American Boy's Life of Theodore RooseveltStratemeyer, Edward
History
American Boy's Life of Theodore Roosevelt
Stratemeyer, Edward
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919 -- Juvenile literature
When it was reported to him that the Americans had taken the heights of
El Caney and San Juan and were strongly intrenched in their positions,
Admiral Cervera concluded that Santiago Bay might soon become too hot to
hold him. The capture of the city would be followed by the taking of the
forts at the harbor entrance, and then there would be nothing left for
him to do but to surrender.
San Juan and El Caney had been taken on Friday, and all day Saturday
occurred the shooting at long range, as already described. In the
meantime the war-ships outside of the harbor kept up a close watch on
the harbor entrance, lying well out during the day, but coming in closer
at night, and using their powerful search-lights from sundown to
sunrise.
Sunday dawned bright and clear, and for the time being all was quiet
both ashore and afloat. In the trenches the Rough Riders and other
soldiers were still on guard, doing what they could for their wounded,
and trying to get the rations which were still delayed.
Presently, those on board of the American fleet noticed a thick cloud of
smoke hanging over the harbor, coming from the funnels of the Spanish
war-ships. Then one of the enemy's vessels showed itself, quickly
followed by the others, and all turned westward, to escape up the coast.
"The enemy is escaping!" was the signal hoisted. And then one cannon
after another boomed out, giving the signal to all our ships in that
vicinity. The booming of the cannon was heard away eastward at Siboney,
whither Admiral Sampson had gone with his ship to confer with General
Shafter, and without delay the _New York_ raced madly back to get into
the fight that followed.
"Remember the _Maine!_" was the cry. "Down with the Spanish ships! Give
'em what Dewey did!" And this cry, "Give 'em what Dewey did!" was heard
on every hand.
The first vessel to go down was a torpedo-boat, sunk by the
_Gloucester_, and this was quickly followed by the sinking of the second
torpedo-boat. In the meantime the larger vessels were pouring in their
rain of steel upon the Spanish cruisers with deadly effect, knocking
great holes into the ships and killing scores of those on board.
The Spanish cruiser _Teresa_ was the first to succumb to the heavy
attack, and soon she turned in to shore to save her crew from drowning.
Then the _Oquendo_ caught fire in several places, and burning fiercely
from stem to stern, she, too, turned in.
But two ships were now left to Admiral Cervera, the _Vizcaya_ and the
_Colon_, and each had suffered much. Both were doing their best to get
out of reach of our guns and the marvellous accuracy of our gunners.
"Don't let 'em get away!" was the cry. "Give 'em what Dewey did!"
Forward went the war-ships of Uncle Sam, the powerful _Oregon_ leading,
with the _Brooklyn_ and _Texas_ not far behind. The rain of steel
continued, and at last, burning like her sister ships, the _Vizcaya_
turned shoreward, and many of her crew leaped overboard to save their
lives.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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