The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-26


successfully passing the forts and mine de-
lenses guarding the entrance to the bay,
and destroyed the Spanish fleet under the
guns of the forts at Cavite The Reina
Christina, Castillo, Don Antonio de Uiloa
were sunk, the Don Juan de Austria, Isla
de Luzon, lsla de Cuba, General Leo,
and Isla de Mindanao (transporD were
burnt, and the tugs Rapido and Hercules
and several small launches We're captured.
Admiral Dewey has contracted for the rails
Ing of the Cuba, LuZon and Austria. and
this work is now in progress. The Spanish
loss. as given in the report Of Admiral
M0ntejo. was, including those at the ar
Eenal, 3S1 men killed and wounded. Not
man was lost in our fleet, and but nine
slightly wounded. No damage was done our
This victory gave to our feet the COM
plete control Of the bay of Manila The
naval station at Cavite was taken possess
sion of and its fortified tons were destroyed.
The admiral reported that the city could
be taken at any time when a sufficient
number Of troops were on hand to hold it.
Aside from the mere fact of having won,
without the loss of a single life, such a
brilliant and electrifying victory at the very
outset of the war, with all the confidence
which II infused throughout the country
and into the personnel of every branch of
the service it removed at once all appre-
hension for the Pacific coast. The indirect
pecunary advantage to the United States
IN the way of saving an increase Of insur-
ance rates and in assuring the country Of
freedom from attack on that coast is in
cUculable II was at once determined to
reinforce the ASiatic sQua dron and to send
Mia
Early in June the Charleston, which had
previously sailed from San Francisco, was
Joined at Honolulu by the chartered steam
or City Of Pekin. and on the 4th sailed
with her ard with the army transports
Austraha ana city OF sidney, Tor Mania,
carrying tho first detachment of troops.
The Charleston proceeded TO Guam. one of
the Ladrone islands, arriving there June
20 Demand was made for the immediate
surrender 0GfenEGS
Guam and all officials and persons IN the
military service of Spain. The surrender
Followed and the American flag was hoiSted
With view to further reinforce the Ash
attic squadron, the Monterey sailed, with
the collier Brutus, from San Diego, on June
II, and the Monadnock, with the collier
Nero, from San Francisco on June 25 Adj
miral Dewey continued TO exercise In the
Philippines a wise discretion, which con-
stanffv strengthened the mower Of the
United States in those Islands, and on Aug.
13. after the arrival of General Merritt, the
city OF. Manila surrendered to the army and
navy"
THE NORTH ATLANTIC FLEET.
Secretary Long covers briefly the part
taken by the navy in the annexation cere-
monies at Honolulu. The major portion of
the report is devoted to the work Of the
North Atlantic fleet This feet the Sec
rotary says. was under the command of
Admiral Montgomery Sicard, United States
navy, until March &C. when it was found
necessary, on account of his health, to re-
Heve him from that onerous and exacting
duty. Captain Sampson, the senior officer
present who was thoroughly familiar with
the personnel and material of the feet, and
with all the arrangements which had been
made preceding the actual outbreak of hos
tilities, was given command of the fleet,
with the rank of rear admiral The North
atlantic fleet was composed of the block
aiding squadron, Commodore j. G. Watson
commanding, from May to June Fl; the
first North Atlantic squadron, Commodore
j. G. Watson commanding, from June q to
June H Commodore j. A. Howell COM
manding from July 1. on which date the
Admiral SIMPSONS command to the close
of hostilities; the flying squadron, Commo
dofe w. y Schiey commanding from May
"a, upon which date it was placed under the
orders of Admiral Sampson, to June 81
upon which date it ceased to exist; and the
second North Atlantic squadron, Commo-
dore w. S, Schley commanding from June
n to the close of hostilities.
"A squadron called the eastern squadron,
from July to Sept. 20, was organized with
the view of threatening the coast of Spain;
but, owing to the suspension of hostilities,
II did not proceed upon that duty. In addi-
ton, Commodore George G. Remey, who
was in command of the naval base at Key
West, was directed on June 81 to exercise
command over all vessels within signaling
distance, under the authority of Admiral
\ Sampson. During the entire period of hos
in the blockade If the coast of Cuba.
on April 70 Admiral Cervera,s fleet,
composed OF the armored cruisers Cristoboi
Colon, Xizcaya, Almirante Oquendo and In
fanta Maria Teresa, and the torpedo gun
boats Furor. Terror and Pluton sailed from
the Cape de Verde islands, As its destina-
ton was uncertain, Admiral Sampson sailed
east with portion of the fleet under his
command for the purpose of observation.
lie left Key West on the 4th of May on the
flagship New York, and off Havana picked
up the Iowa, Indiana and Detroit. On the
way. east he was afterward joined by the
monitors Terror and Amphitrite and the
Montgomery, Porter, Wompatuck and collier
Niagara.
.'At Cape Haitien, on Nav z. he received
dispatches from the department advising
him that the Spanish squadron was report
ed at St Thomas, West Indies. Instructions
were also received that the vessels accom-
panying him were not TO be risked or Grip
pied in the bombardment of Notifications.
as as It was was considered unwise to risk any Of
the vessels OF our navy until the Spanish
fleets had been met and destroyed. Continu-
ing eastward in the hope Of finding the en-
envy at San Juan, Porto Rico, he found 1t
necessary, on account of the small coal sup
ply OF the monitors, to take them in tow,
and the squadron did not arrive off San
Juan until the morning of the 18th. A bonn
parchment of that place followed for two
hours and a half, but as there was no land
force to hold ii In case of It's surrender, and
as the Spanish fleet was not there. it was
determined to return to Havana where it
was possible Cervera might have gone.
CERVERA OFF CURACAO.
Wnlle the squadron was on its return
the following dispatch was received: THE
Spanish fleet from Cape Verde islands off
Curacao, West Indies. May IA. Flying squad
ron en- route Key West. Fla. Proceed with
all possible dispatch to Key West
Meantime the ST. Louis, which had Joined
the squadron, was ordered to proceed to
Santiago and Guantanamo for the purpose
OF cutting cables, to Ponce Porto Rico, for
the same purpose, and thence TO St. Thomas
to await orders. This work was bravely done
under exposure to the enemyS fire.
On the morning of May II the flagship
left the squadron in the Bahama channel
the Du Pont was met with dispatch from
the department stating that the Spanish fleet
had munitions of war destined for the de-
Tense OF Havana, and was under imperative
port connected with HavaT by rail, and
that, as Cienfuegos appeared to be the only
port fulfilling the conditions the fiving
squadron would be instructed upon arrival
at Key West to proceed to Cienfuegos In
structons were at the same time given To
squadron by such armored ships as he might
deem desirable. On May 10 the flying SQUAD
ron, comosed OF the Brooklyn. Texas
Massachusetts and Scorpion, sailed from
Key West for Cienfuegos with ins -uctions
70 establish a blockade at that place as
soon as possible"
Admiral Sampson left Key West for the
Havana blockade on May q, having been
previously informed of a report that Ger
NeraS fleet had entered Santiago harbor.
10 proceed there If the commodore was salts
Bed Cervera was not at Cienfuegos. Schley
was so instructed but there was some delay
Sn proceeding to Santiago because the COM