Battle of Santiago of Cuba

In the evening of the July, 2 of 1898, the American ships placed in the input of the Port of Santiago descried the smoke columns of the Spanish Fleet that were prepared to leave. Was of course not could have surprise. At eight o'clock in the morning it sounded the touch of combat shambles in the Spanish ships that they were scrolling one at a time, among the narrow breaked out of the Bay of Santiago, reduced partially by the collapse of the American merchant "Merrimac".

To 9'35 hours the flagship "Infanta María Teresa" was happening before the Forts of "El Morro" and a minute afterwards the battleship "Iowa" gave the alarm voice. The "Infanta María Teresa" was advancing to all speed against the cruiser "Brooklyn" for assaulting her and to attract on the flagship the fire of the American ships attempting to permit, if was possible, the fled from the other ships of the fleet sheltered in her superior theoretical speed. The "Infanta María Teresa" made fire reaching "Brooklyn" with an impact and compelling to this to veer in circle to avoid the assault, sowing the confusion in the American line. However, an impact of 12" of the "Iowa" reached "Infanta María Teresa" is causing to her serious damages upon cutting a steam pipeline. The ship lost speed and the main stern tower let of operating. With serious fires in stern, the endowment of salvage attempted to recapture to the sailors that they had remained isolated in the stern by the fire, perishing the endowment of salvage and the sailors that they had remained trapped. The fire was extended increasingly, being approximated to the magazines. Other impact reached the command bridge, injuring to the commanding of the Ship and killing to all the officers. The own Admiral Cervera must be taken of the command of the "Infanta María Teresa". Practically unused, was given the command of veering toward land, what made to 10'15 hours, about Punta Cabrera, to 6 miles from the West of Santiago. The Admiral sorted to lower the combat flag, but the fire was destroying the Poop. The flag fell burning ablaze. The salvage of the crew was very difficult because were not remaining boats and there was that to swim 200 ms until the beach where they were collected by the boats of the "Gloucester". The Admiral Cervera was carried to the "Iowa" where he was received with military honors and acclaimed by the crew. The "Infanta María Teresa" had 70 you decrease.

The "Vizcaya" left in second place. On her was demolished the bulk of the American artillery and her cannons were unable to do anything by the bugs in the closes of the pieces. The "Brooklyn" from 2.200 ms; the "Oregon", from 2.700, the "Texas", from 5.000 and the "Iowa" from more distance, were firing against her. To 10'50 hours, with all her cannons out of duty, attempted to approach to the "Brooklyn" that dodged easily the onslaught by the scarce speed of the Spanish ship on the one which continued firing. To 11'15, burning thoroughly, she beached in the "Bajos de El Aserradero", to 15 miles to the west of Santiago. The Captain Eulate sorted to lower the combat flag that had been donated by the Diputacion of Vizcaya and threw it to the fire. His endowment had 100 dead.

In third place left the "Cristobal Colon". This ship, recently built, she was not carrying bulk artillery since her main pieces, that they had been acquired in Germany, they were not delivered by the military embargo. Thus, only with her secondary pieces of 152 mm., must combat against the "Iowa" (4 main pieces of 305mm.), the "Brooklyn" (8 of 203mm.) and the "Oregon" (4 of 330 mm.), all they, furthermore, with their corresponding battery of secondary artillery. In spite of all, the "Cristobal Colon" reached with two impacts "Iowa". The Spanish ship, that was reaching greater speed that the American opponents, were removed earning distance knot to knot. Increasingly far of the enemy, was seeming that was going to be saved of the destruction. However, at one o'clock of the afternoon, the Machines Chief rose to the bridge and communicated to the Captain Díaz Moreu that good coal had been finished and begun to use loaded it in Santiago, a bad and pulverized coal that made descend the revolutions of the machines. The "Cristobal Colon" was losing speed and the American ships were earning earthly. The luck was thrown. Fenced by the "Oregon", the "Texas", the "Brooklyn", the "New York" and the "Vixen", the "Cristobal Colon" run aground in the Beach of the River Turquino. She was lowed the combat flag. The "Texas" attempted to take it to tow but opened the spills of the background by the Spanish; the ship gave the return and was sunk.

After the "Cristobal Colon", was marching the "Almirante Oquendo". In front of her, the "Iowa" began to fire her broadsides of 305 mm. about 1.300 ms long. A direct impact penetrated in the prow tower destroying the piece and killing to all his endowment. Other impact reached the main torpedo chamber, provoking a serious fire and killing to all its servers. To avoid the explosions they were started all the torpedoes. All the batteries of 140 mm. were unused. They were not operating the ammunition elevators. Only a piece of 140 continue firing served by an injured Lieutenant and two sailors that were transporting, among the three, the ammunition. Converted into a sea of fire, the "Almirante Oquendo" beached about "Infanta María Teresa". Consumed the Combat flag by the fire, the commander of the ship, Lazaga, made his last gesture being hit a shot in the head. Had 80 dead.

After them left the destroyers two, the "Furor" (destroyer's flagship) and the "Pluton", both under the command of Villaamil. Delayed the output so that the threat of their torpedoes compelled to the American ships to fire on them, permitting the main ships to escape. However, the destroyers were not conceived for the combat as compared to large units. His mission was to give hunt to the torpedo boats. Though quickest ships, her spank was feeble and any direct impact would destroy them. First left the "Furor". Their pieces of 75 mm. were making fire against a superior enemy. The enemy ships opened fire against him almost point blank destroying the machines and letting useless the artillery pieces. The "Furor" was sunk among the fearful fire of the grenades. An impact killed to Villaamil. The ship was sunk little after of the fact that an American gunboat would recapture the scarce surviving (21). The same luck ran the "Pluton". Her commanding was started to all machines against the enemy fleet firing her small cannons. A fire curtain stopped her. An impact made to burst the machines and the magazine of ammunitions. At eleven o'clock all had finished.