E 717 .7 .S57 Copy 1 SOUVENIR OF The Battle of Manila Bay PHILIPPINE ISLANDS MAY 1st, 1898. Written in collaboration by C. A. Silk and J. J. Vanderveer on board the U. S. S. Baltimore, after the battle. The Sutton Press, Buffalo, N. Y. JOHN HICKEY A Buffalo boy on the U. S. S. Baltimore. INTRODUCTION TO ''ALL HANDS" "And 'tis most true that a merrier crew could scarce be found elsewhere'. "lATE will need in future years nothing to remind us of the great battle we fought in ]\Ianila Bay, on Sunday, :\ray 1st, 1898 ; but it will be pleasant to have, of the event, an appropriate "Souvenir," which is herewith submitted. The events recorded are as we saw them on board this good .ship, true to life. When creeping into the reminiscent age, to be able to place one's hand on something that brings to mind a time when, like our fathers, ' ' we shouldered a rifle, and to remember those who fought with us at the same gun, stood the same watches and messed at the same table ; to note each name on the roll, and each separate picture ; to recall them then as we see them now ; such a source of remembrance we hope this "Souvenir" will be to all who now form the crew of the U. S. S. "Baltimore." C. A. SILK - J. J. YANDERVEER. U.S.S. "BALTIMORE," Manila Baij. Philippine Islands; June, 1898. TELEGRAMS. THE SECRETAEY OF THE XAYY'S TELEGRAM TO COMMODORE DEWEY Washington, April 24th. "Dewey, Hongkong, China: — War has commenced between Spain and the United States. Proceed at once to Philij)- pine Islands. Commence operations at once, partieularlj- against the Spanish fleet. You nmst capture vessels or destroy them. Use utmost endeavours. ' ' ' ' LONG. ' ' TELEGRAMS OF COMMODORE DEWEY TO THE SECRE- TARY OF THE NAYY. Manila. AIay 1st. ■'The squadron arrived at Manila at day break this morning. Immediately engaged the enemy and destroyed the follow- ing Spanish vessels: " Eeina Cristina," " Castilla," "Ulloa," " Isla de Cuba," " Isla de Luzon." "General Lezo," '"Buero," " Correo," "Velasco," transport "Mindanao," and water battery at Cavite. The squadron is uninjured and only a few men slightly injured. The only means of telegraphing is to the American Consul at Hongkong. I shall communicate with him. • ' DEWEY. • ' Cavite, May 4th. ' ' I have taken possession of Xaval Station at Cavite, on Philip- pine Islands. Have destroyed the fortifications at bay entrance, paroling garrison. I control bay completely and can take city at any time. The squadron is in excellent health and spirits. Spanish loss not fully known, but very heavy. 150 killed, including Captain, on " Eein<( Cristina." I am assisting in protecting Spanish sick and wounded. 2.56 wounded in hospitals within our lines. Much excite- ment in Manila. Will protect foreign re:^idents. "DEWEY." TELEGRAM OF PRESIDENT McKlXLEY TO COMMODORE DEWEY. Washington, May 7th, 1898. "Dewey, care American Consul, Hongkong. The president, in the name of the American people, thanks you and j'our officers and men for your splendid achievement and over- whelming victory. In recognition, he has appointed you Rear Admiral, and will recommend a vote of thinks to you by Congress as a foundation for further promotion. "LONG, Secretary." U.S.S." BALTIMORE" AT THE BATTLE OF MANILA BAY. OUR FIRST NEWS OF THE WAR. "lATTrH our arrival at Hongkong on the morning of ■• April 22nd, 1898, and finding the American Fleet, consisting of six war ships, one Revenue Steamer, and two transports, under command of Com- modore George Dewey, all lying close in shore, painted, with the exception of the transports, in war colour of bottle green, the first true intimation that war be- tween our country and Spain would be declared, was given us. So deceiving was this new coat of paint that it required the sharpest look-out at very close range to distingush the ships ; many supposing the English Cruiser '' Immortaliie" to be our Flagship "Olympia " How strange this color appeared, many of us seeing it for the first time, and so totally dif- ferent from the immaculate white we were accustomed to. The ships either moored, or anchored ready for slipping, ancl able to move at a moment's notice, were, it was said, only awaiting our getting in the same condition before