The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-08-03
@attbmam & suurmal.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 1898.
Official Reports OF the Naval Battle
Off Santiago.

ment of the events and incidents Of the
great naval battle of July 8, off the har-
Dor of Santiago and the coast of Cuba.
Admiral Sampson describes the main
features of the battle, all of which have
been made familiar to the world by the
unofficial reports. The following ex-
tracts embody some of the statements
of Admiral Sampson which have the
greater public interest. After describ-
wig the exit and course of the Spanish
ships the admiral says:
The initial speed of the Spaniards
CARRIED them rapidly past the blockad-
ing Vessels, and the battle developed
into atchase in which the Brooklyn and
Texas had at the start the advantage of
position The Brooklyn maintained
this lead, The Oregon, steaming at
amazing speed from the commencement
of the action, took first place. The
Iowa and the Indiana, having done
good work and not having the speed of
the other ships, were directed by me in
succession, at about the time the Viz
caya was beached, to drop out of the
chase and resume blockading stations.
These vessels rescused many prisoners.
PRAISE FOR WAINWRIGHT.
The skilful handling and gallant
fighting of the Gloucester excited the
admiration of every one who witnessed
it and merits the commentator of the
Navy Department. She is a fast and
entirely unprotected auxiliary vessel
the yacht Corsair-and has good bat
terry of light rapid-fre guns. She was
lying about two miles from the harbor
entrance, to the southwark and east
ward, and Immediately steamed in,
opening fire upon the large ships. An
ticipating the appearance of the Pluton
and Furor, the Gloucester was slowed,
thereby gaining more rapidly high
pressure of steam, and when the de-
stroyers came out she steamed for them
at full speed and was able to close at
short range, where her fire was accur-
ate, deadly and of great volume. During
this fight the Gloucester was under the
fire of the Socapa battery. Within
twenty minutes from the time they
emerged from Santiago Harbor the
careers of the Furor and the Pluton
were ended and two-thirds of their peo-
pie killed. The Furor was beached
and sunk in the surf; the Pluton sank
in deep water few minutes later.
The destroyers probably suffered
ondary batteries of the battleships Iowa,
Indiana and Texas; yet think very
considerable factor in their speedy de-
struction was the fire at close range Of
the Gloucester's battery. After rescu-
ing the survivors of the destroyers the
Gloucester did excellent service in
landing and securing the crew of the
Infanta Maria Teresa.
The method of escape attempted by
the Spaniards-all steering in the same
direction and in formation-removed
all tactical doubts of difficulties and
made plain the duty of every United
States vessel to close in, Immediately
engage and pursue. This was promptly
and effectively done. Already stated,
the first rush of the Spanish squadron
carried it past number of the blockad-
ing ships, which could not Immediately
work up to their best speed; but they
suffered heavily in passing, and the In
fanta Maria Teresa and the Oquenda
were probably set on fire by shells
fred during the first fifteen minutes of
the engagement. 1t was afterward learn
ed that the Infanta Maria Teresa's fire
main had been cut by one of our first
guish fire. With large volumes of
smoke rising from their lower decks
aft, these vessels gave up both fight and
fight and ran in on the beach-the In
fanta Maria Teresa at about 10: 15A. NJ,
at Nina, six and one-half miles from
Santiago Harbor entrance, and the AL
mirante OQuendo at about 10: 30 A. NJ.
at Juan Gonzales, seven miles from
the port.
The Vizcaya was still under the fire
of the leading vessels; the Cristobal
Colon had drawn ahead, leading the
chase, and soon passed beyond the
range of the guns of the leading Amer
lean ships. The Vizcaya was soon set
on fire, and at IL: Is she turned in
shore and was beached at Ascarraderos,
fifteen miles from Santiago, burning
fercely, and with her reserve of am
munition on deck already beginning to
explode. When about ten miles west
of Santiago the Indiana had been sig
nailed to 60 back to the harbor en-
trance, aid at Ascarraderos the Iowa
was signalled to resume blockading
station"
.Tbe Iowa, assisted by the Ericsson and
Hist, took off the crew of the Vizcaya,
while the Harvard and Gloucester res
cued those of the Infanta Maria Teresa
and Almirante Oquendo. This rescue
of prisoners, including the wounded.
from the burning Spanish vessels was
the occasion of some of the most daring
and gallant conduct of the day. The
ships were burning fore and aft, their
guns and reserve ammunition were ex.
ploding, and it was not known at what
moment the fire would reach the main
magazines. In addition to this heavy
surf was running just inside of the
Spanish ships. But no risk deferred
our officers and men until their work Of
humanity was complete.
NO SPECIAL COMBINATION FOR
sCHLEY.
There remained now of the Spanish
ol;.>a 1nlx, tha NriotahoI Cnlnn hnt oh.