Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-08-04
Reports OF 1t by Sampson,
SCh!ey, Clark and
ENanS.
Rear Admiral Goes Care
fully Into All the
Details.
He Highly Praises All Off
GERS and Men I'm
der Him.

partment has just made public the re-
ports Of Admiral Sampson, Commo-
dore Schley, Captain Clark of the
Oregon and Captain Evans Of the
Iowa, on the battle Of July Sd, which
resulted in the destruction of Ger
vera's squadron. SIMPSONS report
says in part:
"The enemy's vessels came out of
Santiago harbor between 9:35 and 10
a. m, the head of the column ap-
pearing around Cayo Smith at $50
and emerging from the channel five
or six minutes later. The positions of
the vessels of my command off San
tiago at that moment were as fol-
lows: The flagship New York, four
miles east of her blockading station
and about seven miles from the har-
Dor entrance; she had started for
Siboney, where l intended to land,
accompanied by several of my staff,
and go to the front to consult with
Gen. Shafter. A discussion of the sit
uation and a more definite under
standing between US on the operations
proposed had been rendered neees-
sary by the unexpectedly strong re-
sistance Of the Spanish garrisons of
Santiago. The remaining vessels
were in or near their usual blockading
stations; distributed in a semi-circle
about the harbor entrance, counting
from the eastward to the westward in
the following order: Indiana, about
mile and a half from the shore;
Oregon, in the New York's place be-
tween these two; the Iowa, Texas and
Brooklyn, the latter two miles from
shore west Of Santiago. The distance
Of the vessels from the harbor en-
trance was from 21a to miles. The
length of the arc formed by the ships
was about miles. The Massachus-
etts had left at a. N. for Guantana-
mo for coal. Her station was between
the Iowa and Texas. The auxilaries
Gloucester and Vixen lay close to the
land nearer the harbor entrance than
the larger vessels, the Gloucester to
the eastward and the Vixen to the
westward. The torpedo boat Ericsson
was in company with the flagship,
and remained with her during the
chase until ordered to discontinue,
when she rendered very efficient ser
vice in rescuing prisoners from the
burning Vizcaya
THE Spanish vessels came rapidly
out of the harbor, at a speed esti-
mated at from s to 10 knots in the
following order: Infanta Maria Ter
esa (fagship), Vizcaya, Cristobal
Colon, Almirante Oquendo The dis
lance between these ships was about
500 yards, which means that, from
the time that the first one became
visible in the upper reach of the
channel until the last one was out
Of the harbor, an interval Of only
about twelve minutes elapsed. Fol-
lowing the Oquendo at a distance of
1900 yards, came the torpedo boat de-
stroyer Pluton and after her, the
Furor. The armored cruisers, as rap
idly as they could bring their guns
to bear, opened a vigorous fire upon
the blockading vessels, and emerged
from the channel shrouded in smoke
from their own guns. The men on
our ships in the front OF the port were
at Sunday quarters for inspection
The signal was made simultaneously
from several vessels that the enemy's
ships were escaping and general
quarters was sounded. Fire was
opened probably within eight min
utes by the vessels whose guns COM
manded the entrance. The New
York turned about and steamed for
the escaping fleet, flying the signal
close in towards the harbor entrance
and attack the vessels gradually in
creasing in speed. until toward the
end Of the chase she was making 1872
knots, and rapidly closing on the
Cristobal Colon. She was not at any
time within range Of the heavy
Spanish ships, and her only part in
the firing was to receive the undivided
fire from the forts in passing the har-
Dor entrance and to fire a few shots
at one Of the destroyers, thought at
the moment to be attempting to es-
cape from the Gloucester.
''The Spanish vessels. upon clearing
the harbor turned westward in
column, increasing their speed to the
full power of their engines. The mi
tial speed Of the Spaniards carried
them rapidly past the blockading fleet
and the battle developed into chase
in which the Brooklyn and the Texas
had at the start the advantage of po-
sftion. The Brooklyn maintained this
lead. The Oregon, steaming with
amazing speed from the commence
ment of the action, took the first
place The Iowa and Indiana, having
done good work, not having the speed
of the other ships, were directed by
me, in succession at about the time