Newspaper Page Text
The Abbeville Chronicle.
II.
A Naval Victory
Unparalleled!
Eleven Spanish Warships
Sunk and Hundreds of
the Enemy Killed.
REPORT RECEIVED AT WASHINGTON
After a Long Delay, and Causes
Unbounded Enthusiasm and
Rejoicing Throughout the
Whole Country.
The state and navy departments re
ceived several dispatches Saturday
morning from Hong Kong announcing
the arrival there of Dewey’s dispatch
boat, the McCulloch, and subsequent
ly two reports direct from Commodore
Dewey.
Secretary Long gave the newspaper
men at 10:30 o’clock the following
translation of the first report, written
by Dewey immediately after the great
battle:
Manila, May 1. —The squadron ar
rived at Manila at daybieak this morn
iug. Immediately engaged the enemy
and destroyed the following Spanish
vessels: Reiiia Christina, Castilla,
Ulloa, Isla de Cuba, General Lezo,tlie
Duero, Ccrreo, Velasco, Mindanao,
one transport and the water battery at
Cavite. The squadron is uninjured
and only a few men were slightly
wounded. The only means of tele
graphing is to the American consul at
Hong Kong. I shall communicate
with him.
Signed, Dewey.
The second report from Commodoro
Dewey was given to the public au
hour later. It read as follows:
Cavite, May 4. —I have taken pos
session of naval station at Cavite on
Philippine Islands. I have destroyed
the fortifications at bay entrance, pat
rolling garrison. I control bay and
can.take city at any time. The squad
ron in excellent health and spirits,
Spanish loss not fully known, but
very heavy; 150 killed, including cap
tain of Reina Christina. I am assist
ing in protecting Spanish sick and
wounded. Two bundled and fifty sick
and wounded in hospital within our
lines. Much excitement at Manila.
Will protect foreign residents.
Signed, Dewey.
Other dispatches announced that
Dewey cut the cable himself and that
he was in complete command of the
situation. It was also stated in private
dispatches from Dewey that he was
not in need of anything.
AVa» Joyful Now*.
Notwithstanding the fact that every
body had been in momentary expeota
tion of cable advices from Commodore
Dewev, Washington was thrown into
the wildest excitement by the issue of
extra papers early Saturday morning;
announcing the arrival of McCulloch
at Hong Kong with dispatches for tho
government from Commodore Dewey,
The publication of newspaper dis
patches telling of terrible mortality
among the Spanish and the escape of
the American men and ships from se
rious injury, added to the excitement
and to the intense satisfaction with
which the long expected news was re
ceived.
The first dispatch was the merely
formal report written by Admiral
Dewey the day of the battle. The in
formation it contained of the condi
tion of the squadron and the men
seemed almost too good to he true.
The fact that such a battle could
occur without serious injury to the
ships of our squadron and without
some loss of life had never been enter •
tsined.
At ihe navy department it was con
fidently expected that there would he
forthcoming a list of officers and men
who hod died doing battle for their
count) y, and it seemed almost beyond
belief ihc.t of all the 1,600 meu who
were to a greater or less extent expos
ed to the fire of the enemy’s ships and
powerful shore batteries, not one was
killed, and none were seriously in
jured.
ABBEVILLE. GA., THURSDAY, MAY 12. 1898.
In the general rejoicing of tho offi
cers of the navy over tho safety of their
fellows and of tho families of officers
whose homes are in Washington, the
entire city joined. buttle Ma
In many respects this of
nila will go down in history as perhaps
the most remarkable in the bistory of
the world.
At the embassies and legations Com
modore Dewey’s reports were read
with great interest and served to re
new the high tribute of the foreign
authorities to the gallant American,
According to advices from Madrid
General Weyler may again be put at
the head of the Spanish army in Cuba.
The former captain general of Cuba is
W
\
JH 7 U Pr-'Tp’o
oznebal valeriano weyleb.
(Tlia man of the hour In Spain.)
extremoly popular with the masses in
Spain, as his brutal tactics are in full
accord with their ideas of warfare,
Weyler > B high-handed methods in deal
iug with the Cubans hastened the
present war.
CRISIS IN ITALY.
The Kingdom Is Now Facing Grave In
ternal Troubles.
