Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-07-27

WASHINGTON, July 26-The Navy
Department to-day made public the
reports of Admiral Sampson, Commo-
dore Schley, Captain Clark, of the Ore
gon, and Captain Evans, of the Iowa,
of the battle of July Sd, which resulted
in the destruction of Cervera's squad
ron. They are as follows:
U. S. Flagship New York,
First Rate.
OFF SANTIAGO DE CUBA,
July 10, 1898.
Sir:
IL have the honor to make the fol-
lowing report upon the battle with
and the destruction of the Spanish
squadron, commanded by Admiral Ger
vera, off Santiago de Cuba, on Sunday,
July Sd. 1898:
2.-The enemys vessels came out of
the harbor between 9:35 and 10 a. M,
the head of the column appearing
around Cay Smith at 9:31 and emerging
from the channel five or six minutes
later.
3.-The positions of the vessels of my
command off Santiago at that moment
were as follows:
miles east of her blockading station,
and about seven miles from the harbor
entrance. She had started for Siboney
where 1 intended to land accompanied
by several of my staff, and go to the
fOrnt TO consult with Gen. Shafter. A
discussion of the situation, and a more
definite understanding between US of
the operations proposed, had been rem
dered necessary by the Unexpectedly
strong resistance of the Spanish gar
rison at Santiago. l had sent my chief
of staff ashore on the day before to
arrange an interview with Gen. SHAFT
ter who had been suffering heat pros
tration. I made arrangements 10 so to
his headquarters, and my flagship was
in the position mentioned above when
the Spanish squadron appeared in the
channel. The remaining vessels were in
or near their usual blockading posi-
tons, distributed in a semi-circle about
the harbor entrance.
The length OF the arc formed by
the ships was about eight miles. The
Massachusetts had left at 1 a. m. for
Guantanamo for coal. Her station
was between the Iowa and Texas. The
auxiliaries Gloucester and Vixen lay
close to the land and nearer the har-
Dor entrance than the larger vessels,
the Gloucester to the Eastward and
the Vixen to the westward. The tor
pedo boat Ericsson was in company
with the flagship and remained with
her during the chase until ordered to
discontinue. when she rendered very
efficient service in rescuing prisoners
from the burning Vizcaya. 1 enclose
a diagram showing approximately the
positions of the vessels as described
above.
4.-The Spanish vessels came rapidly
out of the harbor. at a speed estimated
at from eight 10 ten knots. and in the
following order:
Infanta Maria Teresa (fagship), Viz
caya, Cristobal Colon, and the Aini-
rante Oquendo. The distance between
these ships wss about eight hundred
yards, which means that from the
time 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 twenty minutes
elapsed Following the Oquendo at a
distance of about 1900 yards came the
torpedo boat destroyer Pluton, and
after her the Furor. The armored
cruisers as rapidly as they could bring
their guns to bear opened a vigorous
fire upon the nlockading vessels and
emerged from the channel shrouded in
the smoke from their guns.
5.-The men of our ships in front of
the port were AT Sunday quarters for
inspection" The signal was made
simultaneously from several vessels,
"enemy's ships escaping" and general
quarters was sounded. The men cheer
ed as they sprung to their guns. and
fire was opened probably within eight
minutes by the vessels whose guns
commanded the entrance The New
York turned about and steamed for
the escaping fleet, flying the signal.
.close In towards harbor entrance and
attack vessels" and gradually in
creasing speed until toward the end