The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-06-04
CAPT. SIGSBEE'S STORY

San Francisco Saturday or Sunday. 4
CAPT. SlGSBEE'S STORY
or the Work or ,h. st Paui Before the
Santiago Dsfenees-Loeatsd lcervsra's
Fleet Inside the sharbor--capture Of the
Iiesiormei. 81. 4 & 4
NEW YORK, June s-Thc United
States auxiliary cruiser ST. Paul, Capt.
slgsbee commanding. came Into port
early to-day. Capt. slgsbee went ashore
and thence proceeded to the navy yard.
Capt slgsbee refused to be interviewed
regarding the recent service OF his chip
in the vicinity OF Santiago de Cuba, at
which port. It has been said. Capt. slss-
bee ran the St Paul well into the mouth
OF the harbor and obtained the first def
mite information OF the presence there
OF the Spanish Admiral Cervera's fleet.
! After visiting Commodore Bunce at
the navy yard, Captain slgsbee relaxed
from his reserve sufficiently to cay to
reporter: ,is5
II had target practice right nlons
from tho first day arrived at Santiago,
on May %, and while none OF my men
have been In the service long, am well
satisfied with their work at the guns.
We have not been in any fight SO far,
but my men will give o good account
Of themselves.
1T was on the 18th when we captured
the Restormcl. l knew that the Span.
iards needed the coal very badly, and
I made every effort to see that they
did not get It. While Off Santiago with
schley I saw two more Spanish cruis.
ers, and Schley saw two torpedo boats.
There is no question that they are bot
tied up as tight MS can be In Santiago
harbor. went In SO close that I made
sketches CT their Notifications. which I
am sending to Washington. b
Their guns could easily have reached
me, but the batteries made no attempt
to fire, for what reason / do not know.
1t may be the Spaniards did not want
kdC CllS III anu OF
their guns. am going to Washington
with dispatches from the fleet, and as
soon as we have coaled and provisioned
we snail put TO sea again. This proba-
bly Will not be for three or four days.
AS soon as arrived outside the har-
bor OF Santiago there were indications
or the presence Of Cervera's fleet on the
inside beyond the hills. I hugged the
mouth a ho rho- ~ ~
would have been impossible for any,
thing afoat to sneak out without our
seeing them. IS
1T was either the third or fourth day
after, our arrival that saw two Span
-ish vessels, which I was sure were the
Vizcaya and the Cr1stobal Colon. They
crept cautiously into the stream and
got to the middle OF the channel. AS
soon as they caught sight of me they
,scampered back as rapidly as they could
steam. Il ~ . II
AS soon as we arrived off the harbor
I announced my presence by the court
esy OF a salute. taking as q target one
OF the Spanish forts. The fort evidently
did not intend to accord me tho court.
esy due In return, for Its guns remained
Silent. When I was satisfied with the
practice my men. had had, steamed
the st Paul out OF range and resumed
scout duty outside the mouth of the
harbor. 4 n. VI 4
TT was directly under tho guns Of the
fort and within easy range that took
the Restormel with 2,4o0 tons OF coal
aboard. 3 NJ IN
This coal was evidently intended for
the Spanish fleet. and the attempt OF
the RestorInel to run our blockade and
enter Santiago harbor would Of itself
have been good evidence that the Span
ish were there. We had 10 fire several
shots ut her before she hove to. put
prize crew aboard and sent the collier
to Key West. -. Il
During the period was OF Santiago.
between May % and 20. schley came and
went several times. cruising little to
the westward. But the st. Paul remain-
ed on Santiago harbor for oil OF the
eight days. 1t was on May 20 that I
saw heavy lines Of smoke from what I
at first thought was from the Spanish
squadron coming to the relief OF Ger
vera. There was great excitement on
board the st. Paul, and I Immediately
put out after the fleet. I soon found
the smoke was coming from Schley's
chips returning to the entrance of the
harbor. On this day both Schley md
myself saw again positive evidences TINT
the Spanish fleet was still bottled up in
sidc the Santiago harbor When came
up with Schleys fleet. we both s,gnaIed
-Schley to me, and I to him." 3
d 4 = &.