The Almirante Oquendo and the Colon were still fleeing for life, with the Iowa, Oregon, Brooklyn and Texas hard after them.  Suddenly the Almirante Oquendo turned toward shore.  The Brooklyn and Oregon kept after the Cristobal Colon, leaving the Texas to dispose of the Almirante Oquendo.  But the latter was in flames and the flag at her stern was pulled down.  The Texas was approaching when the Spanish ship was torn by a tremendous explosion.  The Americans broke into cheers.  Captain Philip threw up his hand and called: 

“Don’t cheer, boys; the poor fellows are dying!”

It was chivalrous and thoughtful on the part of the American commander and will never be forgotten.

The Cristobal Colon steamed along the coast with the speed of a race horse, but the Brooklyn, Texas and Oregon seemed to feel the prick of the spur and ran as never before and as their captains did not believe them capable of doing.  The Brooklyn gradually drew ahead and the Spaniard, seeing that escape was out of the question, hauled down his flag.  Thus the victory became complete.

The news was just in time to help in the universal rejoicing and celebration of the Fourth of July.  The Spanish fleet on the other side of the globe had been destroyed and now the second fleet was wiped out.  In the former instance not a life was lost and in the latter only one man was killed on our side, while the loss of the enemy was severe.  Never was a more decisive victory gained by one nation over another in the whole history of the world.

All my readers are familiar with the events that immediately followed, but perhaps they would like to know something concerning the naval heroes who did so much to contribute to the grand naval victory off Santiago.

William T. Sampson was born in Palmyra, N.Y., February 9, 1840.  He was the son of an ordinary day laborer and had few early educational advantages, but he was appointed to the Naval Academy and was graduated at the head of his class.  He was on the frigate Potomac, with the rank of master, when the war broke out, but was too young to secure a command during the war.  He became a lieutenant in July, 1862, and served with that rank on the practice ship John Adams at the Naval Academy and on the ironclad Patapsco.  On January 15, 1865, the Patapsco attempted to force an entrance into the harbor of Charleston, which was one network of mines.  Sampson exposed himself fearlessly and the ship met with a fearful disaster by being blown up by a submarine mine.  Seventy went down to death as did those on the Maine, while Sampson and more than a score of others, after being blown a hundred feet through the air, saved themselves by swimming until they were picked up.  Sampson was commissioned as lieutenant commander in 1866, was at the Naval Academy from 1868 to 1871, cruised for two years in European waters and first commanded the Alert in 1874.  Appointed to the superintendency of the Naval Academy in 1888, he held the situation for four years.