or Island [193] were apparently slumbering, for the _Olympia_
had already passed when a solitary cannon-shot was heard and responded
to. Then a shot or two were fired from the rock El Fraile and from
the battery of Punta Sangley. The American squadron kept its course
in line of battle; the Spanish ships, under the command of Admiral
Montojo, who was on board the _Reina Cristina_, cleared for action,
and the opposing fleets took up positions off the north of Cavite
(_vide_ plan of Cavite).

After an intimation of "no surrender" from the Spaniards, by a
cannon-shot fired from the Fort of Santiago towards the approaching
United States fleet, the American ships opened fire, to which the
Spanish fleet responded with a furious broadside; but being badly
directed it did very little damage. The _Don Antonio de Ulloa_
discharged a broadside at the enemy's ships with almost no effect,
and simultaneously the drums were beaten, whilst the officers and
crews shouted "Long live the King, Queen, and Spain!" Firing on both
sides then became general. The well-aimed shots of the Americans were
beginning to tell forcibly against the Spaniards. The _Don Juan de
Austria_ advanced towards the _Olympia_ and was met with a shower
of shot and shell, obliging her to turn back. The _Reina Cristina_,
seeing the failure of the _Don Juan de Austria_, steamed full-speed
towards the _Olympia_, intending to engage her at short range,
but a perfect hurricane of projectiles from the _Olympia_ made her
retreat with her decks strewn with the dead and dying. The _Baltimore_
had one gun put out of action by the Hontoria guns of Punta Sangley,
whilst half a dozen men were slightly injured. The _Boston_ also was
slightly damaged, but further than that the American ships suffered
little or nothing. By 7.30 a.m. the Spanish flagship _Reina Cristina_
was in flames, so a boat was lowered to transfer the Admiral and his
staff to the _Isla de Cuba_. The captain of the _Reina Cristina_,
Don Luis Cadarso, although mortally wounded, heroically commanded
his men up to the moment of death. By 8 a.m. the Spanish ships were
decidedly crippled, and the American squadron withdrew to another
part of the bay, where, behind a number of foreign war and merchant
ships, they had left two supply transports, from which they took fresh
ammunition. Meantime the little Spanish gunboats _General Lezo, Marques
del Duero, Manila, Velasco_, and _Argos_, which were quite unfit for
action,