Advices from Rome state that grave
trouble faces Italy on account of po
Utica! disturbances and the high prices
exacted for breadstuff's throughout the
kingdom. Riots have occurred at
ma)1 y places and a number of rioters
bave b een killed by troops in an nt
tempt to prese rve order,
10 yal decree has been issued pro
claiming martial law in Tuscany, one
0 f the most fertile provinces of the
kingdom.
Sunday was a terrible day at Milan.
^ veritable battle occurred in the Via
Somtraire. Thousands of tiles and
l^vieks from chimneys were hurled
f rom the roo f s upon the troops, who
were compelled to retire. A similar
fight took place in the Via Torino, and
it j s believed that no fewer than 300
people were killed and 1,000 injured.
GOV. BIRD WARNED.
Notified That Spaniards Have l’lottod to
Kill Him.
Governor Budd, of California; has
been warned of what is alleged to bo
a p j 0 t against his life by Spaniards,
'pjjg story of conspiracy "against the
governor’s life came from a Southern
Pacific railroad bralcemau, who over
heard the conspirators,
Tbe brakeman followed the Span
j a j- c ] s to Sail Francisco and the gov
ernor and police were notified of his
suspicions. The governor makes light
of the matter, but his friends are dis
posed to regard it as serious.
HOSPITAL REGULATIONS.
President McKinley Issues an Order In
Regard to This Service.
President McKinley has issued an
order directing that all the hospitals
of the marine hospital service be used
for the reception and treatment of
sailors and soldiers of the navy and
army wherever a necessity therefor ex
ists.
There are about twenty of these lios
pitals in .all and they nre scattered
along the Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific
coasts. At the time of the Maine ex
plosion that at Key West was used for
the reception of the sailors who were
wounded on that ship,
WILL BE AGGRESSIVE.
Officials at Washington Ailvise Knergctic
Policy In Pushing War.
The Washington Post printed the
following in Sudnay’s issue:
“All day yesterday following tho
report from Commodore Dewey, irn
por tant conferences were in progress
a j. (j ie vvliite house, the war and navy
departments. As the result of these
conferences plans have been perfected
for tbe re tention of the Philippines
and j mme di a te invasion of Cuba and
the occupation of Porto Rico,
__
THE TEMERARIO SAILS.
Spanish Torpedo Boat Leaves Buenos and
fioe ® Northward,
A dispatch from Buenos Ayres says:
“The Spanish torpedo gunboat Tern
erario, which has been, it is alleged,
undergoing repairs at Ensenada, on
an estuary of the La Plata, thirty-five
miles from here, and which was said
to be without a crew and disabled,
sailed Friday, probably going north
ward.”
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE OF REC
OMMENDATION.
JOINT RESOLUTION IS PASSED.
A BIU Introduced Increasing Admiralties
To Make Boom For Dewey's
Deserved Promotion.
President McKinley sent the follow
ing message to congress Monday:
To tiie Congress of the United
States:
On the 24th of April I directed the
secretary of the navy to telegraph or
ders to Commodore George Dewey, of
the United States navy, commanding
the Asiatic squadron, then lying in the
port of Hong Kong, to proceed forth
with to the Philippine Islands, there
to commence operations and engage
the assembled Spanish fleet.
Promptly obeying that order, the
United States squadron, consisting of
the flagship Olympia, Baltimore, Ral
eigh, Boston, Concord and Petrel, with
the revenue cutter McCulloch as au
auxiliary dispatch boat, entered the
harbor of Manila at daybreak on the
first of May and immediately engaged
the entire Spanish fleet of eleven ships,
which were under the protection of the
fire of the land forts. After a stubborn
fight, in which the enemy suffered
great loss, these vessels were destroyed
or completely disabled and the water
battery at Cavite silenced.
MAP SHOWING THE SCENE OF COMMODORE DEWEY’S NAVAL OPERATIONS
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Of our brave officers and men not
one was lost and only eight injured,
and those slightly. All of our ships
escaped any serious damage.
By the 4th of May Commodore
Dewey had taken possession of the
naval station at Cavite, destroying the
fortifications there and at the entrance
of the bay and paroling tlieir garri
sons. The waters.of the bay are under
bis complete control. He lias estab
lished hospitals within the Americnn
lines, where two hundred and fifty
of the sick and wounded are assisted
and protected. this
The magnitude of victory can
hardly be measured by the ordinary
standards of naval warfare. Out
weighing any mat rial advantage is
the moral effect of this initial success.
