The scene at this time was terrific beyond description. The enemy's fleet were in the wildest confusion. Their vessels were burning, their massive sides were splintered by the tons of bursting explosives driven with merciless might, and the shrieking crews were torn to fragments. Let me quote the words of an eyewitness of the scene: "The Americans now pressed their advantage, and poured a heavy fire into the sinking ships. At this juncture the Don Juan de Austria became the center of interest. She had been in the very front of the battle, and had received perhaps more of the American shots than any other. Admiral Montojo, on the burning Cuba, threw up his arms with a gesture of despair as a heavy roar came from the Austria, and part of her deck flew up in the air, taking with it scores of dead and dying and mangled. A shot had set off one of her magazines. She was ruined and sinking. Her crew refused to leave her. Weeping, cursing, praying, firing madly and blindly, they went down with her. As the Don Juan went down the Castilla burst into flames. The remainder of the Spanish fleet now turned and fled down the long narrow aisle behind Cavité. Several of the gunboats were run ashore, while others fled up a small creek and were grounded there." Not only was the Spanish fleet overwhelmed and wiped out, but the batteries of Cavité were silenced. The American victory was overwhelming, complete, and decisive to the last degree; but the fact beyond understanding is how this was secured with a loss of a thousand slain and wounded to the Spaniards, while on our side not a man was killed! I repeat that no one will ever be able to understand this amazing fact. It has been said that if in firing the Spanish gunners had closed their eyes and taken no aim at all, it would seem that blind chance must have sent some of their missiles into our ships and killed many of our men, who took only the usual means of sheltering themselves as did the Spaniards. Never was there such an impressive illustration of the difference between the "men behind the guns." CHAPTER III. FIRST ADMINISTRATION OF MCKINLEY, 1897-1901 (CONTINUED)—OUR WAR WITH SPAIN (CONCLUDED). Now OW, you mustn't forget the order of events, for, as I told you, I have not followed them in giving my account of the war with Spain. For the sake of clearness, let us recall the leading incidents of the war in the order in which they occurred: April 21, the war began. April 22, the President issued a call for 125,000 volunteers. April 27, the batteries at Matanzas were bombarded. May 1, Commodore Dewey destroyed the Spanish fleet at Manila. May 25, the President issued a second call for volunteers, the number being 75,000. June 3, Lieutenant Hobson sank the Merrimac in the channel of Santiago harbor. June 20-22, General Shafter's army landed at Daiquiri. July 1-2, the Spanish earthworks at El Caney and San Juan, Santiago, were carried by assault with heavy loss. July 3, Admiral Cervera's fleet, in attempting to escape from Santiago, was destroyed by the American fleet. July 10, the bombardment of Santiago was resumed by General Shafter. July 25, the United States army, under General Miles, landed in Porto Rico and the towns surrendered in rapid succession, Ponce submitting on the 28th. The great victory of Com nodore Dewey received the praise it deserved, not only in his own country, but throughout the civilized world. Experts pronounced it without a parallel, and the Americans were proud beyond expression over the exploit of the modest hero. President McKinley, in an eloquent message to Congress summarizing the services of the Commodore, closed with these words: "I now recommend that, following our national precedents, and expressing the fervent gratitude of every patriotic heart, the thanks of Congress be given Acting Rear Admiral George Dewey (which promotion had been made by the President immediately upon receiving news of the victory) 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 destruction of the enemy's fortifications in the Bay of Manila." Congress acted at once upon the recommendation. The President's promotion of Commodore Dewey to the rank of rear admiral was validated without a vote in opposition. On February 13, 1899, Mr. Hale, chairman of the Naval Affairs Committee, reported a bill creating an Admiral of the Navy, and the measure was unani 1 mously passed, the honor of course going to Dewey. It may be interesting to know that this grade was created by Act of Congress July 25, 1866, in order to reward that grand old hero David G. Farragut. He died in 1870, and the rank passed to ViceAdmiral David D. Porter, who died in 1891, when the grade was allowed to lapse, to be revived as just told and conferred upon Dewey. An unexpected incident of the war occurred on July 4, 1898, when the United States steamer Charleston, on her way to the Philippines, stopped