Every movement of the splendid battleship was directed by her Captain, John W. Philip. The _Texas_ was struck several times, but did not receive any material damage, while she wrought frightful havoc on the _Vizcaya_. The _Oregon_, the finest ship in our navy, which had come more than 14,000 miles from the Pacific coast, was ploughing forward under forced draught, and, with a tremendous burst of speed, shot past the _Texas_ and drew up on the _Brooklyn_ in the effort to head off the leading fugitive, while the _Iowa_ was doing her utmost to maintain her killing pace and was firing her great guns with splendid precision. Suddenly the _Vizcaya_ broke into flames and headed for shore. Knowing that she was doomed, the _Brooklyn_ and _Oregon_ gave her a few parting shots and kept up their furious pursuit of the _Almirante Oquendo_ and the _Cristobal Colon_. Just then the torpedo boat destroyers _Pluton_ and _Furor_ were discovered speeding also to the westward. Lieutenant Commander Richard Wainwright, who was an officer on the _Maine_ when she was destroyed, was now in command of the auxiliary cruiser _Gloucester_, and, without hesitation, he dashed after the destroyers, though for a part of the time he received the fire of Morro Castle, the _Vizcaya_ and both of the dangerous craft he was chasing. But the _Gloucester_ seemed to bear a charmed life, or, more truthfully speaking, the Spanish gunners didn't know how to shoot. Unfortunately for Admiral Sampson, he had gone some miles away to hold a conference with General Shafter when the Spanish fleet made its attempt to escape, but he now came up with the _New York_, eagerly rushing forward to bear a hand in the fight. The _Pluton_ and _Furor_ fled before her, while the _Indiana_ shelled the first destroyer so mercilessly that she turned and headed for the mouth of the harbor, several miles distant. The vigilant _Gloucester_ joined the _Indiana_ and one of the destroyers displayed a flag of truce. She was ablaze from bow to stern and her crew ran her ashore, where she blew up. The second was also beached and deserted by her crew. Meanwhile the _Vizcaya_ ran up the white flag and the _Texas_ stopped firing. She, like the _Infanta Maria Teresa_, was on fire and her crews could do nothing but take to the shore in the desperate effort to save themselves. The _Almirante Oquendo_ and the _Colon_ were still fleeing for life, with the _Iowa, Oregon, Brooklyn_ and _Texas_ hard after them. Suddenly the _Almirante Oquendo_ turned toward shore. The _Brooklyn_ and _Oregon_ kept after the _Cristobal Colon_, leaving the _Texas_ to dispose of the _Almirante Oquendo_. But the latter was in flames and the flag at her stern was pulled down. The _Texas_ was approaching when the Spanish ship was torn by a tremendous explosion. The Americans broke into cheers. Captain Philip threw up his hand and called: "Don't cheer, boys; the poor fellows are dying!"