Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-10-12
CAPTAINS FIGHT
Says Naval Board of Ger
vera's Destruction.
Sch|ey's Orders Didn't Affect the Out
come Of the Battle.
The Oregon, Texas and Iowa Bore the Brun,
Of the Fighting.

ANSN IOIh OSt. II.-AlllOuRn the
American fleet in the battle off Santi-
ago on July 3 obeyed the general or
ders of Rear Admiral Sampson, given
in advance to meet just such an emer-
gency, it was essentially a Captains
fight" This is in substance the re-
port of the naval board which had been
investigating with view to determ1n-
ing who should be given the credit for
the victory Rear Admiral Sampson or
Rear Admiral Schley.
1T was a captains fight" says the
report. Rear Admiral Sampson was
not present and the two orders signalled
by Schley "close in and engage the
enemy" did no good and were unneces-
sary for the ships already had closed
in and were engaging the enemy when
the orders were run w.
AS between the two admirals the full
credit of the victory is given to Rear
Admiral Sampson, because he was
commanding officer, and the battle was
fought under his plans. The full text
Of the representative must come from
Washington, but many interesting
points were obtained from the navy
yard, today, after the board which has
L
finally adjourned.
The board finds that each ship in the
fleet knew exactly what to do should
Cervera come out and did it when he
| actually came out. Each captain
fought his ship on plans prepared and
| orders given by Sampson. Even had
Schley directed the general movement
of the fleet in the battle, which it was
| unnecessary for him to do that would
| have been because of the preparation
made by Sampson and within his gen
| eral orders.
The board proceeded along the well
| defined lines in making the inquiry:
1.-The relative positions of the
American ships when Cervera came
| out and throughout the battle.
2-The course of the Brooklyn i'm
| mediately after the alarm.
3-The distance OF the New York
from the Colon when the Spaniard sur
| rendered.
4-The signals made by the Brooklyn.
5-The orders issued by Sampson in
preparation for an attempted escape of
| Cervera.
The findings of the board are sum-
married. as follows:
| 1.-The battle was fought and won
upon plans prepared by Rear Admiral
Sampson.
Amy direction of the movements of
| the ships done by Schley during the
! battle was inconsiderable. 1t was a
captains battle.
1.-The New York had no active part
in the fight.
| 4-The Brooklyn was not engaged at
so close quarters as had been repre-
| sented by the first report. On an aver
age she was two miles away from the
enemy.
| 5-The brunt of the fighting was
borne by the Oregon, Texas and Iowa.
| 6-The New York was about miles
from the Colon when that ship surren-
dered, and between or miles from
the nearest sister ships engaged (from
which signal distance is taken practi-
| cally)
THE average range of the ships
| most engaged was about mile and
| half.
| S-No American ship at any time
during the battle was within a mile of
| an unsurrendered Spanish ship.
While charts We're made and the bat
| tiC IOuS III ONGI anu over dSdll DIS OIl d
chess board by the members, showing
the positions of all the ships on both
sides in the entire engagement, the
| main discussion so far as could be
| learned in the navy yard was in regard
| to the Brooklyn and New York.
According to the testimony. the Brook
lyn was lying further out to sea than any
Of the other American ships. She headed
in at once and when about 1000 yards
from the Maria Teresa. which was lead
ing the Spanish fleet out, she turned to
he eastward, then doubled southwark to
sea for d short distance. Schley then fol-
lowed a parallel course with the Span
lards. keeping. up a running fight. He
was we'll outside the course of the other
American vessels and in the.lead. He
kept this position on an average distance
OF about two miles from the Colon until
that ship surrendered.
The issue of the battle, the board
learned, was not affected by any signals
that Schley made from his flagship. The
oregon dashed out from the very begin
ming of the engagement anu kept within
tdeAge of the enemy until the fight ended.
The New York. the board finds did
nothing to affect the issue of the battle.
When the Colon's flag came down, the
New York was nearly 10 mnes to the
eastward Sampson, on the New York,
was near Siboney, where he heard the
llrlng, ard turned about and came back
as fast as forced draught could bring
him. The New York was further inshore
than any of the other vessels. but too far
away to assist any in the destruction of
the Spanish fleet. All she did was to fire
two shots at long range at a torpedo
boat destroyer. She did not reach the
Colon until three-quarters of an hour
after the Oregon and Brooklyn and Is
minutes after the Texas reached there.
The Texas signalled the Vixen and the
Vixen the New York, but the New York
did hot answer.
At the time of the hottest firing (be-
tween 10 and 10.15 A. M. the Brooklyn
was in line with the Oregon but three
quarters of mile further out to SEA
The Oregon at that time was pouring fire
into the Maria Teresa. The Oauendo was
about 5000 yards distant with the Texas
and Iowa a half-mile to the rear of her.
The elaborate chart prepared by the
board shows the positions at the times
mentioned here:
1t was $50 A. NJ. when Ceryera came
out; $50 when the torpedo boat DESTROY
erYappeared; 1915 P. NJ. the Maria Ter
esa turned to run ashore; 1920 A. NJ
when the Oquendo turned to run ashore:
10. when the Furor blew up; lilo A. NJ.
when the ViZcaya turned to run ashore
LIS P. NJ. when THE Colon surrendered
The nayigators of the ships We're select
ed for the boar. because they better than
anyone knew the positions of the ships
in the fight: The navigator is the actual