Young Peoples' History of the War with Spain

y had been keeping up its blockade of the harbor. Perhaps I should explain to you that the Merrimac, sunk by Lieutenant Hobson, did not really close the

d the word passed round that fifty thousand American soldiers were on the hills. Food was scarce in Santiago; there would soon be danger of starvation. In this state

ine show under the blue sky. The red and yellow flag of Spain floated, as usual, on top of Morro Castle

for coal; the flagship New York had gone eastward to a place where Admiral Sampson could go ashore, for he wished to arrange plans with General Sha

t the Spaniards were only fixing their fires. The smoke seemed to him no thicker than it had often been before. The men on the deck could not help thinking about the smoke, and tried to ease their minds by making ready the signal, so that it could be run up instantly

heir white clothes, ready for the Sunday morning "inspection." Some of the officers were gl

ent before, are now full of life. Every man shouts to his neighbor, "They're coming out! they're coming out!" Men run in all directions to get to their posts; officers buckle on their swords; orders are quickly given. "Sound the general al

umble down the ladders, and throw themselves through the hatchways in their haste to obey orders.

ming out of the channel and turning westward, firing fiercely on the Brooklyn, the nearest of our ships, while the forts on the cliffs fire on the rest of

he roar of our guns is heard, and the air is so fille

ne another. And how can they help injuring one another with their guns? Ah, there is good manage

er Spanish ship is on fire from our guns, and runs ashore, hauling down her flag. She is as helpless as the Teresa. Not half an hour has passed since those two ships came out of the harbor, yet now, after runn

tle help from some of our battleships, soon puts an end to the two little Spanish boats. One of them sinks, the other

the shore, flames shooting from her decks. As she touches the beach, two loud explosions shake her from

ollow the Brooklyn, and the New York is only a short distance behind. For, of course, the New York, though several miles away when the race began, he

Brooklyn farther out to sea, to head off the Colón, when she turns her course; but our othe

f Admiral Cer

, again and again. The helpless Colón hauls down her flag, and turns toward the shore. The last Spa

upon the decks and turrets to cheer each other and shout for joy. Some of the men of the Oregon rush at once for their drums and bugles, and the

k to hear their captain's message. The captain, in a few simple words, spoke to the men of his faith in the Father Almighty, and then said: "I want all of you, officers and crew, t

Guns on th

, and saved the men who had jumped into the sea and were trying to swim ashore. The work of rescue lasted till eight o'clock that night. A thousand Spaniards, among them Admiral Cervera and his son, were brought to our ships, and were well tended. Most of the Spaniards needed clothes, having thrown aside their garments when jumping into the sea; all needed food; a

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officers saluted him as Admiral, the crew cheered him to show their admiration for his courage. The Admiral's kindness to Lieutenant Hobson was remembered by our men, and they showed that th

d, six hundred Spaniards had lost their lives, many were wounded, a thousand were in the hands of the Ame

destroyers" has been graphically told by one w

in the right place would sink us. There was a line of splashes in the water, like that made by j

ink us; we refused to go down. Suddenly the pin of number four gun dropped out and it was necessary to remove the breach block and find the pin. It was all done quietly, quickly, but the nervous strain was awful. We were now within five hundred yards of

a shot had passed clear through her boilers. A great cheer went up from the Gloucester's crew. But what was the Furor doing? Coming toward us? It was th

our heart-breaking fire. Like a stag, the boat turned again and made for her companion, which was now lying on her side amid the breakers, endeavoring, to escape us, but in vain; and

n slaughtering our friends who had crossed the sea to meet u

mmander W

was blown up in Havana harbor shortly before the war began. His fight with the "destroyers" was one of the bravest deeds ever recorded in naval history. After res

o, who managed to get ashore after h

r the action began, a heavy projectile crashed through the upper deck and destroyed the shield near which I was standing. I was knocked down by the force of the explosion, receiving a slight leg wound from a fragment of the shell, while a splinter of the starboard gangway was driven into my chest near the heart. On recovering my feet, I found that the starboard torped

small particles lodging in my neck. This shell killed Don Victor Sola, whom I saw fall on his face without uttering a word. Right across his body fell that of the first gunner. When Captain Lazaga heard that the forward magazines were ablaze he followe

tting that the man who "bottled-up" Cervera's fleet should be the one to destroy it. After peace was declared, he was promoted to be a rear-admiral, and the people of the United Sta

red and the Spanish were crushed. The American gunnery was effective at close range and long; the Spanish gunnery was not good at any range. The American shells told wherever they stru

. One of them said: "You ought to be proud of your country, because you have such good people." Another remarked

idst of solemn and terrible events some amusing things happen, even though they may not seem funny at th

s sent a shell against the Maria Teresa. "I guess they won't have any doubt about our being in battle," said Captain Philip. But the lieutenant thought that a battle was nothing without battle-flags, and sent a messenger after them. But the

he Texas was heard to say: "Fourth of July ce

bread and butter." The men satisfied themselves with a few bites, and then hurried back to the deck to watch the exciting race. The Oregon and the Brooklyn were gaining steadily on the

panish battleship was coming from the eastward. Captain Taylor at once made ready for another fight, and sent his men to their guns. The officers on the bridge looked through their field-glasses at the strange ship, three miles away. "Yes, it is a Spani

tily thrown aside. As the ship sped along, some of her men saw a Spanish sailor struggling in the water. One of the men quickly picked up the pulpit-a clumsy, awkward affair, with a gilt cross on the side of it-and heaved it

as an old fellow whose name has been on the navy list

ng the sleek coat of one of the big thirteen-inch guns. When the cry went up that the enemy was escaping, he gave a finishing touch to the muzzle and quickly took his station i

as the pro

om the officer in charge of the division, then gave the firing lanyard a quick jerk. When the smoke lifted, the eager watchers saw a great yawning h

oted Colón. The rapid-fire batteries of both American ships rattled and shrieked after the fugitive. The eight-inch guns of the Brooklyn rumbled an unceasing

oung gunner, had just dropped the firing lanyard from his hand and it was seen the Colón's conning tower was hit. 'He t

ne of the battleships during the d

Indiana. The officer in question is well known throughout the navy for his fastidiousness regarding apparel, and even on

xcept his trousers. The heat was, of course, intense and the main cause of the boy's throwing off all unnecessary garments. It has been his duty to carry messages several times from the commanding officer on the bridge to the rear of the vessel, where our dandy officer was stationed,

ed to locate the lieutenant. He looked in vain, however, and finally stepped up to a man who at first appeared to be clothed in pajamas, and my son was just going to inquire for the first

es could be told in connect