Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-08-26
ImE INnIANA wAs IN Ir.
Captain Taylor Oeis Letter from ssmp-
sou which Puts Him Right

WNhhihHiNu, NuF, %, Admiral
sampson has forwarded TO tho navy
department the following lrters
which passed between himself and
capt Taylor OF the baitcshlp In
dInnni
u. :. g Indiana. Guantanamo Hay.
Aus 9. isps-Admlrul.-The report ~
Commodore schloy on the battle Of July
lri. az published. glv,s credit Ia tho
seventh paragraph 10 four ships. and
mentions by name their captains. Phil
lp, Evans. clark and Cook. aud adds!
Tho dense smoke OF tho combat shut
out from my view tho Indiana ana
Gloucester. but a. thnsc vessels were
closer 20 your flngship. no doubt their
part ln the conflict was under your
'ni Hate observation"
ttClnd-in your report. nH published
yuu mako hut slight mention ~ tho IN.
l diana, wHilug that thn Iowa and In
| diana, having done good work and not
having the speed nf the other ships.
/ were directed BY me. etc.
1hlrd-Tnc result % these IMPORTS IL
/ that the captains OF an tho vessels oi
/ the line Of htiflr. except the Indiana.
/ have received personal mention ln the
! ufnrlal report before tho department.
while the two smaller vessels have also
had distinctive mention. either from
the cDmmnndcr-in-chlcf or the second
ln Cumnmnd
Fpurth-ln the oiilclnl record should
they Boz reforrtd 10 In future, lt viii up,
pear from ita general tone that tho
Indiana WIS ltsn deserving than an hrt
clus0rts. Leaving out my personal lu'
i Lea he q F.WUH TINT
should consider the officers and crew
of the ship. ana I speak Tor thrm ui
Wrll uH Tor myself. when l submit "a
sou, admiral that thu above Cnmnlnu'
ton OF reports viii place tho ship 10
the opinion OF the department and the
country markedly below all the uihri
vessels ~ your squadron. l rrHpTct'
fully submit. alr that this II lniufuc,
90 tho Indiana aud her officers ana
crew.
1 can say without disparaFcmrnt Of
any other vessel that during the hnI
hour ~ tho ight, the lndinnhH SUI
nrc contributed "a tho destruction 81
/ tho Oqutndo and the Teresa mon, thar
thnt ~ any single vessel ~ ynul
squadron, except one, ana equals nor
DO not know why the second IN com
mnnd failed 20 observe the lniliua
during this period ~ our hottest hetlph
saw tho brooklyn qnlto plainly
givth-An examination M th'fe TO-
ports wl,h reference 90 the lndlAnA
! Wm. 1 believe, convince You, tt lht
/ ihay do produce the eject or putilhi
| Ihf Indiana below all inc upher N,e.'l
/ ui The squadron, " " h' glu, ln'.W
| Flr. thli thH o. "a, case AMI lhAt nl
/ Inc vessels from she brooklyn 90 M
! Vixen rendered service lf much NOR
valuable than The Indiana as The pun
| UHhfu rGu1rt OF tho clmulludrr-ln
| chief and tho SECOND iu command
| Hkrn torafh 70 would Indicate, then
| must uCcsp, 70 Cor myself ana enc snip
/ M. on the contrary, thtt De- nor YOU
| opinion, I URGE respectfully mat Huel
| s..ps ht taken 90 remedy this luiu'.el
/ lB may seem wlFe o. YOU. Nrty &C.
/ spectfllly. H. q. TAYLOR,
Clptlln u. $. n. Commanding.
THE REPLY
In his reply Admiral Sampson Gays
| 81 certainly ana not Intend 90 crltie's
ynu 0r % bgstlw ioss praise on The ln
diana fhln was bestowed upon auI
| other ship OF thr alu1lrnn. The far
/ that the cammfndlnE officer uf the IN
diana was slgnallei ~ return 90 hiIcl,
AIDE al tho mouth OF The hirhnr dfic
he had so Etllartly contributed o. 90
| destruction NJ tho spanish ships, va
/ only a necessary prcolutlIn which th
! commander lu-phlet fllt obliged Q
! take o. prevent disaster % tho Lars
| number NJ tfluHpur's which Werr lUf
/ lu that vicinity when ihe Meet alNrtr
| IN purmit W hr enemy, Ihlre W.r
| H,lll some armed vessels remaining D.
| ihe hnrhnr pf S1utlAgl-at least tw.
! aud we ala not know how many NOR
| which could have come ont la no uh
I HHuce NJ fhe ntrt aud pr0iu1ad rfal
] NlkHIp umuuw fuH trIUn HhIUs WhI.