Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1898-10-20
Indianapolis News.

While SOmo OF them look upon las
statements as almost Incredible, one
of them said: "The position Of the
Indiana was such that she was a tax
get for the fire Of every one of the
vessels in the Spanish feet as they
came out of the harbor. The posi-
ton of the Resolute was such that
her commander had as he says, the
best opportunity for observing the
first part of the battle, and of bear
ing testimony to what the Indians
did"
The report, submitted by com
mander Eaton, was sent to Admiral
Sampson, at Havana, and by him
transmitted to the Secretary of the
Navy, reaching here September 81.
It was as fallows:
U. S.. S. Resolute,
Navy Yard, New York,
September 8, 1898,
Sir consider 1t my duty to lay
before you the following report OF
the events witnessed by myself in
the action of July 3. 1898, off San
tiago.
The Resolute, which, commanded,
lay just east of the Indiana, distant
from her one thousand feet, and
about two and six-tenths miles from
the Moro, when the Maria Teresa
was sighted.
The Indiana had been near the
Moro, but about 8 o'clock circled to
the eastward with a port helm, leay-
ing theResolute within the arc Of the
circle described by the fleet. The
Resolute was then turned under a
slow bell and stopped when the In
diana was due west US, and just out
side the circle of fighting ships. The
Gloucester was to the northward
and eastward, nearly off Aguadores.
AS the Maria Teresa appeared, the
Iowa fred a six -pouder and hoisted
signal. Within a few seconds of this
shot (not more than five or ten) all
the Spanish batteries opened, and at
the same instant, the port broadside
of the Maria Teresa was discharged.
It seemed to me then that all or
nearly all of these shots and shells
were fired at the Indiana, and as the
Resolute lay directly in line, the
water around the Indiana and the
Resolute was arrive with the fall of
p~rojectiles.
Before the Vizcaya appeared. the
Indiana opened fire with her heavy
guns, and with screws whitening the
water astern, was heading for the
Moro.
As the Vizcaya came out, I dis
tinctly saw one of the Indiana's
heavy shells strike her abaft the fun
nels, and the explosion of this shell
was followed by burst Of flame
which for the moment, obscured the
~afterpart Of the Vizcaya.
The Vizcaya fired her port battery
apparently at the Indiana, for many
of the shells struck about and be
yond the Resolute, which was then
headed east.
The Crisjobal Colon, as soon as
she was clear off Moro point, fired
her first broadside at the Indiana.
The Oquendo, in coming out, also
fired her first broadside at the In
diana. and [ could see some of the
Indiana's shells strike the Oquendo
as she steamed south.
Following close astern on the
Colon and Oquendo, came the de
stroyer Furor, and I distinctly saw
her struck by all eight-inch or thir-
teen-inch shell from the Indiana,
which was followed by and explos-
ion and flames aboard the Furor.
During all this time the Indiana
had been steaming ahead and
roughly estimated that she was then
about three thousand yards from the
Oquendo and the Furor.
The Resolute was nearly in line
with the Indiana, and I could clearly
follow the course of the Indiana
p~rojectiles.
The other ships engaged, except
the Oregon and occasionally the
Brooklyn, which showed at times tt
be southwark, bat were most of tht
time hidden by other vessels (tht
Resolute being by this time well te
the windward) were hidden il
smoke.
From the position of Of the ship
engaged it appeared to me that the
Indiana was the first to close will
the escaping enemy, and though
cold see the Teresa and Vizcayi
sweeping across her course, it wa
apparent that the Indiana's shell
were the first to reach them. Thi
was due, first, to the Indiana's proz
unity and, second, to the fact tina
the Indiana had a fair beam tarGe
on each ship as it came out.
The Oregon hadsshis in a less de
gree, and the other vessels engage