Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-07-27

her flag at 1:15 P. NJ, and ran her
ashore at d point some five miles west
of Santiago harbor. Your flagship was
coming up rapidly at the time. as was
also the Texas and Vixen A little
later. after your arrival, the Cristobai
Colon. which had stuck TO the Brook
Ign and oregon. was turned over u You
as ne of the trophies Of this great vic
tory of the squadron under your COM
n4und.
During my o'tic al VS. /, a little la se:,
Commander Eaton, Of the Resulute. APP
ljcared and reported to you the pres
~nre OF u Spanish battieshp near Alta
res. Your orders to me were to take
.he Oregon and go eastward to meet
her and this was done.
Il would mention for your cons.dera-
'ion that the Brooklyn occupied the
most westward blockading position
with the Vixen and being more directly
in the route taken by the Spanish
.Huadron WAS exposed for some MIN
utcs. possibly ten. to the gun fire uf
;hr"" OF the Spanish ships and the west
battery at Il range Of J, 800 yeardS from
The Ships and about 800 from the bat
cries. but the vessels Of the entire
squadron. closing in rapidly, soon di
v1rted this fire and ,..l magnificent
work at close range. have never be-
fore Witnessed such deadly and fatally
accurate shooting as was done by the
ships Of your command as they closed
II on the Spanish squadron and deem
i, h,sh privilege to commend to you
for acton as you may deem proper the
:;zlliantry and dashing courage. the
prompt decision and the skillful hand
Ing OF their respective vessels of Capt.
Philip. Capt. Evans. Cap. Clark and eS-
pes. ally of my chief OF staff. capt. G ,ok.
who was under my personal Observa-
ton and whose GOODNESS, proEptness
ana courage We're of the highest order
The dense smoke Of the combat shut
out from me the Indiana and Gluuces-
ter. but as these vessels We're closer IL
your flagship no doubt their part in the
conflict was under your immediate OBJ
scrH:tiOn.
Lieutenant sharpe, commanding tbs
Vixen. acted %ith conspicuous courage
Though unable to engage the heavy
ships of the enemy with his light guns,
nevertheless. he was close in to the
battle line under heavy fire and many
of the enesny's shot passed beyond his
vessel
4 beg to invite special attention TO
the conduct OF my flag Lieutenant,
james H. Sears. and Ensign Edward
McCully. Jr.. aide who We're constant
~ at my side during the engagement
and who exposed themselves fearlessiy,
diScharging their duties, and to the
splendid behavior of Second Lieutenan,
b. w. Wells. .M
Il would commend the highly lnerito-
rious conduct and courage in the en-
\. L. Mason. the executive officer.
whose presence everywhere over the
ship during its continuance did much
to secure the good result of this ships
part in the victory.
The naval navigator. Lieutenant
HoEdon. and the division officers. Ltu-
tenant +. l.. Griffin. Lieutenant Il. w.
Rush. Lieutenant Simpson, Lieutenant
]. G., Doyle. Ensign Charles Webster
and the junior divisional officers. We're
mos; steady and conspicuous in every
detail of duty contributing to the rapid
iiring of this ship.
u have never in my life served with
4 Drawer. better or worthier crew than
that OF the brooklyn. During the COM
bat lasting from y:35 until Els F. NJ
much of the time under fire. they never
Tagged u moment ana We're apparently
unuisturbed.
The result of the engagement was
The destruction VI the Spanish squadron
and the capture of the admiral and
some l.30O or 1,500 prisoners with the
loss of several hundred killed. estimated
by Admiral Cervera at 600 men.
The casualties on board this ship
were: c. H. Ellis. chief yeoman, kill
ed: j. Burns. first class. severely woun-
thc ship was struck about fifty times.
The speed-cune halyardS were shot
away and nearly all the signal hal
Yards. The ensign at the main was SO
shattered that in hauling it down ut
the close it fell in pieces
II congratulate you most sincerely
upon this great victory to the squadron
under Your command and l am glad
tina; ! had an opportunity to contribute
IN the least to Il victory that seems big
enough Tor all OF US.
Since reaching this place and hold
ing conversations with several OF the
prisoners. viz: Captain Eulate. of the
Nizcaya and the second in command Of
the Colon. Commander Contreres, l
nave learned that the Spanish admit
tire for 4 while on the Brooklyn and
the NiZcaya To ram her in the hopes
that if they could destroy her the
chance of escape would be Increased
as IL was supposed she was the swiftest
ship of Your squadron. This explains
The heavy firing mentioned and the
NiZcaya's action in the early move
uents of the engagement.
II am glad to say that the injury sup
pnsed To be below the water line was
due to water valves opening from
some unknown cause and flooding the
compartment. The injury to the belt is
found to be only slight.
beg 10 enclose list OF the officers
ana crew who participated in the com
bat OF July ;. 1895
II cannot close this report without
| mentioning in high terms OF praise the
splendid conduct and support of Cap
! cain G. T.. Clark, Of the Oregon. Her
speed was wonderful and her accurate
fire spienddly destructive.
| Very respectfully
| wv. S. SCHLEY,
Commodore U. 8. Navy
| Commanding second squadron. North
Atlantic fleet
The COMMANDMENT chief. u. S. force.
North Atlantic Squadron
a QUEER HABIT.