Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-07-28
SIMPSONS REPORT.
The Account Of the Destruction Of
Cervera's Fleet Made Public.
GALLANT FIGHT OF The GLOUCESTER
The Rescue Of the Spanish Prisoners Com
mended-rhe Chase Of the Different
Vessels Descrlbed-Immunity Of
Our ships from Damage.

TcPorIs VI huInlral sampson, COHlint
dore Schley, Capt. Clark, Of the Ore
gon, and Capt. Evans, OF the Iowa, o.
the battle of July 8, which resulted il
the destruction of Cervera's squadron
Capt. Sampson in his report says:
have the honor to make the following re
port upon the battle and the destruction OF tn
Spanish squadron, commanded by Admra
Cervera, of Santiago de Cuba, on Sunday, Jul,
D. 1898 The enemys vessels came out OF th
harbor between 9;I5 and ten u M, the head o
the column appearing around Cayo Smith q
0:Sl, and emerging from the channel five or 81,
minutes later.
Capt Sampson then tells the position
OF his vessels and how the enemy's
vessels emerged from the harbor He
then goes on:
The men OF our ships In front OF the port
were at Sunday quarters for inspection. u
The signal was made simultaneously from sew.
eral vessels, "enemy's s0ips escaping - and gen
eral quarters was sounded The men cheere,I
Us they sprang 10 their guns and fire was
opened probably within eight minutes by the
vessels whose guns commanded the entrance
The New York turned about and steamed for
the escaping fleet, flying the signal CLOSE in
toward harDor entrance and attack vessels, -
and gradually Increasing speed until toward
the end OF the chase she was making l8n knots
and was rapidly closing on the Cristobal Colon
she was not at any time within the range Of
heavy Spanish snips, and her only part In the
firing was TO receive the undivided fire from
the forts In passing the harbor entrance and TO
fire few shots at one OF the destroyers
thought at the moment to be attempting to cs-
cape from the Gloucester
The Spanish vessel upon clearing the har-
Dor, turned TO the westward In column, in
creasing their speed to the full power Of their
engines The heavy bloskadIng vessels, which
had closed In toward the Moro ut The instant
OF the enemys appearance and at their best
speed, delivered u rapid fire. well sustained
and destructive, which speedily overwhelmed
and sienced the Spanish fire The initial
speed OF the SpanlardS carried them rapidly
past The blockadlng vessels and the battle de-
vel0ped into q chase. In which the BROOKLYN
and Texas had Mt the start the advantage OF
position The Brooklyn maintained this lead
The Oregon, steamlng with amazing speed
from the commencement Of the action, took
hrst place The Iowa and Indiana, having
done good work, and not having the speed OF
the other ships, were directed by me, In sue
cession, at about the time the VIzcaya was
beached, to drop out OF tho chase and resume
blockadng stations These vessels rescued
many prisoners the Vixen finding that the
.A( a. ~.
rush OF the Spanish ships would put her be-
tween Two fires run outside Of our column and
remained there during the battle and chase
The skllful handling and gallant fighting of
the Gloucester excited the admiration OF every
one who witnessed II, and merits the com.
mendation OF the navy department She Is a
fast and entirely unprotected auxiliary vessel
the yacht Corsair-and has good battery of
light rapid-ilre guns She was lying about
TWO miles from the harbor entrance, TO the
southwark ind eastward, and Immediately
steamed IN, opening lire upon The large ships
Anticipating the appearance Of the Plut0n
ana Furor, the Gloucester was slowed there
by gaining more rapidly high pressure OF
steam, and when the dostroyers came out
she steamed for them at full speed and was
aDle TO close to short range where her fire
was accurate, deadly and OF great volume
During this fight the Gloucester was under
the fire Of the Socapa battery Within
20 minutes from the time they emerged from
Santiago harbor the careers Of the Furor and
the Pluton were ended and two-thirds Of their
people killed The Juror was beached and
sunk in the surf, the Pluton sank in deep water
0 few minutes later The dcstroyers probably
suffered much injury from the fire Of the Sec |
ondary batteries OF the battleships Iowa. In
diana and the Texas. yet think very consid-
cradle factor In their speedy destruction was
the fire. OF close range Of the Gloucester's hat
tery. After rescung the survivors Of the de-
stroyers the Gloucester did excellent service In
landing and securing the Grew of the lnfanta
Maria Teresa
The method Of escape attempted nv tho
spaniards--al steering in the same direction
ana ~ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS WI .c.lcai doubts
~ "nu ni"uo pam ''c uu'y Oh every
o s S.a,os vosso' W v'osc ILL., ihilheoiately
Dre",i,o 1u pu''"v n's M"s promptly anu
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