destroy them. The _Brooklyn_,
further away from shore, changed her course so as to follow a parallel
direction, and, as soon as she attained a fair range, opened a
tremendous and well directed fire. The _Texas_, whose course was
somewhat diagonal, singled out the _Vizcaya_, and, unable to outspeed
her, pounded her savagely with her shells.

[Illustration: CAPTAIN JOHN PHILIP, OF THE "TEXAS."]

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.