Page:American Boy's Life of William McKinley.djvu/293

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OF WILLIAM McKINLEY
249

a ship get away!" was the cry which rang out on one American ship and another, and on went the fastest of our ships, the Oregon leading, and the Texas and Brooklyn not far behind. The Iowa and Indiana now dropped out to keep an eye on the ships which had gone ashore and on the harbor, for it was thought there might still be other Spanish ships in hiding there.

At last it was seen that the Vizcaya was burning fiercely, and that she, too, was turning in shore. At this point on land was a portion of the Cuban army, and the Iowa was directed to stand by and see that the suffering enemy was cared for, for there had been several serious explosions on the Vizcaya, and it was known that hundreds must be dead or dying.

Only the Colon now remained in the race, and she was straining every nerve to get away. But the Oregon and Brooklyn followed her relentlessly, and when their heaviest guns fired over and into her she hauled down her flag and turned in shore.

The news of the combined victories on land and sea in the vicinity of Santiago