The times., 1898-11-26

waters, the navy OF the United States was
ready for the outbreak of hostilities. The |
North Atlantic fleet at Key West covered
Cuba; the Flying Squadron at Hampton
Roads stood ready to defend our own
coast, or to threaten that of Spain, and
the Asiatic Squadron at Hong Kong only
awaited information of the outbreak of
hostilities.
In order to provide for the protection
of the Atlantic coast between the capaS
of the Delaware and Bar Harbor. Me-.
the Northern Patrol Squadron was organ
lied. and was placed under the command
of Commodore J. A. Howell on April 20.
This squadron consisted of the San Fran
cisco Giagship). Prairie, Dixie. Yankee,
and Yosemite. At various times there
were also attached to 1t the Columbia.
Minneapolis. Badger. and Southery.
On April q Congress declared war. Ad-
miral Sampson, in command of the North
Atlantic Fleet, which had been engaged
during the five or six preceding months
in gunnery and tactical practice off Flor
ida, was at once ordered to blockade that
part of the northern coast of Cuba ex-
tending from Cardenas to Bahia HoifSe
AT $50 a. m. on April % the admiral saiies
on that errand.
Asiatic Squadron.
On April "a the following telegram was
sent by the department to Commodore
Dewey, in command of the Asiatic Squad
| ron:
Washington, April "a, 1895
| War has commenced between the United
| States and Spain. Proceed At once TO the
Philippine Islands Commence operations at
once, particularly against the Spanish heet You
must capture vessels destroy. Use utmost
| endeavors. LoN".
| On the 2hh this squadron, composed of
| the Olympia (iagship) Baltimore.
Raleigh. Petrol, Concord. Boston. and
McCulloch sailed from Mrs Bay, China.
On the morning of May / it entered the
Harbor of Manila, successfully passing
the forts and mine defenses guarding the
| entrance to the bay. and destroyed the
Spanish feet under the guns of the forts
at Cavite.
The Re:na Christina. Castillo, Don An
tonic de Ulloa We're sunk, the Don Juan
| de Austria, Isla de LuZon, Isla de Cuba.
| General Lezo. Marques del Duero, Ell Cor
REQ, Velasco, and Isla de Mindanao
| transport were burned. and the tugs
| Rapido and Hercules and several small
launches Were captured. Admiral Dewey
| has contracted for the raising of the
Cuba, Luzon, and Austria, and this work
| is now In progress.
| The Spanish loss as given in the report
of Admiral Montojo. was. including those
at the arsenal 3Sl men killed and wound
! ed. Not a man was lost in our fleet. and
| but slightly wounded. No damage was
! done our ships.
| This victory gave to our feet the COM
plete control of the Bay of Manila. The
| naval station at Cavite was taken pos
session of and its fortifications We're de-
stroyed. The admiral reported that the
| city could be taken a any time when a
sufficient number of troops We're on hand
| to hold it.
/ Aside from the mere fact of having won
without the loss of single life. such a
| brilliant and electrifying victory at the
very outset of the war. with all the con-
! iidence which IL infused throughout the
country and into the personnel of every
branch of the service. it removed at once
all apprehension for the Pacific Coast.
The indirect pecuniary advantage to the
| United States in the way of saving an
increase of insurance rates and in assur-
| ing the country of freedom from attack
on that coast is incaculable.
| 1t was at once determined to re-enforcc
the Asatic Squadron and to send troops
to take and occupy the city of Manila.
We come now to the operations of the
North American fleet. which constitutes
the chief interest OF the document, on ac-
count of the open and unconcealed at
tempt to distort and falsify history
chronology. and geography for the benefit
of Admiral Sampson.
| North Atlantic Fleet.
This fleet was under the command of
Admiral Montgomery sicard. L. s. n,
until March %. when it was found neces-
sary. on account of his health, to relieve
him from that onerous and exacting
duty capt Sampson. the senior officer
present. who was thoroughly familiar
| with the personnel and material of the
feet. and with all the arrangements
| which had been made preceding the ac-
tual outbreak of hostilities, was given
command of the fleet, with the rank of
rear admiral.
The North Atlantic fleet was composed
of the Blockading Squadron. Commodore
| J. C. Watson commanding from May 10
| June p; the First North Atlantic
Squadro Commodore J. C. Watson com
manding from June u TO June p; Commo-
! dore j. a. Howell commanding from July
l, on which date the Northern Patrol
Squadron became part of Admiral Samp
| sons command to the close of hostilities;
the Flying Squadron, Commodore w. 6.
Schley commanding from May "a. upon
which date it was placed under the or
ders of Admiral Sampson. to June y, upon
| which date 1t ceased to exist; and the
second North Atlantic Squadron, CommO-
dore w. 5. Schlsy commanding from June
q 10 the close of hostilities.
| A squadron called the Eastern Squadron.
| Commodore ]. G. Watson commanding
from July to September 30 was organ
| lied with the view of threatening the
coast of Spain; but owing to the suspen-
sion of hostilities ii did not proceed upon
that duty.
In addition, Commodore George c. Re
mey. who was in command of the naval
base at Key West. was directed, on June
| II. TO exercise command over all vessels
within signaling distance. under the -au-
| thority of Admiral Sampson
| During the entire period of hostilities
| portion of this fleet vas engaged in the
| blockade of the coast os Cuba.
| ON April % Admiral Cervera's fleet. com
! possd of the armored cruisers Cristobai
Co,on. Vizcaya. Almirante Oquendo and
Infanta Maria Teresa. and the torpedo
gunboats Furor. Terror and Piuton. sailed
from the Cape de Verde Islands.
As its destination was uncertain. Ad-
niral Sampson sailed east with portion
of The fleet under his command for the
nurpose of observation. He left Key West
| on the 4th of May in the flagship New
| York and off Havana picked up the Iowa.
| Indiana and Detroit. On the way east he
| was afterwards Joined by the monitors
Terror and Amphitrite and the Montsor-
| cry. Porter, Wompatuck and collier Nj
| agara.
At Cape Haitien on May he received
dispatches from the Department advising
| him that the Spanish squadron was re-
| ported at ST. Thomas, West Indies. In
| al ~ hn