The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-12
FROM SCHLEY'S VESSEL
VIEW OF THE NAVAL BATTLE FROM
THE CRUISER BROOkLYN.
How 1t Appeared to a Correspondent
Who stood at the CommOdOrc's
Elbow Through the Fight.

Correspondence of the Associated Press. Copy
rignted)
JURUGUA, Cuba, July 4.-The following
description of the battle between the Ameri-
can and Spanish war ships in these waters
was written by tho only non-combatant who
witnessed the entire fight. The non-com-
blatant was the correspondent of the Asso-
ciated Press. who saw the engagement from
d position almost at the elbow of Commo-
dore Schley on the United States cruiser
Brooklyn:
Sunday, July 3.-The fifth Sunday for the
American squadron before Santiago and the
ninth weekly anniversary of the day of the
Dewey victory at CaVite and the fifth of
the discovery by Commodore Schley of the
whereabouts of Admiral Cerveras squadron
brought no particularly different situation
from that marking the preceding Sundays
The monotony, the lack of picturesquenesS
at daybreak the heat of the tropical sun
all We're there. Over the tops of hills APP
despite the Saturday bombardment, to
speak their piece if called upon. On
the slightly rolling sea the great
swung lazily at a distance of from four to
five miles from the harbor entrance. The
line which at all times was supposed TO be
a half circle, inclosing the harbor entrance
as d central point, was more than ordinarily
broken up this hot morning. The big bat
tie ships had drifted to the east consider
ably, and the Massachusetts, the New
York, the New Orleans and the Newark
We're not in sight, the New York having
taken Admiral Sampson down to Altares,
visit to the camp of the American army;
while the other missing vessels were at
Guantanamo. forty miles to the east.
The vessels the blockade were the
Iowa, Indiana and Oregon, battle ships the
flagship of Commodore Schley, the Brook
Ign, and the small yachts Gloucester and
further out than the rest of the squadron.
trying to fix her forward twelve-inch tur-
h Oo In
diana was doing the same thing to her for
ward thirteen-inch turret. The absolutely
available ships in the squadron. therefore
were only the Oregon, Texas and Brooklyn,
although later both Captain Evans and
Captain Taylor fought their ships.
Ii is a custom on ships, regulated by the
at least once each three months, and that
the articles of war shall be read. First call
had been sounded at 9:15 a. m, and the men
Were assembling on the decks The lookout
in the masthead of the Brooklyn some time
before reported smoke in the harbor but, as
the same thing had been noticed several
times. no special attention was paid to it,
The Brooklyn and the Vixen were the only
ships TO the west of the entrance. the other
ships having drifted well to the east.
On the bridge Navigator Hodgson. of the
Brooklyn, said sharply to the lookout: Isn't
that smoke moving?" and the lookout after
minutes inspection with the long glass,
dropped it excitedly and fairly yelled,
There's big ship coming out of tbs har-
Dor. sir" Hodgson, who is particularly
grasping the megaphone, shouted: After
bridge there. Tell the commodore the
oT sc6 GHwV Was Sitting under the
awning on the quarter deck. Going to the
bridge, he said Raise the signal to the
fleet" and, turning to Captain Cook, who
stood near, he said, Clear ship for action"
Then he went forward and took his place
on a little platform of wood running on the
outside of the coming tower, which had
been built for him. He was dressed in blue
trousers, a black alpaca jacket and the reg
ulation cap without the broad band of gold
braid.
The men with a yell went to their guns
and the rapid preliminary orders were given.
Schley, glasses in hand, watched the first
west. Still he gave no signal to fire or
move. The Oregon opened with her thir-
teen-inch shells. and the Indiana and Texas
one. Still the Brooklyn waited. But down
below the coal was being forced into the
furnace, every boiler was being worried
to know which way they were all going or
whether they would scatter. In the mean
time the Oregon began to turn to the west
and the Texas had moved in closer ana
was damaging the leading ship, the lnfanta
Maria Teresa
''They are all coming west sir shouted
Lieutenant Sears, and just then the western
batteries opened up.
Full speed ahead open fire shouted the
%aste Shot he added and the orderes
carried the word to the. turrets.
In an instant the Brooklyn's terrific eight
and five-inch batteries on her port side
in front of the first escaping ship, firing
at and receiving the fire from two Of them.
Then Commodore Schley saw that the first
ship was coming out from the shore, headed
directly for the Brooklyn, with the evident
intention of ramming her.
clever maneuver was here accom-
pliShed. Hard apOrt with your helm,
shouted Schley, and the cruiser began to go
around. the smoke coming from her tunnels
l., nltfn che fIIrf md
quickly her big steel ram was pointing at
the first ship. The Infanta Maria Teresa
had to work inshore to avoid being
rammed. The shells of the Texas and Ore
gon, with the terrible storms of shell from
the Brooklyn had done their work. and the
smoke began to appear pouring from her
decks.
In the meantime the converted yacht
Gloucester could be seen, with the help OF
destroyers that had followed the last ship
out. At 10 o'clock the entire Cape Verde
squadron was outside the harbor and going
rapidly westward. The Iowa and the Indiana
could not keep up the pace. but the Oregon
was coming across to the assistance of the
Brooklyn which, at 1905, was engaging the
first three ships, the Infanta Maria Teresa
the Cristobal Colon and the Vizcaya. At
10:11 the Spanish ships had all concentrated
their shots on the Brooklyn. and she was in
a perfect rain of shells, most of which went
over her Standing in this hail of shells.
Commodore Schley asked young man
named Ellis. who stood near him with
Vizcaya?"
The man took the observation. Twenty
two hundred yards. sir, he said, and there
was whistle. followed by splash. as his
head was literally torn from his shoulders
by an eight-nch shell.
TOO bad" said Commodore Schley, as the
body fell at his feet, and then with his
glasses to his eyes. he added, the first ship
is done for. She is running ashore
The Maria Teresa was running her nose
On the beach and in an instant was mass
of flames. The Brooklyn was ordered to
concentrate her fire on the Almirante
Oquendo. and, with the Orr CONS assistance.
in ten minutes more the Oquendo was sent
ashore a burning wreck. but a short dis
tance from Santiago. The Iowa in the
meantime had sunk one torpedo boat de-
stroyer and the other one had been driven
ashore by the Gloucester's terrible, rapid fire.
At 1919 the Brooklyn turned her atten-
ton to the Vizcaya. the Crstobal Colon
having passed the latter. and now being in
the lead well up the coast. At the time the
only vessels in sight from the BROOKLYN
were the oregon. about n mile and half
astern and the Texas. about three miles
astern. At 1904 the Vizcaya was raked
fore and aft clean along her gun deck by
on eight-inch shell from, the Brooklyn.
her superstructure with terrific force kill