at the Ladrone Islands, which belonged to Spain, and whose inhabitants had not the remotest idea of a war between their country and our own. Arriving at the island of Guam, the Charleston sent a broadside at the forts which guarded the city of Agana, and they made no reply. Soon after a body of American troops were landed and took possession of the place. The most astonished man in the world was the governor, who thought the guns of the Charleston were intended as a salute, and he had no suspicion that they meant "business." There was no choice left to him but to surrender, and he did so with the best grace possible. He and his soldiers were taken as prisoners to Manila, while a handful of men were left to take care of Guam. The Ladrone Islands lie in a direct line across the Pacific, giving us Hawaii, Guam, and the Philippines as practically keys to the entire commerce of the ocean. Guam itself is so small that its chief value is as a coaling station for the United States navy. Returning to Admiral Dewey, you must note that although he had won one of the greatest victories in all history, the force under his command was too slight for him to capture and hold the large city of Manila. So he calmly waited until the needed re-enforcements from the United States arrived. The insurgent Filipinos, who hated Spain and had suffered long under her savage rule, kept up repeated attacks on the Spaniards and inflicted considerable loss. Could they have entered the city they would have committed dreadful barbarities. Although they were our allies and eager to be let loose, Admiral Dewey was too humane to permit their atrocities, and he sternly held them in check. Invaluable as were the services of the Admiral in battle, they were fully as great in peace. For many months after his naval victory he remained, as it may be said, simply on the watch. The warships of other leading nations were in the harbor, closely observant of events. Those of Great Britain and Japan showed marked friendship to our own, while the German admiral was not always friendly. The tension at times was considerable, and it is safe to say that with almost any other man in the place of Dewey we should have become involved in a war with Germany, but the Admiral is as skillful a diplomat as a commander, and his delicacy, tact, firmness, and discretion could not have been surpassed. Meanwhile three expeditions were on their way across the Pacific to re-enforce Dewey. General Wesley Merritt was made commander-in-chief of all the forces in the Philippines, and arrived at Cavité July 25. The first expedition, under General Thomas Anderson, had landed on June 30, while the second got there on July 17, and the third, under General MacArthur, reached Manila July 30, five days after the arrival of General Merritt. The latter held a conference with Admiral Dewey, and it was decided to make the attack on Manila without delay. The first fighting took place on the night of July 31 amid a fierce rainstorm, when 3000 Spanish troops made a sortie from the city against the outposts and trenches of Camp Dewey, near Malate. The struggle was furious, but in the end the Spaniards were repulsed with heavy loss. There was a good deal of fighting throughout the following two weeks, in which the Spaniards displayed great bravery and our troops suffered considerable losses, though slight when compared with those of the enemy. The city was captured August 13 by the combined land and naval forces. This important event was thus summed up by General Merritt in his official report: "On the 7th instant Admiral Dewey joined me in forty-eight-hour notification to Spanish commander to remove non-combatants from city. Same date reply received, expressing thanks for humane sentiments, and stating Spanish without places for refuge for non-combatants now within walled towns. "On 9th instant sent joint note, inviting attention to suffering in store for sick and non-combatants in case it became our duty to reduce the defenses, also setting forth hopeless condition of Spanish forces, surrounded on all sides, fleet in front, no prospect of re-enforcements, and demanded surrender as due to every consideration of humanity. Same date received reply, admitting their situation, but stating Council of Defense declares request for surrender cannot be granted, but offered to consult government, if time was granted necessary for communication via Hong Kong. Joint note in reply declining. "On the 13th joined with navy in attack with following results: After about halfhour's accurate shelling of Spanish lines, MacArthur's brigade on right and Greene's on left-center under Anderson made vigorous attack and carried Spanish works. Loss not accurately known-about 50 in all. Behavior of troops excellent; co-operation of the navy most valuable. Troops advanced rapidly on walled city, upon which white |