The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-27
CAPT. "BOBv EVANS.
He Tells What the Battle Ship Iowa
Did with the Enemy.

WASHINGTON, July 26.-Capt. Robley D.
Evans commanding the Iowa, gives the fol-
lowing account of his ships action during
the engagement:
gu S. S. Iowa. First Rate,
"Off Santiago de Cuba, July 4.
"Sir-I have the honor to make the fol-
lowing report of the engagement With the
Spanish squadron off Santiago de Cuba on
Il. on the morning of the Sd, while the
crew was at quarters for Sunday inspection,
the leading vessel of the Spanish squadron
was sighted al 9:31 coming out of the harpor
of Santiago de Cuba. Signal enemys ships
coming out was immed ately holsted and
gun fired to attract attention. The call 10
general quarters was sounded Immediately
the battery made ready for firing, and the
engines rung full speed ahead.
q The position Of this dr vessel at at
usual blockading station off the entrance
of the harbor, MORO Castle bearing north
and distant about three to four miles. The
steam at this time in the boilers was suffi-
cient for a speed of five knots.
50. After sighting, the leading vessel.
veras flagship it was observed that she
was followed in succession by the remain
Ing three vessels OF the spanish saHadrontG
Oquendo. The Spanish ships moved at
speed of about eight to ten knots, which
was steadily increased as they cleared the
harbor entrance and stood to the westward:
They maintained distance OF about SOO
yards between vessels. The squadron
~ Immediately upon sighting the leading
vessel fires were spread and the Iowa head
ed toward the leading Spanish ship. About
$40 the first shot was fired from this ship,
at a distance of about $500 yards. The
course of this vessel was so laid that the
range speedily diminished. number of
shots were fired at ranges varying between
5000 and 1900 yards. The range was rap
idly reduced to $500 yards and subsequent
ly to 1900 and to 200 yards.
SO When it was certain that the Ma
ria Teresa would pass. ahead of us the
helm was put to starboard and the star
board broadside delivered at range of
$500 yards. The helm was then put to
port and the ship headed across the bow
of the second ship, and as she drew ahead
the helm was again put to starboard,. and
she received in turn the full weight of our
starboard broadside at range of 1,8OO
with port helm for the third ship, and as
she approached the helm was put to star
board until our course was approximately
than of the Spanish ship. In this position
at range of 400 yards the fire of the en-
tire battery. including rapid-hre guns. was
poured into the enemy'S ship
sc. About 10 o'clock the enemy's torpedo
boat destroyers Furor and Pluton were OBJ
served to have left the harbor and to be
following the Spanish squadron: At the
time that they were observed, and, in fact,
most of the time that they were under fire,
they were at distance varying from 1850
to 400 yards AS soon as they were dis
covered the secondary battery of this ship
was turned upon them, while the main bat
terry continued to engage , the Vizcayy ,s !,
main battery of this ship, when the range
was below $500 yards. was most effective
and destructive and after continuance of
this fire for perhaps twenty minutes 1t was
noticed that the Maria Teresa and Oquendo
were in flames and were being headed for
the beach. Their colorS were struck about
1920, and they were beached about eight
miles west Of Santiago
u. About the same time (about 1925 the
fire of this vessel, together with that OF
the Gloucester and another smaller vessel,
proved so destructive that one of the torpe-
do boat destroyers PlutoD was sunk and
the Furor was so much damaged that she
was run upon the rocks.
"S. After having passed. at 1875 the
Oquendo and Maria Teresa, on fire and
ashore, this vessel continued to chase and
fire upon the Vizcaya until 1896 when sig
nal to cease firing was sounded on board !;
it having been discovered the Vizcay2 had
struck her coors.
80. At II the Iowa arrived in the vicinity
of the ViZcaya, which had been run ashore,
and as it was evident that she could not
catch the Cristobal Colon and that the Ore
gon, Brooklyn and New York would, two
steam cutters and three cutters were inn
mediately hoisted out and sent to the Viz
caya to rescue her crew. Our boats sue
ceeded in bringing off large number of
officers and men of that ships company
and in placing many of them on board the
torpedo boat Ericsson and the auxiliary dis
patch vessel Hist.
40. About 1880 the New York passed In
chase of the Cristobal Colon. which was en-
deavoring to escape from the Oregon,
Brooklyn and Texas.
III. We received on board this vessel
from the Vizcaya Captain Eulate. the COM
handing officer, and twenty-three officers,
together with about 24S petty officers and
men, of which thirty-two were wounded.
There were also received on board five dead
bodies, which were Immediately buried with
the honors due to their grade.
- The battery behaved well in all re-
spects The dash pot of the forward twelve
inch gun, damaged in the engagement Of
the I'd, was replaced the same day
by one of the old dash pots. which
gave no trouble during this engagement.
This ship was struck in the hull. on the
starboard side, during the early part of the
engagement by two projectiles Of about
six inch caliber one striking the hull two
to three feet above the actual water line and
almost directly on the line of the berth
deck piercing the ships side between
Frames and 10. the other piercing the
ships side and Golfer dam between Frames
is and 10. The first projectile did not pass
beyond the inner bulkhead of the Golfer
dam A. 41-43. The hole made by 1t was
large and ragged, being about six
teen inches, in a longitudinal direction.
and about seven inches in vertical direc-
ton 1t struck with slight inclination
aft, and perforated the Golfer dam partition
remained in the Golfer dam. The second pro-
tectile pierced the side OF the ship and
the Golfer dam A 105. the upper edge Of the
hole being Immediately below the top of
the Golfer dam on the berth deck In COM
partment A 104 The projectile broke OFF
the hatch plate and coaming outwater tank
awralodQd and f1arfora a.,