The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-07-27
Captain Evans Report-The Iowa.

Cuba, July A. 1898.
 Sir: I have the honor to make the following report of the engagement with the Spanish squadron off Santiago de Cuba on the third of July:
 1. On the morning of the third while the crew was at quarters for Sunday inspection, the leading vessel of the Spanish squadron was sighted at 9:31 coming out of the harbor of Santiago. Signal "Enemy's ships coming out" was immediately hoisted and a gun fired to attract attention. The call to general quarters was sounded imme- diately, the battery made ready for fir ing and the engines running full speed ahead.
 9. The position of this vessel at the time of sighting the squadron was the usual blockading station off the en- trance of the harbor, Morro Castle bearing about north, and distant about three or four miles. The steam at this time in the boilers was sufficient for a speed of five knots
 8. After sighting the leading vessel, the Infanta Maria Teresa, Admiral Cerveras fagship), it was observed that she was followed in succession by the remaining three vessels of the Spanish squadron, the Vizcaya, Cristo- bal Colon, and Almirante Oquendo. The Spanish ships moved at a speed of about eight to ten knots, which was steadily increased as they cleared the harbor entrance and stood to the westward. They maintained a distance of about 800 yards between vessels. The squadron moved with precision and stations were we'll kept.
 4. Immediately upon sighting the leading vessel the Iowa headed toward the leading Spanish ship. About $40 the first shot was fired from this ship at distance of about 6,000 yards. The course of this vessel was so laid that the range speedily diminished, A num- Der of shots were fired at ranges vary ing between 5000 and 1000 yards. The range was rapidly reduced to 2,50O yards and subsequently to 2000 and 1,200 yards.
 5. When it was certain that the Meria Teresa would pass ahead of us the helm was put to starboard and the starboard broadside delivered at a range of 2,500 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 return the full weight of our starboard broadside at a range of about 1900 yards. The Iowa was again headed off with port helm for the third ship and as she appeared, the helm was put tn etc rI Sy,ts proximately that of the Spanish ship. In this position at q range of 1,400 yards the fire of the entire battery, including rapid fire guns, was poured into the enemys ship
 6. About 10 o'clock the enemys tor pedo boat destroyers Furor and Plutor were observed to have left the larboi and to be following the Spanish squad.
 ron. At the time they were observed and in fact most of the time that they were under fire, they were at a distance
 varying from 4,500 to 6000 yards. AS soon as they were discovered the sec. ondary battery of this ship was turned upon them while the main battery con. tinued to engage the Vizcaya> The firt | of the main battery of this ship wher l the range was below 2,000 yards wa: | most effective and destructive and af | ter 0 continuance of this fire for per, | haps twenty minutes it was noticed l that the Maria Teresa and Oquendt | were in flames and were being headed | for the beach. Their colors were strucl | about 1929 and they were beache( | about eight miles west of Santiago. 1 7.-About the same time G0:25) tn | fire of this vessel taken together witt that of the Gloucester and anothe
 smaller vessel proved so destructiv 1 that one of the torpedo boat destroyer ! (Pluton) was sunk and the Furor wa so much damaged that she was run up on the rocks.
 | 8. After having passed, at i0:35, tn | Oquendo and Maria. Teresa, on fire ant | ashore, this vessel continued to chas and fire upon the Vizcaya until 10:5f | when a signal to cease firing wa
 sounded on board it having been dis l covered that the Vizcaya had strucI l her colors.
 g. At Il o'clock the Iowa sent out tw steam cutters to the Vizcaya to rescu her crew. ouI JULIUS SucCStueu |
 bringing off large number of officer
 and men of that ships company and I placing many of them on board the tor pedo boat Ericsson and the auxihar
 dispatch vessel Hist.
 10. About 11:30 the New York passe
 in chase of the Christobal Colon, whic
 was endeavoring to escape from th
 Oregon, Brooklyn and Texas.
 IL We received on board this vesst from the ViEcaya, Captain Eulate, th commanding officer and twenty thre
 officers together with about PAS pett l officers and men of whom thirty-tw
 were wounded. There were also receiy ed on board five dead bodies, whic
 were immediately buried with the hor
 ors due to their grade.
 12 The battery behaved well in all rt
 spects. The dashpot of the forwar 12-inch gun damaged in the engage
 ment of the second, having been rt
 placed the same day by one of the ol
 dashpots, gave no trouble during tn
 engagement. 13. The following is an approximat I statement of the ammunition expende | during the engagement. A more exa statement cannot be given at this tim ThirtyAone 12-inch semi A. P. she
 with full charges.
 , Thirty-five S-fnch common shell, vii full charges.