With this unsurpassed achievement,
the great heart of our nation throbs,
not with boasting nor with greed of
conquest, but with great gratitude
that this triumph has come in a just
cause and that by the grace of God an
effective step lias thus been taken
toward the attainment of the wished
for peace. To those whose skill, cour
age and devotion have won the fight,
to the gallant commander and the
brave officers and men who aided him,
our country owes an incalculable
debt.
Feeling as our people feel and speak
ing in their name, I at once sent a
message to Commodore Dewey, thank
ing him and his officers and men for
their splendid achievement and over
whelming victory and informing him
that I had appointed him as acting
rear admiral.
I now recommend that following our
precedents and expressing the fervent
gretitude of every patriotic heart, the
thanks of congress be given Acting
Rear Admiral Dewey, of the United
States navy, for highly distinguished
conduct in conflict with the enemy,
and to the officers and men under his
command for their gallantry in the de
struction of the enemy’s fleet and the
capture of the enemy’s fortifications in
the bay of Manila.
William McKinley.
Executive Mansion, May 9, 1898.
Passes Both Houses.
In both branches of congress a joint
resolution followed the reading of the
message was adopted as follows:
“Joint resolution tendering the
thanks of congress to Commodore
George Dewey, United States navy,
and to the officers and men of the
squadron under his command:
“Resolved, By the senate and house
of representatives of the United States
of America in oongress assembled,
Tlint in pursuance of tha recommenda
tion of the president, made in accord
ance with the prov'sions of section
1508 of the Revised Statutes, the
thanks of congress and of the Ameri
can people are hereby tendered to
Commodore George Dewey, United
States navy, commander-in-chief of
the Asiatio squadron, for highly dis
tinguished conduct in conflict with the
enemy ns displayed by him in the de
struction of the Spanish lleet and bat
teries in the harbor of Manila, Philip
pine Islands, May 1, 1898.
Sec. 2. That the thanks of congress
and of the American people arc hereby
extended through Commodore Dewey
to the officers and men under his com
mand for the gallantry and skill exhib
ited by them on that occasion.
“Sec. 3. Be it further resolved, That
the president of the United States be
requested to cause this resolution to
bo communicated to Commodore
Dewey and through him to the officers
and men under his command.”
The following bill was also passed
raising the number of admirals from
six to seven to provide for Commodore
Dewey’s promotion: of
Section 1. That the number rear
admirals in the United States navy
now allowed by law be, and is hereby
increased from six to seven, and this
act shall be construed and taken as
validating and making in force and ef
fect any promotion to said rank of
rear admiral in the United States navy
made heretofore or hereafter and dur
ing the existing war, and based on the
thanks of congress.
Secretary Alger sent in the draft of
a bill for the protection of harbor de
fenses and fortifications of the coun
try, recommending early action.
The house passed the senate bill
authorizing the army to feed Cubans
and arm people in the island of Cuba.
Senator Lodge presented and the
senate passed a resolution to present
u sword to Dewey and medals to offi
cers and men under him who were in
the buttle at Manila. It appropriates
$10,000 for the purpose.
OPPOSING FLEETS IN ATLANTIC.
Ships of Sampson’s Squadron nml Spain’s
Cape Verde Fleet.
Now that a battle between the North
Atlantic squadron under Sampson and
the Spanish flotilla, known as the Cape
Verde fleet, is looked for, the make-up
of the opposing naval forces is hero
presented: ships—New York,armored
American
cruiser, 22 guns; flagship, Captain E.
F. Chadwick; Iowa, first-class battle
ship, 32 guns; Indiana, first-class bat
tleship, 34 guns; Terror, double tur
reted monitor, 12 guns; Castine, gun
boat, 14 guns; Marblehead, cruiser, 19
guns; Detroit, cruiser, 18 guns; May
flower, torpedo boat destroyer, used as
dispatch boat; and the Montgomery,
cruiser, 18 guns.
Spanish ships—Infanta Maria Teresa,
first-class armored cruiser; Vizcaya,
first-class armored cruiser; Almiranto
Oquendo, first-class armored cruiser;
Cristobal Colon, first-class armored
cruiser; Alfonso XIII, second-class
cruiser; Eeina Mercedes, unarmored
steel cruiser; Ariete, torpedo boat;
Rayo, torpedo boat; Azor, torpedo
boat.
NEWS FROM CHICKAMAUGA.
An Army of C0.000 Mon Will Soon He at
the Park.
