Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1898-07-27

and Captain Evans of the Iowa on the
battle of July B, which resulted in the
destruction of Cervera's squadron.
Sampson report said in part:
The Detailed Report.
u. s. FLAGSHIP NEW York, FIRST RArF,
OFF SANTvGo De CUBA, July l5, 1893.
SIR--I have the honor to make the following
report upon the battle with and the destrue-
ton of the Spanish squadron, commanded by
Admiral Cervera off Santiago de Cuba, on
Sunday, July 3. 1893.
Second-The enemy's vessels came out of
the harbor between :35 and 10 a. M, the head
of the column appearing around Cay Smith at
9:31 and emerging from the channel five or six
minutes later.
Third-The positions of the vessels of my
command off Santiago at that moment were as
follows:
The flagship New York was four miles east
of her blockading station and about seven
miles from the harbor entrance. She had
started for Siboney, where intended to land.
accompanied by my staff, and go to the front
to consult with General Shafter A discus.
sion of the situation and a more definite
understanding between us of the operations
proposed had been rendered necessary by the
Unexpectedly strong resistance of the Spanish
garrison of Santiago l had sent my chief OF
staff on shore the day before to arrange an in
terview with General Shafter, who had been
suffering heat prostration l made ar.
rangements to go to his headquarters and my
flagship was in the position mentioned above
when the Spanish squadron appeared in the
channel The remaining vessels were in or
near their usual blockading positions, distrib-
uted in a semi-circle about the harbor en-
trance counting from the eastward to the
westward In the following order
Positions of Other Vessels
The Indiana. about mile and half from
shore, the Oregon-the New York's place be.
tween these two-the Iowa, Texas and Brook.
lyn, the latter two miles from the shore west
of Santiago The distance of the vessels from
the harbor entrance was from two and one.
half to four miles-the latter being the limit
of day-blockading distance. The length of the
arc formed by the ships was about eight miles.
The Massachusetts had left at 4 a. IN. for
Guantanamo for coal. Her station was be.
tween the Iowa and Texas The auxiliaries
Gloucester and Vixen lay close to the land and
nearer the harbor entrance than the large yes
sells, the Gloucester to the eastward and the
Vixen to the westward. The torpedoboat
Ericsson was in company with the flagship and
remained with her during the chase until or
dered to discontinue, when she rendered very
efficient service in rescuing prisoners from the
burning Vizcaya. l enclose "a diagram show.
az described above.
Fourth-The Spanish vessels came rapidly
out of the harbor at speed estimated at from
to 10 knots and in the following order:
Infants Maria Teresa fflagship) Vizcaya
Cristobal Colon and the Allnirante Oouendo
The distance between these ships was about
800 yards, which means that from the time the
first one became visible in the upper reach OF
the channel until the last one was out of the
harbor, an interval of only about 12 minutus
elapsed. Following the Oquendo, at a distance
of about | 200 yards came the torpadoboat de.
stroyer PlutSn and after her the Furor. The
armored cruisers, rapidly as they could
bring their guns to bear, opened vigorous
fire upon the blockading vessels and emerged
from the channel shrouded in the smoke from
their guns.
What the New York Did.
Fifth-The men of our ships in front of the
port Were at Sunday Quarters for inspec
ton" The signal wa made simultaneously
from several vessels enemy ships escaping"
and general quarters was sounded The men
cheered as they sprang to their guns and fire
was opened probably within eight minutes
by the vessels whose guns commanded the en-
trance. The New York turned about and
steamed for the escaping fleet, flying the sig
nal 'close in towards harbor entrance and at
tack vessels and gradually increasing speed,
until toward the end of the chase she was
lo12 kUOIS ana was rapidly closing
the Cristobal Colon. She was not, at any
time, within the range of the heavy Spanish
ships, and her only part in the firing was to
receive the undivided fire from the forts in
passing the harbor entrance, and to fire a few
shots at one of the destroyers thought at the
moment TO be attempting to escape from the
Gloucester.
Sixth-The Spanish vessels, upon clearing
the harbor, turned to the westward in column
increasing their speed to the full power of
their engines. The heavy blockading vessels,
Which had closed in toward the Moro at the
instant of the enemys appearance and at
their best speed delivered a rapid fire. well
sustained and destructive. which speedily
overwhelmed and sileneed the Spanish fire
The initial speed of the Spaniards carried
them rapidly past the blockading vessels and
the battle developed into chase, in which the
Brooklyn aud Texas had at the start the adj
vantage Of position. The Brooklyn maintained
fhls lead The Oregon steaming with amaz-
ing speed from the commencement of the
action, took first place. The Iowa and the
Indiana having done good work. and not hay
ing the speed Of the other ships, were d.
rected by me, in succession at about the time
the Vizcava wac beached To dron out of the