The Spanish fire was quick enough, but ludicrously uncertain.  This was shown after Admiral Sampson had given the order to cease firing and retire.  The monitor Terror evidently misunderstood the order, for it remained well in range of the Spanish guns and continued the bombardment alone.  The few guns still served by the Spaniards kept banging away at the Terror, and some of the shots missed it at least a mile.  It remained at its work for half an hour before retiring, and in all this time was not once hit.

The first Americans killed.

America’s first dead fell on the 11th of May in a fierce and bloody combat off Cardenas, on the north coast of Cuba.  Five men were blown to pieces and five were wounded on the torpedo boat Winslow.  The battle was between the torpedo boat Winslow, the auxiliary tug Hudson, and the gunboat Wilmington on one side, and the Cardenas batteries and four Spanish gunboats on the other.  The battle lasted but thirty-five minutes, but was remarkable for terrific fighting.  The Winslow was the main target of the enemy, and was put out of service.  The other American vessels were not damaged, except that the Hudson’s two ventilators were slightly scratched by flying shrapnel.  The Winslow was within 2,500 yards of the shore when the shells struck.  How it came to be so close was told by its commander, Lieutenant John Bernadou.  He said: 

“We were making observations when the enemy opened fire on us.  The Wilmington ordered us to go in and attack the gunboats.  We went in under full steam and there’s the result.”

He was on the Hudson when he said this, and with the final words he pointed to the huddle of American flags on the deck near by.  Under the Stars and Stripes were outlined five rigid forms.

List of the killed:  Worth Bagley, ensign; John Daniels, first-class fireman; John Tunnel, cabin cook; John Varveres, oiler.  The wounded:  J. B. Bernadou, lieutenant, commanding the Winslow; R. E. Cox, gunner’s mate; D. McKeowan, quartermaster; J. Patterson, fireman; F. Gray.

STORY OF THE FIGHT.

The story of the fight, as told by the Hudson’s men, is as follows: 

The Winslow, the Hudson, the Machias, and the Wilmington were among the ships off Cardenas on the blockade, the Wilmington acting as flagship.  The Machias lay about twelve miles out.  The others were stationed close in, on what is called the inside line.  At a quarter to 9 o’clock the Hudson, under Captain F. H. Newton, was taking soundings in Diana Cay bars and Romero Cay, just outside Cardenas, so close to shore that it grounded, but it floated off easily into the shallow water.