The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-07-27


Schley, Captain Clark Of the Oregon,
and Captain Evans OF the Iowa, on the
battle of July 8. which resulted IN the
destruction of Cervera's squadron. They
are as follows:
United States Flagship New York.
First Rate, off Santiago de Cuba, Cuba,
July Is, 1898. Sir: 1 have the honor
to make the following report upon the
battle. with the destruction of the
Spanish squadron. commanded by Ad-
miral Cervera. off Santiago de Cuba,
on Sunday, July 3, 1898.
,. The enemy's vessels came out OF
the harbOr between 9:35 aud 10 a. m,
the head of the column appearing
around Cayo Smith at 9:3l, and emerg-
ing from the channel five or six min
utes later.
8. The position of the vessels of my
command off Santiago at the moment
We're: Flagship New York was four
miles east of her blockading station,
and about seven miles from the harbor
entrance. She had started for Siboney,
where l intended to land, accompanied
by several Of my staff, and go to the
front to consult with General Shafter
for a discussion Of the situation and
for a more definite understanding be-
which had been rendered necessary by
the Unexpectedly strong resistance of
the Spanish garrison at Santiago. l
had sent my chief of staff on shore the
day before to arrange an interview with
General Shafter, who has been suffer
ing from prostration. l made arrange
ments to go to his headquarters, and
my flagship was in the position men
toned above, when the Spanish squad
ron appeared in the channel. The re
naming vessels We're in or near their
usual blockading positions, distributed
in a semi-circle about the harbor en-
trance continuing from the eastward
to the westward. in the following ord
The Indiana, about a mile and half
from shore; the Oregon (the New
Yorks place) between these two; the
Iowa, Texas and Brooklyn, the latter
two miles from the shore, west of san
tiago. The distance of the vessels from
the harbor entrance was from two and
one-half to four miles, the latter being
the limit of day blOckading distance
The length of the arc formed by the
ships was about eight miles. The Mas
sachusetts had left at a. m. for Guam
tanamo for coal. Her station was be-
tween the Iowa and Texas. The aux
ifiary Gloucester and Vixen lay close
TO the land and nearer to the harbor
entrance than the larger vessels, the
Gloucester to the eastward and the
Vixen to the westward. The Ericsson
was in company win the flagship and
remained with her during the chase,
until ordered to discontinue, when she
rendered very efficient service in res
cuing prisoners from the burning Viz
caya.
I enclose a diagram showing, approx
imately, the positions of the vessels as
described above.
APPEARANCE OF ENEMY.
4. The Spanish vessels came rapidly
out of the harbor, at a speed estimated
at from to 10 knots and in the follow
ing order: Infanta Maria Teresa alag
ship. Nizcaya, CriStobal Colon, and the
Almirante Oquendo. The distance be-
tween these ships was about 800 yards,
which means that from the time the
first one became visible. in the upper
reach of the channel, until the last one
was out of the harbor an interval OF
only about u minutes elapsed. Follow
isg the OqUendo at a distance OF about
1.200 yards came the torpedo boat de-
stroyers Pluton. and after her the Flu
ror.
The armored cruisers, as rapidly as
they could bring their guns to bear,
opened a vigorous fire upon the block
ading vessels, and emerged from the
channel shrouded in the smoke from
their guns.
;. The men of our ships in front of
the port were at Sunday quarters for
inspection" The signal was made sim
uitanecusly from several vessels,
..enemy's ships escaping" and general
quarters was sounded. The men
cheered as they sprang to their guns,
and fire was opened probably within
eight minutes by the vessels whose
unsgcommanded the entrance.
SAMPSON CAME BACK.
The New York turned about and
steamed for the escaping feet, flying
the signal CLOSE in towards harbor en-
trance and attack vessels" and grad
ually increasing speed, until toward the
end of the chase she was making 1919
knots. and was rapidly closing on the
Cristobal Coicn. She was not at any
time within the range of the heavy
Spanish ships and her only part in the
firing was TO receive the undivided ire
from the forts in passing the harbor
entrance, and to fire q few shots at one
of TIE destroyers, though at the mo-
meat the destroyer was attacked by the
Gloucester.
G. The Spanish vessels, upon clearing
the harbor. turned to the westward, in
creasfng their speed to the full power
OF their engines. The heavy blockad-
ing vessels which had closed in toward
the MORO. at the instant of the en-
emy's appearance. and at their best
speed, delivered a rapid fire, well sus-
tanned and destructive, which speedily
overwhelmed and silenced the Spanish
fire The initial speed of the Spaniards
carried them rapidly past the blockad-
ing vessels, and the battle developed
into a chase. in which, the Brooklyn
and Texas had. at the start. the advan-
tage of position. The Brooklyn main
tanned this lead until the Oregon,
steaming with amazing speed from the
commencement of the action, took first
place The Iowa and Indiana had done
good work, and not having the speed
of the other ships were directed by me
in succession, at about the time the
Nizcaya was beached, TO drop out of
the chase and resume blockading sta
lions. These vessels rescued many
prisoners. The Vixen. finding that the
rush of the Spanish ships would put
her between two fires, ran outside of
her own column, and remained there
during the battle and chase
GLOUCESTER WORK.
7. The skilful handling and gallant
fighting of the Gloucester won admira-
ton Of every one who witnessed it, and
merits the commentator OF the navy
She is a fast and entirely
auxiliary vessel-the yacht
Sorsicana-and has a battery of light