Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1898-10-13
The Investigation Board SAYS he
Gave Some Orders, but They
We're Unnecessary.
DUE CREDIT GIVEN
THREE BATTLESHIPS.
The Oregon. Texas and Iowa We're the
Vessels That Destroyed the Fleet
Wainwright Not Mentioned
In the Report.

New nrk, OCT. H. Although the
American fee. Ia the battle OF Santiago
ON July o oboycd the general orders Of
Rear Admiral Sampson, given IN al.
vance 20 meet just such an emergency,
it was essentially captains fight
This j. the substance Of the report of the
naval board which has been inyesfigat-
ing disputed points in the battle. Rear
Admiral Sampson was not present. and
tho two orders hgnAlled by schley,
"close In" and engage the enemy"
did no good and were unnecessary, Tor
the ships had already closed In and were
engaging the enemy when the orders
were run up The full text Of the re.
port must come from Washington. but
many interesting points wero obtained
from the navyyari after the board,
which had been In session on the Brook.
lyn. finally adjourned.
Tho board finds In a more general way
that each ship in the feet knew exactly
what to do should Cervera come out
and did IL when he came out Each
captain fought bis ship on plans pre-
pared and orders given by Sampson.
Even bad schley directed the movement
Of the feet In the battle. which Il wa.
unnecessary. they would have been e1.
ocuted because Of the PREPARATION made
by sampson and within his general or
ders.
The findings Of the board is summa.
rzsd a. follows:
]. The battle was fought and won
upon plans prepared By Rear Admiral
Sampson
g The direction of the movement Of
ships done boy Schley during the battle
was iuconadonble
q. The New York had no active pari
IN the fight
g. The Brooklyn was not engaged At
% close quarters as has been reported by
the first report On an average she wa,
two miles away from the enemy.
o. The brunt of the fighting was born'
by the Oregon. Texas and Iowa.
@. The New York was about min,
miles from the Colon when that shiy
surrendered, and between four aud dv,
miles from the nearest sister ships en-
gagged from which signal distance q
takon.)
2. Tho average range Of the ship,
most engaged was about a mile and 4
half
5. No American ship At any time dur
ing the battle was within a mile Of NJ
unsurrcndcred ship.
The New York, the board finds, dit
nothing 20 affect tho issue Of the battle
When the Colon's flag came down IN,
New York was nearly 10 miles TO the
eastward. Sampson was near sib0ney
where he heard the firing and turnet
about aud oAmo hack ne fast a. forced
dnught could bring him. Tho New Yorl
was further In shore than any Of thl
other vessels, but too FAR away 10 assis
any In the destruction Of the Spanish
feet All she did was TO fire two shots a
long range NJ torpedo boat destroyer
She did not reach the Colon until thre,
quarters OF an hour after the Oregon
and Brooklyn and 10 minutes after IN,
Texas reached there.
AZ the time OF the hottest fightinf
between 10 and 1915 a. nj III,
Brooklyn was In line with the Oregon
but throc.quArters OF mile farther oul
10 sea. The Oregon ~ that time wa
pouring fire into the Maria Teresa. Tn,
/ Oquondo was about 5000 yards distant
with the Texas and Iowa a half mile /,
the rear of her
/ According 20 the testimony the Brook
lyn was lying farther out 10 sea thGr
any Of the American ships. She headed
IN at once and when about 1000 yard
from the Maria Teresa, which was lead
ing the Spanish loet out, she turned q
the eastward, then doubled souihward
10 sea for a short distance. schloy ther
followed n parallel course with the Span
hrds, keeping up a running fight III
was well outside the course OF the othoi
American vessels and In the lead. III
kept this position, an average distanc,
! If about two miles from the Colon unit