When the _Vizcaya_ was run ashore, the _Colon_ was more than four miles ahead of her leading pursuer, the _Brooklyn_.

Close on the heels of the latter came the wonderful battle-ship _Oregon_, which had unexpectedly developed such extraordinary speed that, although starting next to the last of the American ships, she now very nearly led the chase.

Next behind her came the _Texas_, while the superb _New York_, though still far in the rear, was overhauling all three, and had the race been long enough would eventually have exchanged broadsides with the _Colon_.
But she was not to be granted that satisfaction; for shortly after one o'clock, when the chase had lasted two hours, the _Oregon_ threw a couple of great thirteen-inch shells, at a range of five miles, so close to the flying Spaniard that they deluged her with tons of water.
Upon this, to the surprise of every one, and without making any sort of a fight, the finest ship of the Spanish navy lowered her flag and was headed in for the beach.

After she had thus surrendered, and before the Americans could board, she was wrecked by her own crew, who opened sea-valves, smashed out dead lights, threw overboard the breech-blocks of their great guns, and in many other ways worked what destruction they could in the time allotted.

As a result of this vandalism, the fine ship rolled over on her side soon after striking, and would have slipped off into deep water had not the _New York_ rammed her to a better position higher up the beach.
Thus was destroyed the fine squadron that had been a menace to the Americans ever since the war began.