The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-10-26

balloon to the skirmish line, where It's
position is reported to have caused Sc
rlous loss to the troops by disclosing
their movements and attracting the en-
emy's fire. was the action of Major
General Shafter, through his chief en-
gineer, Colonel George McDerby, in the
face of the professional advice given by
Lieutenant Colonel Maxfield OF the
United States Volunteer Signal Corps
who is charged with the practical OPP
Grafton of the balloon, and VINO. be-
sides sharing absolutely every danger
to which Colonel McDerby was sub
jected, in addition had his horse shot
under him in previous reconnaissance
of the ground
General Greedy says that the Signal
Corps failed to receive from Major Gen
eral Shafter in his original report even
notice that it participated in the San
tiago campaign"
An interesting part of General Gree
ly's report is that relating to telegraph
censorship. Upon this feature he says:
There has been a misrepresentation
upon which the Signal Corps exercised
a press censorship during the war, an
opinion that is entirely unfounded, as
the Chief Signal officer ignored all
suggestions looking to interference with
the free and untrammeled publication
of press matters. even by the most SEN
sational and unpatriotic journals. 1t
may be added that the Associated Press
and many of the leading journals in
most patriotic spirit expressed fire.
quently and freely not only their will
ingness, but also their desire to refrain
from the publication Of any information
that would embarrass the Administra-
ton or be detrimental to the success
of the military operations. These Off
GERS were not Pickwickian, for in more
than one instance information of the
highest interest to the public has never
been published to this day, being held
secret by the press association, newspa,
per correspondents and editors as cal
culated, if given publicity to injure the
national cause"
General Greely'S report indicates that
the credit for the location of Admiral
Cervera's fleet in Santiago harbor be
longs to the Signal Corps, and says that
lin the interest Of history, let alone
justice to the Signal Corps of the army
the truth should be told. The location
of Cervera's squadron at Santiago was
llISl IIldQc ny SOlOItI JdIIlGS AlIGIl, anu
later verified independently by Lieuten-
ant Colonel Joseph E. Maxfield, both
officers of the Signal Corps.
The blockading of Cervera's squad
ron was due to the conservative action
of the President and Secretary of the
Navy, based on reports and representa-
lions made personally to them by the
Chief Signal officer of the army.
"On May 10Th Admiral Cervera en-
tered the harbor of Santiago with his
squadron. That very day Colonel Allen
telegraphed in cipher to the Chief Sig
nal officer: Five Spanish vessels ar
rived at Santiago de Cuba. Have noti
fed Admiral commanding (Sampson).
The Spanish flagship arrived at Santi-
ago de Cuba. The Admiral (Cervera)
has wired Madrid
"On the following morning he added
the following: 'Pelayo and four cruis-
ers in Santiago. No destroyers or tor
pedo boats arrived there
This information was communicated
Immediately to the President, and by
his orders to the Secretary of the Navy,
who, being impressed by the assurance
of the Chief Signal officer of the army
as to the entire reliability of this re-
port proved himself equal to the emer-
geney, and on that very day gave such
prompt and effective orders as result |
ed in the blockade of Santiago and the
ultimate destruction of Cervera's fleet"
The report says that Colonel Allen |
furnished cipher advices of the most |
valuable sort from Santiago almost |!
daily. He first reported that the Span
ish squadron was short of coal, and did
not renew its supply at Santiago, and |
also that the unarmored American
cruisers off the Cuban coast were mis-
taken by the Spanish for the main |
American fleet proving. says Greedy, |
1.-The wisdom and efficacy of Admiral |
Simpsons orders by cable that the fast
unarmored cruisers of the navy could |
perform good duty off Santiago"
The report then adds: "a cipher
message reported correctly that Ad-
miral Schley was that day al Cienfue |
Cos, and Cervera was at Santiago. |
Meanwhile the navy had been unable |
to verify the fact of Cervera's presence |
at Santiago, and as result the cor
rectness of the information furnished |
by the Signal Corps was sharply oues-
toned The Chief Signal officer being |
informed that the whole campaign was |
conducted upon his representations, |
was asked to- verify the information !
from other sources, if possible. Prompt |
action was taken by the Chief Signal |
Officer, who adopted such lines of OPP
erations that thereafter there was !
scarcely day he was not in possession |
of information of some kind or other |
coming over one Of the six circuits lead |
ing out of Santiago"