The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-05-22
CRUISE OF THE DAUNTLEss.
Went With Admiral SIMPSONS
Fleet Through West Indies.

ON BOARD THE ASSOCIATED
PRESS DISPATCH BOAT DAUNT-
LESS, KEY WEST, May Is Copy
righted, 1898, by the Associated Press).
The Dauntless was a member of Adj
miral SIMPSONS fleet during the lat
ter's cruise to intercept the phantom
Spanish squadron. The dispatch boats
voyage lasted fifteen days, and extend
ed from Key West to ST. Thomas and
return, with two side trips to Cape
Haytien, Hayti, the total distance trav-
eled being about 1900 miles, as against
$500 miles by the fleet. The Daunt-
less occupied a grand-stand position
at the battle of San Juan, and bore the
first details of the engagement to the
st. Thomas cable station.
The Dauntless, Immediately on join
ing the fleet in the outer harbor at
Key West, was ordered by the Ad-
miral to take station within hailing
distance of the New York, and to re-
main there. When she was obliged to
separate temporarily from the fleet she
was provided with light signals and a
sailing course, so that she really over
took the fleet, and was never held up
as suspicious When the cruise began
I
ron of cruisers, torpedo boat destroy
ers and torpedo boats, which had al
ready sailed from the Cape Verde ISL
ands, was bound for the West Indies.
1t was Admiral SIMPSONS plans to put
his fleet between the Spanish vessels
| and the port of San Juan de Porto
Rico. Failing in this, to attack the
fleet before it could leave San Juan, or
: Lot - dc
anywhere on sight.
Leaving Key West on May Sd the
fleet sailed in the direction of Havana,
then turned eastward, keeping in sight
the lofty coast of Cuba At night the
beacons on the Cuban coast were light
ed as usual, but they gave guidance
to few vessels besides the enemies of
Spain, for the war has driven ships
from the seas. At night the fleet car
ried no lights, but there was much sig
nal practice with colored lamps. Early
in the cruise the Terror and the Indi-
ana became troublesome, because of
mishaps to their boilers. The monitors
were from the outset a drag upon the
progress of the fleet and during most
of the way to San Juan the New York
towed the Terror and the Iowa pulled
ing on behind the Terror.
The officers of the fleet had many
unkind things to say about the
crabs" as they called the monitors.
On May 9TH the Montgomery went
into Cape Haytien DO send dispatches
to Washington, and next morning the
Dauntless entered the same port for
like purpose. The Dauntless returned
to the fleet on May 9th with dispatches,
but she was sent in again for further
news, and in order that President Sam
might not be excited, the Dauntless'
Captain stated that the steamer had
returned for a bill of health.
On this visit the Dauntless obtained
from the American Consul a circum-
stantial report that a fleet of thirteen
Spanish warships had been seen head
ing for Porto Rico. In this report the
naval officers placed some credence,
and the bombardment of San Juan was
planned in the hope that the Spanish
were in the harbor, the fleet moving
slowly onward on May 10th and 18th,
and in the afternoon of the latter day
the Dauntless was ordered to be ready
to carry dispatches to ST. Thomas at
II O'Clock the next morning.
At daylight on May 18th the fleet
bombarded San Juan, the seaport. The
Dauntless lay six miles off Fort MORO
and viewed the bombardnent and re-
ply of the forts, a description of which
event has already been cabled from st.
Thomas and Key West.
After the battle the Dauntless waited
for an hour for Admiral SIMPSONS dis
patches to the Navy Department, and
Immediately on receipt Of them steam
ed for ST Thomas. Ten miles from
that port the United States auxiliary
cruiser Yale signaled the Dauntless,
which ran a little out of her course to
get within hailing distance.
There was much cheering for Samp-
son when the Dauntless gave the news
of the attack on San Juan.
The Dauntless hoped to reach Char
lotte, the port of the Danish Island OF
St. Thomas, before dark, but darkness
dropped down all of a sudden and the
steamed. pushing on to the town lights,
gave moral offense to the Danish har-
Dor master by failing to stop at his
hail He expostulated at once. There
was no delay in filing to the Associat-
ed Press at New York the battle de"
scription prepared hours before.