The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-06-04
To the Navy Department the Extent
and Purpose of His Attack
on Santiago.
JUST ARECONNOISSANCE
Which Was Very Successful and Executed in Per-
feet Safety-Sigsbee's Story of Santiago--Fow
Cervera Tight Keep the American Fleet Out,

gardine ths recent service Of his ship IN
| Ihe vicinity OF Santiago de Cuba, at which
/ port, Il has been said, Captain Sigsbee
ran the ST. Paul well into the mouth Of
the harbor and obtained the first definite
Information OF the presence there of the
Spanish Admiral Cervera's squadron
After visiting Commodore Bunce. at the
navy yard Captain Sigsoee relaxed from
his reserve sufficiently to say to a re-
porter:
7 had target practice right along from
the first day I arrived at Santiago, on
May 2. and since none Of my men have
been IN the service long, am well salts
fed with their work a: the guns We
have not been in any fight so far but my
men will give a good account Of them
selves.
1T was on the 25th when we captured
the Restormel. knew that the Spaniards
needed the coal very badly and 1 made
every effort to see that they did not get it,
while off Santiago with Schley 1 saw
two more Spanish cruisers and Schley saw
two torpedo boats. There is no question
that they are bottled up as tight as can
Dc IN santiago narDOr.
Il went in so close that made sketches
OF their Notifications which l am sending
to Washington.
Their guns could easily have reached
me, but the batteries made no attempt
TO fire, for what reason I do not know.
1t may be the Spaniards did not want to
reveal the strength and location of their
guns.
Il am going to Washington with dis
patches from the fleet, and as soon as
we have coaled and provisioned we shall
put to sea again. This probably will not
be for three or four days.
LAS soon as I arrived outside the harbor
OF Santiago there were indications of the
presence of Cervera's fleet on the inside,
beyond the hills.
Il Rugged the mouth Of the harbor so
closely that it would have been impossi-
BILE for anything aioat TO sneak out with
out our seeing them.
at was either the third or fourth day
after our arrival that I saw two Spanish
vessels, which I was sure were the Viz
caya and the Cristobal Colon. They crept
cautiously into the stream and got to
the caught sight of me they scampered
back as rapidly as they could steam.
"As soon as we arrived off the harbor
I announced my presence by the courtesy
of salute, taking as a target one of the
Spanish forts. The fort evidently did not
intend to accord me the courtesy due in
return, for its guns remained silent When
was satisfied with the practice my men
had had, 1 steamed the st. Paul out Of
range and resumed scout duty outside
the mouth Of the harbor
1t was directly under the guns of a
fort and within easy range that took
the Restormel with 2,4OO tons of coal
aboard.
This coal was evidently intended for
the Spanish fleet and for the Restormel TO
run our blockade and enter Santiago har-
bar would of itself have been good evil
dence that the Spanish were there. We
had TO fire several shots at her before she
hove to. I put a prize crew aboard and
sent the collier to Key West.
During the period I was at Santiago
between May % and 20. schley came and
went several times, cruising a little TO the
westward. But the St. Paul remained off
Santiago harbor for all of the eight days
1T was on May % that I saw heavy
lines Of smoke from what I at first thought
was the Spanish squadron coming to the
relief of Cervera. There was great excite
ment on board the st. Paul and I i'm
mediately put out after the fleet. I soon
found the smoke was coming from
Schley's ships returning TO the entrance
Of the harbor.
ION this day both Schley and myself
saw again positive evidences that the
Spanish feet was still bottled up inside the
Santiago harbor.
When 1 came up with schley's fleet we
both signaied-Schiey 20 me and l TO him"