the destroyers, thought at the moment to be attempting to escape from the
_Gloucester_.

"6. The Spanish vessels, upon clearing the harbour, turned to the westward
in column, increasing their speed to the full power of their engines. The
heavy blockading vessels, which had closed in toward the Morro, at the
instant of the enemy's appearance, and at their best speed, delivered a
rapid fire, well sustained and destructive, which speedily overwhelmed and
silenced the Spanish fire.

"The initial speed of the Spaniards carried them rapidly past the
blockading vessels, and the battle developed into a chase in which the
_Brooklyn_ and _Texas_ had at the start the advantage of position. The
_Brooklyn_ maintained this lead.

"The _Oregon_, steaming with amazing speed from the commencement of the
action, took first place. The _Iowa_ and the _Indiana_ having done good
work, and not having the speed of the other ships, were directed by me, in
succession, at about the time the _Vizcaya_ was beached, to drop out of
the chase and resume blockading stations. These vessels rescued many
prisoners. The _Vixen_, finding that the rush of the Spanish ships would
put her between two fires, ran outside of our own column and remained
there during the battle and chase.

"7. The skilful handling and gallant firing of the _Gloucester_ excited
the admiration of every one who witnessed it, and merits the commendation
of the Navy Department. She is a fast and entirely unprotected auxiliary
vessel,--the yacht _Corsair_,--and has a good battery of light rapid-fire
guns.

"She was lying about two miles from the harbour entrance to the southward
and eastward, and immediately steamed in, opening fire upon the large
ships.

"Anticipating the appearance of the _Pluton_ and _Furor_, the _Gloucester_
was slowed, thereby gaining more rapidly a high pressure of steam, and
when the destroyers came out she steamed for them at full speed and was
able to close at short range, where her fire was accurate, deadly, and of
great volume.

"During this fight the _Gloucester_ was under the fire of the Socapa
battery. Within twenty minutes from the time they emerged from Santiago
Harbour the careers of the _Furor_ and the _Pluton_ were ended, and
two-thirds of their people killed. The _Furor_ was beached and sunk in the
surf; the _Pluton_ sank in deep water a few minutes later. The destroyer
probably suffered much injury from the fire of the secondary batteries of