Faced with the vicious attack of the Spanish fleet, the American fleet immediately scattered and fled.

Colonel Lorant soon felt a trace of remorse, because although the Iowa under his seat looked mighty, the highest speed was only a fatal 16 knots, which was a bit insufficient in front of the Turin class, which could still run 18 knots. Not to mention, there were 20 knots of Maria Teresa-class armored cruisers harassing from the side, making it impossible for Iowa to run.

Two hours later, under the desperate eyes of the officers and men on the Iowa, three Turin-class ships surrounded them.

"Boom, boom, boom!"

Greetings from three Turin-class 356-mm guns roared from a distance of 6,000 meters. The successive splashes relieved the officers and men of the Iowa.

But they knew that it was not time to relax, and that there were at least three hours left before dark, and they had to survive those three hours.

Of course, the Iowa was not without counterattacks, and its four 305-mm 35-fold main guns also fired at enemy ships in the flanks and rear. But it also didn't hit.

However, it is also temporary for both sides to miss, as the two sides are approaching, making it easier and easier to hit.

"Boom!"

A 356-millimeter shell weighing more than 400 kilograms hit the stern of the Iowa, and the violent explosion knocked a large hole in the stern, and at the same time caused the speed of the Iowa to drop sharply, and the faces of the American officers and men on the ship suddenly became ugly, and the power compartment was hit and slowed down.

Seeing this opportunity, how could the three Turin-class battleships miss it, they already had a speed advantage, and they took the opportunity to immediately surround them.

"Let the three patrol ships leave to pursue the enemy ships, and leave it to us here."

Colonel Lefel, who commanded the battleship formation, first gave the order to let the three Maria Teresa-class armored cruisers leave. It's not that he's afraid that he will take credit, but that the next battle between battleships is really not suitable for the patrol to intervene, because figuratively speaking, the battleship is a heavy cavalry, and the patrol is a light cavalry, and any light cavalry who wants to confront the heavy cavalry head-on will not have a good result.

The three shipwrecks understood what Colonel Leyfell meant, and after leaving a word of good luck for them, they galloped away.

Okay, now it's a showdown between the battleships, but it's three against one, and you can choose one to fight the three of us, or the three of us to fight you.

Well, without further ado, at a distance of 4,500 meters, the artillery fire of the three Turin-class ships was even more ruthless in striking at the Iowa. Of course, the Iowa did not give up its plans, and its four 305 mm main guns and eight 203 mm secondary guns also returned fire. Both sides kept firing in order to deal a fatal blow to their opponents.

It was a real hand-to-hand fight, with the gun commander repeating the order to fire. Shells were lifted from the bottom of the ammunition depot by the action of the hoisting machine and manpower, and then fed into the still hot chamber. Then stuffed with a waist pack wrapped in silk, close the bolt, and aim and shoot!

For example, the Isabel II, formerly known as the Barry, was hit multiple times by the Iowa's 305 mm shells and 203 mm shells, causing losses to two 152 mm secondary guns and personnel.

However, the loss of the Isabel II is completely inadequate compared to the Iowa. The Iowa is now scarred, and the damage caused by the 356mm heavy guns on the Iowa is very considerable, and the bow and rear chimney have been hit, which directly leads to the poor aiming of the rear main guns. In addition, four 203-mm secondary guns were destroyed in the ship's amidships, and several large holes in the ship's side also showed that its armor was a little unsightly in front of the 14-inch cannons.

Of course, this was only the beginning of Iowa's sin.

Boom, boom! Two loud bangs rang out from the back of the Iowa's hull in quick succession! At a distance of less than 3,500 meters, the main guns of the Palermo, renamed Princess Christina, fired two 356-mm armor-piercing rounds into the stern of the Iowa at a near-vertical angle.

The first shell hit the main armor belt, and the huge impact hit the main armor belt of the Iowa. Although it did not break through, the entire main armor plate was torn from the hull, which directly led to the appearance of a large hole of more than ten square meters near the stern wheelhouse of the Iowa!

Another shell directly penetrated the upper armor belt of the Iowa, and then exploded above the wheelhouse after passing through several compartments, destroying the wheelhouse directly, and the entire battleship was suddenly in a semi-uncontrolled state.

And then, the three Turin-class warships continued to spray fire on the Iowa, causing its losses to become more and more significant. And the counterattack firepower from the Iowa is getting weaker and weaker.

"It's time."

At this time, Colonel Lefell ordered the two destroyers waiting on the outside to enter the field, and it was a little difficult to solve the opponent with shells, so it was better to use torpedoes. Besides, there are tasks ahead, so it's good to keep some shells behind.

Under the orders of Colonel Leffel, two destroyers, the Álvaro and the Molina, rushed into the field. Both destroyers were new ships commissioned by Spain in 1896, with a displacement of 800 tons, carrying four 356 mm torpedo tube launchers and a maximum speed of 28 knots.

I saw two destroyers rushing towards the Iowa, and in the face of the malicious little bit, the Iowa was still desperately resisting, and the only few secondary guns on its ships were still firing at it.

It's just that the two destroyers chose a clever position, and only three 57mm guns could shoot at them. And the 57-mm naval guns can only deal with small torpedo boats, and they are still a little worse than destroyers.

When they got close to a distance of several hundred meters, the two destroyers made a beautiful turn, fluttering, fluttering, and six torpedoes came at the Iowa.

"Collapse collapse collapse ~" five consecutive loud noises broke a huge horizontal rift in the Iowa, and a large amount of seawater poured into the Iowa, tilting up at a speed visible to the naked eye, and the giant ship had come to the end of its life.

By this time the sun was already about to fall to the sea antenna, and if it was a little later, the night would have to come out.

Compared to the three battleships that wasted a lot of effort to deal with the opponent, the two Garibaldi-class ships were not too easy to deal with the New York loadout.

As quasi-battle cruisers, the two Garibaldi-class ships were pronounced dead the moment they caught up with the New York for installation, and the salvo power of the 16 10-inch guns startled the Spanish officers and men who fired the guns. He hit the first round at a distance of 5,000 meters, and every subsequent round of shots was successful.

The 6-inch thickest inclined dome armor on the New York was like papier-mâché in the face of the ferocious firepower of the two Garibo-class ships.

Within an hour, the New York, which had been set on fire by two ships, was sent into the sea.

Later, the two ships relied on their own speed and continued to pursue the enemy's fleeing battleship. Of course, they were not the only ones, two Venetian cruisers were also in pursuit, and later three Maria Teresa-class cruisers were added. The pursuit of seven patrolmen prevented several protective cruisers from escaping. Because most of these warships were built around 1890, their top speed was only 17-18 knots.

But no matter how much you fight, it's time to stop after dark.

Seeing the black shroud, the American battleship, which had escaped from pursuit, hurried to New York, needing to inform them of the arrival of Spain.