Now the fleet was nearing the enemy. On the Olympia's bridge stood Commodore Dewey, with Captain Gridley and Flag-captain Lamberton at his side. The Spanish ships now joined the forts in pouring their fire on the advancing foe, but still there was no response. Presently the sun rose red and glaring with midsummer heat, and at that the commodore, turning to the officer at his side, said quietly, "You may fire now, Gridley, when ready."
Gridley was ready, and the next instant an eight-inch shell was on its way toward the enemy, who was only about 4500 yards distant. Presently a signal from the flagship gave the same permission to the other vessels, and the whole fleet was engaged.
Shortly before that, Dewey had assembled the men of the Olympia and given them this final direction for their conduct during the fight: "Keep perfectly cool, and pay attention to nothing but orders." Such was the watchword through his whole fleet that morning, and the result was a deliberate and deadly fire. The ships steamed along in regular order—the Olympia, the Baltimore, the Raleigh, Petrel, Concord, and Boston—parallel to the Spanish ships, working every gun that could be brought to bear, and receiving the fire of ships and forts in return. The fire of the Spanish guns was a succession of brilliant misses—shots that came very near hitting, but did not quite do so. It was, as Dewey put it in his report, "vigorous, but generally ineffective."
But the aim was not always bad. One shell struck the gratings of the bridge of the Olympia; one narrowly missed the commodore himself, and so hot did the fire become that he bade Captain Gridley go into the conning tower lest both of them might be killed or disabled at once. On the Boston a six-inch gun was disabled, and a box of ammunition exploded. Also a shell burst in a stateroom, and set it on fire. Our six vessels steamed along down past the Spanish line, the port side of every ship a mass of flame and smoke, then circling around in a grand sweep—that made the Spaniards think for a moment they were pulling out of action—the column returned again on its course, and the men of the starboard batteries had a chance to try their skill while their fellows rested. They had made this circuit but three times when three of the Spanish ships were on fire. Looking through glasses the shots could be seen striking the Spanish hulls, which were thinly plated.
Admiral Montojo, stung into fury by his losses, slipped the cables of his flagship, just as the Americans were beginning their third round, and under full steam darted out as if intending to attack the Olympia. But as his vessel—the Reina Christina—swung away from her fellows the fire of the whole American fleet was concentrated upon her. The storm of shot and shell came pouring down upon her, pierced her hull like paper, swept her decks and spread death and destruction on every side. Her engines were pierced, her bridge shot away. She could hardly be controlled by her helm, and as she turned her stern to the American fire an eight-inch gun on the Olympia sent a projectile that struck her there, tore its way forward, exploding ammunition, shattering guns, killing men, piercing partitions, tearing up decks, and finally exploding in her after-boiler.
Agonized screams of wounded men were heard rising above the thunder of the battle, and the Reina Christina staggered back with flames leaping from her hatches.
While this was going on the two Spanish torpedo boats slipped out and ran for the American fleet. One hastened toward the supply ships, but was caught by the Petrel, driven ashore, and fired upon until she blew up. The other, running for the Olympia, was struck by a shell, broke in two, and sank out of sight.
Five times the circuit was made by the American ships; then a signal fluttered from the yard of the Olympia, and the fleet turned away to the other side of the harbor, where the McCulloch and the colliers had been lying.
At that the Spaniards, supposing the Americans were retreating, raised a resounding cheer. The men on the American ships were not so well pleased. They were asking what this move was for, and when told that it was in order to give them their breakfast, there was much grumbling.
"Breakfast!" exclaimed one of the gunners, "who wants any breakfast? Why can't we finish off the Dons, now we've got them going?"