It was given out officially Monday
that 40,000 men of the volunteer army
would be mobilized at Chickamauga
park just as soon as they have been
mustered into the government service.
With the regiments of regulars now at
the park filled to war strength, the
army at that point will number 50,000
men.
It was also announced that Major
General Fitzhugh Lee, Major General
Joseph Wheeler and Major General
James H. Wilson would be in com
mand, the purpose being to form the
volunteer men into three army corps.
The first regiments that are raised
in each state will be hurried forward
to Chickamauga Park and will be kept
there a short while, during which
time they will be whipped into shape.
The second divisou of regiments will
go to Washington, while the third is
to remain where they are mustered,
to be held there subject to call for
duty in the Philippines or for general
reserve purposes.
LOCATION OF FLEETS.
Sampson's Ships Hovering In Vicinity
Porto Hico.
The Spanish cruiser Isabella II, an
irou vessel of 1,130 tons displacement
and carrying u crew of about 130 men,
arrived at St. Thomas,West Indies, at
an early hour Monday morning. Her
commander communicated with tho
Spanish oonsul at that port and the
cruiser cleared immediately, destina
tion unknown.
A special to The New York Herald
from Washington says:
Cable udvices received from Rear
Admiral Sampson announce his arrival
off the coast at Hayti with a division
of hiH fleet. IIe will remain at the
point where he is now located until
one of the scouts informs him of tho
appearance of the Spanish mon-of-war
which sailed from St. Vincent over a
week ago.
The naval board has calculated the
Spanish squadron to be at or near
Porto Rico, and it is in the hopo of
bottling up the fleet in the harbor of
San Juan that the men-of-war of the
north Atlantic squadron are hovering
within a short distance of Porto Rico.
SWEPT UNDER ICE.
Party of Klondike™ Lose Tlieir Dives In
Peculiar Manner.
A special to The San Francisco Ex
aminer f om Victoria, B. C., says: On
Monday last the ice covering a stream
in a defile near Crater lake gave way
under a passing throng of Klondikers
and more than a score of meu were
precipitated into the water and carried
to certain death beneath the river’s
frozen coating.
An ice slide over a mountain stream
lias been utilized as a path for sleds by
the fortune seekers. A number of men
were advancing in almost au unbroken
rank, each hauling a heavy laden sled,
when there was a sudden crash. The
ice opened for 30 feet or more, and in
an instant 22 men were whirled down
and under the smooth surface o' the
stream to drown without even the
chance of battling for life. The names
of the victims are not given.
SOUTHERN PROGRESS.
The New Industries Reported in the South
During the Past Week.
Steady industrial progress in nil lines
throughout the south, is typified by
the following new enterprises select
ed from reports during tho first week
in May: Arkansas, a flouring mill;
Texas, an extensive saw mill; Louisi
ana, a $100,000 tobacco factory, a $50,
000 cotton compress, and a planing
mill; Florida, two large cigar factories
and a phosphate company; Georgia,
an iron works and a $100,000 heating
and lighting plant; South Carolina, a
hundlo factory and a furniture factory;
Tennessee, a shuttle block factory,
Kentucky, a coal ruining company, a
lumber company and an ice factory;
West Virginia, a stave and heading
mill and an electric light plant.—
Tradesman (Chattanooga, Tcdu).
GOMEZ IS THANKFUL.
All II© Needs I» More Assistanho to Drive
Spaniard* From Cuba.
A commissioner sent to Gomez’s
camp has returned to New York with
the Cuban leader’s formal official
thanks in behalf of Cuba to the United
States, a letter to President McKinley
and one each to General Miles and Ad
miral Sampson; also thanks to the
American people, says a dispatch to
The World from Key West.
Gomez wants rifles, food, clothing
and United States troops in the order
named. Armed and supplied he pi onl
ines to drive blockaded Spaniards out
in six months.
Gomez formally declares his readi
ness to co-operate with Miles and
Sampson, and now the United States
have available the principal land forces
necessary to take Havana without risk
ing many of our soldiers.
DEWEY MAKES PROPOSALS.
He Recommend# Surrender of Manila
Be Demanded.
A dispatch to The New York World
from Hong Kong says that dispatches
signed by Commodore Dewey have
been sent to Washington recommend
ing that the surrender of Manila be
demanded and that a provisional gov
ernment for the Philippines be estab
lished pending tbe settlement of the
war with Spain.
His proposal is for a commission to
take charge of the government. He
asks that sufficient troops be sent him
in the event that his plan is adopted to
maintain order.
