Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-07-28
THE IowA,s REPORT.
Capt. Evans Tells How Santiago Was
Taken.

| WASHINGTON July 2o.-Cantain
Rohley d. Evans, commanding the
Iowa, gives the following account of
his ships action during the engage
ment of Santiago.
az. s. S. Iowa, OF Santiago de Cuba,
July 4. 1898. Sir: have the honor
TO make the following report Of the
engagement with the Spanish squad
ron of Santiago de Cubi on the 2nd OF
July:
The leading vessel of the Spanish
squadron was sighted at $3.50 coming
out Of the harbor, The position OF
this vessel at the time was off the
entrance OF the harbor and MORO
castle, bearing about cOrth and dis
tant about three miles. Immediately
upon sighting the leading vessel the
orders were spread, and the Iowa
headed toward the leading Spanish
ship. About 9:40 the first shot was
fred from this ship at distance Of
about 6,0O0 yards The range was
rapidly reduced to $500 yards, and
subsequently, to 1000 and ] 200 yards.
"When it was certain that the
Maria Teresa would pass ahead of us,
the helm was put to starboard and the
starboard broadside delivered at a
range Of 2500 yards. The beln was
then put to port and the ship headed
across the bow of the second ship, and
as she drew ahead the helm as again
put TO starboard and she received in
turn the full weight of our starboard
broalside at a range of about 1900
yards. The Iowa was again headed
off With port helm for the third time
aud, as she approached, the helm vas
put to the starboard until cur course
was approximately that of the Span
ism ship, In this position, with
range Of l400 yards, the fire of the en-
tire battery, including the rapld-hre
guns, was poured into the enemy's
ship.
about 10 o'clock the enemy's tor
pedo-boat, destroyers FurOr and
PlutOn we're observed to have left the
harbor and to be following the Spanish
squadron AS soon as they we're dis
covered guns Of the secondary battery
OF this ship were turned on them,
while the main battery continued 10
engage the Vlzcaya, Oquendo and
Maria Teresa.
"rhe hre from the main battery of
this ship when the range was below
2500 yards was most effective and
destructive, and after continuance
OF this fire for perhaps 20 minutes it
was poticed that the Maria Teresa
and Oquendo were ia flames and were
being headed for the beach. Their
colOrs were being struck about 1920,
and they were beached about eight
miles west Of Santiago.
"About the same time the fire of
this vessel, together with that of the
Gloucester and another small vessel,
became so destructive that one of the
torpedo-destroyers (Pluton) was sunk,
and the Furor Was so much damaged
that she was run on the rocks. After
having passed the Oquendo and Maria
Teresa on fire and ashore, this vessel
continued to chase and fire upon the
Vizcaya until 1896, when a signal to
cease firing was sounded on board, it
having been discovered that the Viz
caya had struck her colors,
"At IL o'clock the Iowa arrived in
the vicinity of the V!zcaya, which had
been run ashore, and 1t was evident
that she could not catch the Cristo-
bal Colon. and that the Oregon, Brook
lyn and New York would, two steam
cutters and three cutters were i'm
nlediately sent to the Vizcaya TO res
cue her crew. Our boats succeeded in
bringing of large number Of Officers
and men OF that ships company, and
in placing many of them on board the
torpedo boat Ericsson and the aux
Hilary Dispatch boat Hist.
about 1880 the New York passed
in chase Of the Crlstobal Colon. which
was endeayoring to escape from the
Oregon, Brooklyn and Texas.
"We received on board this vessel
from the Vizcaya, Captain Eulate, the
commander. aid % officers. together
with about 24S petty officers and men,
of whom - were wounded. There
were also received on board five dead
bodies, which were Immediately bur-
led with honors due their grade.
"The battery behaved well Ia all
respects. This ship was struck ia the
hull, on the starboard side, during |