The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-28
Officers and Men of the Flagship New
in His Official Statement.
GOOD WORK BY THE INDIANA
CAPT. TAYLOR'S ACCOUNT OF THE
BATTLE SHIPS PERFORMANCE.
What Capt. Philip, of the Texas, and
Lieut.. Cora. Wainwright, of the
Gloucester, Say-Sampson's Orders.

WASHINGTON, July 27-Tho following
reports of Captain Chadwick, of the New
York; Captain Taylor, of the Indiana;
Captain Philip, of the Texas, and Lieuten-
ant Commander Wainwright, of the
Gloucester, on the destruction of Cerveras
fleet, which were included in Admiral
SIMPSONS report, were made public to-day:
~ S. Flagship New York, First Rate,
'.Sir-1 ] have the honor to make the fol-
lowing report of the part taken by this ship
in the action of yesterday during and fol-
lowing the sortie of Admiral Cerveras
squadron:
%. The ship had started at $50 for the
army landing at Siboney, the commander
in-chief having an appointment with the
general commanding the army. A few min
uteS after the crew had been called to quar-
tiers for Sunday inspection. firing was heard
trance. The helm was at once put over, the
crew called to general quarters, signal
Close in towards the harbor entrance and
attack vessels made orders given to spread
all fires and the ship headed back towards
the enemy, whose ships were seen success
sively coming out at high speed. The flag
ship Infanta Maria Teresa was first then
another armored cruiser of the same class,
which turned out to be the Vizcaya. fol-
lowed by the CriStobal Colon, an armored
cruiser (OquendO) and the torpedo boat de-
stroyers Furor and Pluton.
80. The nearer ships had Immediately en-
entrance, one, the flagship, was already
afire and was soon ashore; the Indiana and
Gloucester were actively engaged with the
torpedo boats. This ship fired some four
inch shell at the one nearer the port, toward
which she was already headed and seemed
attempting to return. but she was already
practically out of the fight The boiler OF
the more advanced one had blown up, show
ing vast column of condensed steam. Dur
ing this time both vessels, whose line of fire
we had crossed close to, repeatedly fired
upon us, but without effect. No return was
made to this fire A shell from the west
the ship when we were over four miles to
the westward and we had thought our
selves entirely out of range. This snip sped
on, leaving the Gloucester which had shown
herself so capable, to look after the sur
vivors in the torpedo boats. BY this time
second cruiser was ashore and burning Ohe
ViZcaya and the Cristobal Colon, were still
steaming rapidly westward. The Indiana
was now signaled Q1:26 a. mo- to return to
her blockading position to look after any
thing which might be there. Shortly the
Vizcaya turned shoreward smoke began to
issue from her after port, and by the time
she was ashore on the reef at Acerraderos
Fifteen miles west of Santiago she was
about ablaze. The Iowa had sgnaled that
she had surrendered and stopped off this
place, where she gave much assistance In
the rescue of the Vizcaya's people.
"A. This ship stood on in chase of the
Cristobal Colon with ahead of us the Brook
lyn, Oregon, Texas and Vixen, the Oregon
being much nearer inshore OF the two head
most ships, bur not in gunshot. We were
r3pidly increasing our speed.
IS. 1t was evident however, that the
Colon would give US lengthy chase, and
at noon the crew left quarters and went to
dinner.
&c. About 1850 the Oregon opened fire
and some of her shells were observed to
strike beyond the Colon; this made her cap
ture a foregOne conclusion, and shortly after
l o'clock she turned in towards shore and
soon struck her colors. She had been
quino. By the time we arrived boat was
alongside her from the Brooklyn, and Cap
tain Cook. the boarding officer, came along
boat to take possession, the commanding
officer going in the boat. | arranged for
the transfer of the crew and officers, a divi-
sion of each ship present, and the engineer
force to be left aboard. While aboard, how
ever, the Resolute arrived, and it was ar
ranged to transfer the whole number to her.
u. l had taken with me the fleet sur
geon, an engineer and the carpenter, to ex-
anime and make secure everything neces-
sary. The engineer reported to me that she
was making water aft. l had previously
had soundings taken and found eighteen
feet at the bow and seventy at the stern, so
l returned as quickly as possible TO the
flagship to report the situation. The Oregon
was signaled to take charge and the men
were fastened on board. Our work OF clos
ing the watertight doors, ETC.. was, how
ever, of no avail. large number of sea
valves had been treacherously opened and
the valves so broken as to make it inpossi-
BILE to close them. The ship thus slowly set
tied. At 1880 she f1oated and came out into
deeper water he OllCeI II CudA PC, Lieu
tenant Commander Cowgirl, had let go
anchor but it clear that if she went
down in water of the depth in which she
was she could never be raised. The ship
stem was placed against her quarter. and
later, a line being taken from our bow to
hers the Colon was forced in shore. 1t was
by this time dark, but, using searchllgnt,
we were enabled to force the ship on the
beach, the chain being paid out at the same
time. She thus sank in a very moderate
depth of water, and it is very probable she
may be saved.
IS. At ii p m. the flagship returned to
Santiago. leaving the Texas and oregon IN
charge of the prize.
80. Though the ship was not able TO come
to action with any of the larger ships, on
account of her distance to the eastward.
every nerve was strained 10 so, and all
was done that could be done. Our speed
had rapidly increased, so we were going six
astern, while all others were CONSIDERABLY
TO seaward. We were thus in position TO
prevent a possible doubling to the rear
and escape to the southeast.
40 The officers and crew, as they al
ways have done, acted in the most en-
thusiastic and commendable manner. Tney
have worked into so complete a system that
the ship is practically instantaneously ready
for action, and while all are deserving o.
commentator and credit, / think 1t no
derogation from the deserts of others to
particularly name Lieutenant Commander
Potter to whom as executive officer, SO
much of the ships efficiency is due. and
machinery in the admirable order which has
enabled us at all times to develop the ships
full speed. Very respectfully.
IF. E. CHADWICK,
Captain u. S. N, Commanding.
ITO the Commander-in-chiefU United States