At 9.35 A.M., while most of the men were at Sunday inspection, the enemy’s ships were discovered slowly steaming down the narrow channel of the harbor. In the lead was the _Maria Teresa_, followed by the _Vizcaya_, the _Colon_, the _Oquendo_, and the two torpedo-boat destroyers. The _Iowa_ was the first to signal that the enemy were escaping, though the fact was noted on several ships at almost the same moment, and no orders were necessary. The American ships at once closed in and directed their fire against the _Teresa_. For a moment there was doubt as to whether the Spanish ships would separate and try to scatter the fire of our fleet or whether they would stick together. This was quickly settled when Cervera turned west, followed by the remainder of his command. At this point Commodore Schley’s flag-ship, the _Brooklyn_, which was farthest west, turned to the eastward, away from the hostile fleet, making a loop, at the end of which she again steamed westward farther out to sea but still ahead of any of the American vessels. The sudden and unexpected turn of the _Brooklyn_ caused the _Texas_, which was behind her, to reverse her engines in order to avoid a collision and to come to a standstill, thus losing position, the _Oregon_ and the _Iowa_ both passing her. The two destroyers, which came out last, were attacked by the _Indiana_ and the _Gloucester_, the commander of the latter, Wainwright, dashing toward them in utter disregard of the fragile character of his vessel. The _Furor_ was sunk and the _Pluton_ was run ashore. The _Teresa_, struck by several shells which exploded and set her on fire, turned to the shore at 10.15 and was beached about six miles west of the Morro. The _Oquendo_ was riddled by shell and likewise soon on fire. She was beached about half a mile west of the _Teresa_ at 10.20. The _Vizcaya_ and _Colon_ were now left to bear the fire of the pursuing American ships, which were practically uninjured. In this running fight the _Indiana_ dropped behind, owing to the defective condition of her machinery, but kept up her fire. At 11.05 the _Vizcaya_ turned to run ashore about fifteen miles west of the Morro. The _Brooklyn_ and the _Oregon_, followed at some distance by the _Texas_, continued the chase of the _Colon_. The _Indiana_ and the _Iowa_, at the order of Sampson, who had come up, went back to guard the transports. At 1.15 P.M. the _Colon_ turned to shore thirty miles west of the _Vizcaya_ and surrendered.[287] [Illustration: THE RELATIVE POSITIONS OF THE SHIPS IN THE BATTLE OF JULY 3, 1898, OFF SANTIAGO ABBREVIATIONS:--N. Y., _New York_; B., _Brooklyn_; Tx., _Texas_; A., _Iowa_; I., _Indiana_; O., _Oregon_; G., _Gloucester_; Vx., _Vixen_; H., _Hist._; E., _Ericsson_; T., _Teresa_; V., _Vizcaya_; C., _Colon_; Oq., _Oquendo_; P., _Pluton_; F., _Furor_.]