AN INTERESTING QUESTION.
Holding of Roth Civil and Military Po
Kltlons Prohibited.
An interesting question has arisen
at tho war department in connection
with tho appointments to military
places in tho volunteer army of per
sons who now occupy federal positions.
It comes up particularly with reference
to Assistant Secretary Roosevelt, Con
sul General Lee and Representative
Wheeler, of Alabama.
The judicial authorities of the war
department say that when a person
holding civil office returns to the du
ties thereof after having been sworn
into the military service he ceases to
be an officer of the army.
NO. 17.
SIXTEEN PRISONERS RECEIVED AT
FORT M’l’HERSON.
TRANSFERRED FROM KEY WEST.
Arrival Witnessed By a Great Throng
of Patriotic Americans—Dons
Objected to Search.
Sixlcen Spanish officers and privates,
captured by the navy of the United
States, arrived in Atlanta, Ga., Sun
day night, accompanied by a guard of
twenty-live men, and were at once
placed under lock aud key at FortMo
Pherson barracks.
The men were the first captives
taken by Captain Sampson’s blockad
ing fleet off the coast of Cuba. There
are sixteen of them in all. Seven offi
cers of General Blanco’s army, one
naval officer from the Spanish cruiser
Alfonso XIII and eight non-commis
sioned officers and privates. The offi
cers are: Colonel Vincente de Cortejo,
Third cavalry, Principe; Lieutenant
Emilio Mato Oabeyn, Third cavalry,
Principe; Lieutenant Buldomero Zam
brano, Fifth battalion; Lieutenant
Juan Giminez Ramos, Ninth battalion,
Soria; Lieutenant Cleto Milla Castro,
Alphonso XIII, Lieutenant Pedro La
pido Alvosly, Third battalion; Lieu
tenant Juan Gonvalez Vorgu, Twenty
recond battalion.
The non-commissioned officers and
privates are: Sergeant Enrique Al
mos Olie, Third cavalry, Principe;
Juan Cabnllero,Twenty-second cavalry,
Cadiz; Jose Nunez, Ignacio Sova, Val
entine Martiner, Andreas Gomez,
GaiiBtino Albest and Carlos Olivar.
The Spanish prisoners were taken
by the cruiser Nashville from the Span
ish schooners Barco and Mar a few
leagues out of the harbor of Cienfne
gos in the province of Santa Clara
some two weeks ago.
As the Spaniards alighted from tho
special car in which they came, in the
very teeth of 1,000 overjoyed Ameri
/
fl
V
w,
o
0ATTAIN T. E. CHADWICK. , .H.
(In command ot Bear Admiral Sampson's
flagship, the New York.)]
cans there to give them a proper re
ception, they presented a cowed and
downcast appearance and evidently
looked for rough treatment at the
hands of tho crowd.
Accompanying the prisoners was a de
tacliment of ton stalwart men from the
Twenty-fifth infantry under the com
mand of Lieutenant Moss.
Colonel Henry Cook, who has been
ordered to return, with the headquart
ers of the Fifth regiment, to Fort Mc
Pherson, will he in command of the
post as soon as he arrives. He will as
sume charge of the post and the men
stationed there will have supervision
of the prisoners of war.
Upon arriviug at the prison it was
decided that the officers and men
should ho searched before going to
their cells.
Colonel Vincente De Cortejo, rank
ing officer among the Spaniards, imme
diately stepped forward and in perfect
French denounced the idea of search
ing an officer of Spain.
“Wf are men," ho exclaimed. “In
our country thieves and cut-throats
are searched, but honest men, never.”
In equally good French Lieutenant
Moss replied that his orders were to
see that every prisoner was searched
and that he could not go behind the
commands of his superiors.
This practically ended the commu
nication between the two and one by
one the Spaniunls were carried out
and subjected to the galling process.
SCHLEY IS READY.
Flying Squadron at Hamrton ltoads Com
plnle and In Fighting Condition.
Friday’s developments in the flying
squad-on at Hampton Roads would
seem to indicate that Commodore
Schley will bo given a cbance for
action within a few days.
The cruiser Minneapolis and the
New Orleans are now with the fleet.
These additions make a squadron of
fighting ability. The New Orleans as
a fighting ship is superior to the Co
lumbia, which was detached, and the
Scorpion, with her splendid armament, give
helps fill out a squadron that will
a good account of itself.