wildly for the open sea. At full speed, the Brooklyn, Texas, Iowa, and Oregon bore down upon the Spanish ships. The Oregon gained headway so rapidly that she passed the Texas and the Iowa, and came in behind the Brooklyn.
Away to the right between the battleships and the shore, sped the little yacht Gloucester. Her captain, Lieutenant Richard Wainwright, had been an officer on the Maine when that vessel was blown up in Havana harbor, and so was, perhaps, most anxious of all for a chance at the Spanish.
He sent the Gloucester straight towards the Spanish torpedo boats, Pluton and Furor. He did not seem to mind the fact that his little yacht was no match for them, and that his decks were covered with Spanish shell. Although aided to some extent by the large vessels, the destruction of the two torpedo boats was due to Lieutenant Wainwright. He never paused in his deadly fire until both of them had surrendered. It was not long, however, until the Spanish shots began to fall about the other American ships, throwing up great columns of water.
The Brooklyn was the first to reach the Spanish ships and open fire. The Oregon hastened to assist Commodore Schley. When the Americans saw that not only the Oregon, but the Texas and Iowa were gaining on the Spanish, they were wild with excitement. The stokers in the engine rooms poured in the coal, and the steam rose higher and higher.
At half-past ten the battle was at its height. Great clouds of smoke settled over the water, and the roar of the guns echoed back from the Santiago hills. Now and then anxious inquiry passed from one American crew to another; but the answer, "All right!" always came back through the din of battle.
One by one the Spanish guns became silent, and by eleven o'clock all save one of the enemy's ships had been driven ashore, and destroyed. The Cristobal Colon made a desperate dash for freedom, and was not overtaken until she had gone fifty miles west of Santiago. Then she surrendered, having been forced ashore.
After the battle was over the Americans bravely went to the rescue of the Spanish sailors. They climbed the ladders and went into the burning ships, where magazines were likely to explode at any moment. They lifted the wounded men from the hot decks and took them out of the stifling smoke to their own vessels. Their boats picked up the Spaniards who were struggling in the water or trying to climb up on the shore.
The Spanish loss on that Sunday was about three hundred killed and one hundred and fifty wounded, while nearly a thousand men were taken prisoners by the Americans. The Spanish vessels were all complete wrecks. There was but one American killed and one wounded.
Admiral Cervera was a brave man. He took his fleet out of the Santiago harbor against his own judgment, because he had been ordered to do so by the Spanish government at Madrid.
Everything was against him. Many of his officers had been given their commissions because their families were rich and powerful in Spain. The sailors had not entered the navy from choice, but had been forced to do so by the government. Many of them had been kidnapped from their homes, or from the wharves of seaport towns, and forced on board. They were ill treated and poorly paid. On the morning of the battle at Santiago they were threatened with pistols before they would go out to meet the Americans.
On the other hand, every man in the American fleet had been thoroughly trained for the work that he had to do, and was fighting for a country which he loved better than life itself. He felt that it was an honor to serve in the navy, and knew that many of his countrymen would be glad to be in his place.
Now let us see what has become of Lieutenant Hobson and his men. During all this time they had been held as prisoners in Santiago. Three days after the destruction of the Spanish fleet, arrangements were made to exchange them for some Spanish prisoners. This exchange was made between the Spanish and American lines near Santiago.
When the formalities were over and Hobson and his men approached the first American line, all the men cheered wildly and crowded one upon another for a chance to shake hands with the heroes. Lieutenant Hobson was the hero of the hour. He alone was calm, and he modestly said that any other man would have done the same thing in his place.