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.
[Illustration: 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.