sailing. To be docked, cleaned and painted from truck to keel, undocked, coaled, provisioned, and the hundred- and-one odd pieces of work finished in forty-eight hours, required no stronger incentive than the knowl- edge of all having to be "hustled" through. With rain coming down in torrents, the ship received her baptismal coat of "war paint." In the harbour was one Spanish flag flying on a small steamer, the " Isidoro Pons" of Barcelona, moored alongside the wharf, close to the dry dock. 11 MOVE ONE. A T 2 o'clock on the afternoon of April 24th the ■^*- first move on the chess-board was made; the "Raleigh," "Boston," "Concord," "Petrel," "McCulloch" and the two transports "Nanshan" and "Zafiro" leaving the harbour. The next morning, at abont 9:50 o'clock, the Flagship signalled "Get under- waif," and shortly after 10 o'clock the last of the American Fleet sailed from Hongkong. This was the result of the publication of a proclamation of neu- trality, in the Queen's name, by the Governor of that city. ' Steaming at moderate speed till about 3 o'clock, we came to anchor in Mirs Bay, distant 30 miles from Hongkong. Here we found the remainder of the fleet at anchor. The next day, April 25th, at 2 p.m., the American (Consul at ^lanila, Mr. 0. F. Williams, who had come down the day before on the English steamer "Esmer- ■alda," came on board. Half an hour later all ships were under-way, bound for IManila. ]\Iuch surmising and wondering was engaged in during the next few hours, as not a word of war having been declared had reached us. Every man was in absolute ignorance of what was to be done until about 6 o'clock, when "all hands" were called aft and a short address was made by Captain Dyer. What he said will ever be engraven on our memory — words that none could hear without feeling \^ were indeed blessed in taking part in such a mission* Con- cluding, he said he was instructed by the Commander- in-Chief to read to us the Proclamation by the Gover- nor-General of the Philippines, a verbatim copy of which is as follows : — EXTROAEDIXAEY PROC?LAMATION BY THE GOVER- NOR-GENERAL OF THE PHILIPPINES. ' ' Spaniards. — ' ' Between Spain and the United States of North America, hos- tilities have broken out. 12 ■ • The moment has arrived to prove to the world that we possess the spirit to conquer those who, pretending to be loyal friends, talio advantage of our misfortunes and abuse our hospitality, using means which civilized nations count un- worthy and disreputable. ' * The North American people, constituted of all the social exeresences, have exhausted our patience and provoked war with their perfidious machinations, with their acts of treachery, with their outrages against the law of nations and international conventions. ' ' The struggle will be short and decisive. The God of Victories will give us one as brilliant and complete as the righteous- ness and justice of our case demand. Spain, which counts upon the sympatliies of all the nations, will emerge triumph- antly from this new test, humiliating and blasting the adventures from those States that, without cohesion and without a history, offer to humanity only infamous tra- ditions and the ungrateful spectacle of Chambers, in which appear united insolence and defamation, cowardice and cynicism. ' ' A squadron manned by foreigners, possessing neither in- struction nor discipline, is preparing to come to this archi- pelago with the ruffianly intention of robbing us of all that means life, honour, and liberty. Pretending to be inspired by a courage of which they are incajjable, the North American seamen undertake as an enterprise capable of realisation, 'the substitution of Protestantism for the Catholic religion you profess, ' to treat you as tribes re- fractory to civilization, to take possession of your riches as if they were unacquainted with the rights of property, and to kidnap those persons whom they consider useful to man their ships or to be exploited in agricultural or in- dustrial labour. ' ' Vain Designs ! Eidiculous boastings ! "Your indomitable bravery will suffice to frustrate the attempt to carry them into realization. You will not allow the faith you profess to be made a mock of; impious han