The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-07-29

NY department has made pubic the
report of Captain Cook. Of the Brook
lynn Lieutenant Usher, commanding; the
Erlc on. and Captain Cotton, Of the
5aSvard. giving their stories Of the de-
structlon o. Cervera's feet. Captain
Cooks report Is as follows:
Z %. 8. n s. BROOKLYN, (hrst rate.)
~ anchor, GUANTANAMO Bay, July z,
ls9s.
sIR;-l., Al 0 a. M, July 3, I gave or
dee1. and Arrangements were made for
general muster at 9:30 a. m. At $3.50 a.
M the enemy were telegraphed by the
iowa Is coming out. Al the same time
they were discovered by the quarter
master on watch, N. Anderson, Of this
8hip, and reported to the officer OF the
deck The executive officer, Lieutenant
Commander Mason, who was on deck
about to execute the order for general
muster, Immediately gave the order,
Eiear ship for action and general quar-
tef65 Signai Wag made at the same
time, Enemy coming out, action.
went Immediately forward, stood for the
enemy and gave order to get steam on
Rt boilers. We started with steam On
three boilers vt about u knots speed.
3 The head OF the Spanish squadron,
n column, was tust outside the entrance
Of the harbor OF Santiago heading about
8. w. The Spanish squadron consisted
Of the Maria Teresa (fiagship), VlscayR,
oquendo and Colon and two torpedo
boat GeStToyeFs. We opened hre on the
e leading ship In 1--WE minutes from the
discovery.
8. The port battery 1SaS hrst engaged
a. we stood with port helm to head Oh
the leading ship. and giving them a
TakinE FIRE at about 1900 yards range.
( The enemy turned to the westward close
into the land. We then wore around to
gtlFhoard, bringing the starboard bat
$oFy Into action The enemy Rugged the
thore to the westward.
The rrSokiyn LEAFS.
The Brooklyn leading. was followed by
the Texas, Iowa, Oregon, Indiana and
Gl0uchsteE. The Vixen, which had been
10 westward OF US on the blockade, ran
to the southwark and eastward OF Us
and kept for some time on our port side
4 ttanf about 1000 yards, evidently in.
hdirg u guard against torpedo at
taclEs UPON this ship. The shells pass
Ing over US fell very thick about her.
some passing over her. At this time the
firing was very fast and the whlsting
Of shell inceSsant and our escape with so
little Injury was miraculous and can
only be attributed to bad marksman-
ship on the part OF the enemy. The Ma
RE Teresa, which had dropped aSteEn
!, whine we were wearing, under the heavy
IRE Of our feet ran ashore.
5. The Vlscaya. Oquendo and Colon
combining on and gaining in distance.
The Brooklyn was engaged with three
leading ships Of the enemy Which were
forging ahead, the Texas, lowe and I'M
diana keeping up heavy fire, but
steadily dropping RSteFn. The Oregon
was keeping up steady fire and was
coming up In the most glorious and gall
liant 1ytyle, outStTipping All others. It
was an inspITttlng sight to see this bat
tieEhIp with a large white wave before
her and her snokest aclEs belching forth
contInued pufrs from her forced draft.
We were making II knots at the time
end the Oregon came on our starboaro
duarter al about 600 yards and main
thinsd her position. though We soon at:
ter increased our speed to Is knots and
lust before the Colon surrendered were
making nearly 16 knots
6 The Oduendo soon after the falling
out OF tine Teresa, dropped astern and on
dre ran ashore. The Viscaya and Colon
continued on. under fire from Brooklyn
and Oregon. The other vessels OF our
heet were well astern and out OF range,
The Texas was evidently coming up
fast, At about 1883 a. m. the Vlscaya
WE seen to be on fire, and the Colon
PASSED inside Of her with increased
need. took the lead and gradually
forged ahead. The Viscaya soon after
ran on the beach a blaze OF IRE. We
siguaaled the Oregon to cease firing on
the Viscaya, as her flag was down.
The ChaAe for the Colon.
PJyInR Immediately ceased and we
Goth continued the chase Of the Colon,
now about 1900 yards away. The
ranges ran from 1900 to three thous-
and yards, with the YizcaEa as she
kept in and out from the coast. We
9teered straight for a distant point near
CAPE Cruz, while the Colon kept close TO
fiie land. running into all the big yes
Gels, She could not have come out
without crossing our bows and we were
steadily gaining on her. We are getting
more steam all the time ana now nao
four and one-half boilers on and the re-
fnaInIng one and one-halt nearly reaay.
T-After running for about alty miles
INTO a blight on land, beached, fired a
g,in "a leeWard and hauled down her
ar. The oregon and Brooklyn had just
previously begun to fire upon the Colon.
md were landing shell close TO her.
No sent on board by Commodore
Sebley 10 receive the surrender. The
Cantain spoke English and received me
oleaSantlV, though naturally much de-
Sregged He surrendered unconditional
~ He was polite, shook hands ana
Eaia that his case was hopeless ana
4hot he saw that we were TOO much Tor
sim I WAS on board about fifteen min
800 As we came from the Colon the
ds0Ehlp New York came in with the
TeIaG. reported on board the flagship
n Rear Admiral Sampson. stated TO
him that / believed the Colon could De
gotten OF the beach.
S-DurIng the entire action was IN
constant communication with you 80
fbat was enabled to promptly execute
your orders and instructions. The ON.
eers and crews behaved with great and
unexceptionRble GOODNESS and bravery
n that II Is difficult to discriminate
They were encouraged in their best ef.
fortS by your enthusiasm and your
CHEEKY words: "Fire steady, boys, ana
give It to them!"
9-The executive officer, N. 3. Ma
son, with his usual zeal. was continual.
IN at the battery directing the firing
ana keeping me well informed Of the
exact condition Of the ship and eneouF-
aring both officers and men by his ex'
ample Of GOODNESS and courage.
The only Fatality.
1O-Lleutcnant Bodgson vas on the
bridge coolly and deliberately taking
bearings and measuring and giving
ranges. He was assisted Ia getting
ranges and noting time by Chief Yeo-
man George Ellis. with a stadlmetre,
mill Ellis was killed by a passing shell,