The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1898-07-28


Of every United States vessel 30 close In imme-
diately, engage and pursue. This was promptly
and effectively done, As already stated, the
first rush Of the Spanish squadron carried 10
past n number Of the blockading ships, which
could not Immediately work. up their best
speed; but they suffered heavily In passing,
and the Infanta Maria Teresa and the Oduendo
were probably set on fire by shells fired during
the IS minutes of the engagement II was
afterward learned that the Infanta Maria
Teresa's fire main had been cut by one OF our
first shots and that she was unable TO extin.
guish fire. With large volumes OF smoke ris-
ing from their lower decks aft these vessels
gave up both fight and fight and ran In on the
beach-the Infanta Maria Teresa at about 10 '15
a. m, at Nina Nina, six and one-hacf miles
from Santiago harbor entrance, and the AL.
mirante Oquendo at about 10 80 n. m, at Juan
Gonzales, seven miles from the port.
Rescue Of Prisoners.
Ninth--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 American ships. The Vizcaya was
soon set on FIRE, and ut II :l5 she turned in
shore and was beached at Azerraderos, Is
miles from Santiago, burning fercely and with
her reserves Of ammunition on deck already
beginning TO explode. When about ten miles
west of Santiago the Indiana had been sig.
nailed to go back to the harbor entrance, and
at Azerradoes the Iowa was signaled TO "re-
sumo blockading station" The Iowa, assisted
by the Ericsson and the Hist, took off the
crew of the Vizcaya, while the Harvard and
the Gloucester rescued those Of the Infanta
Maria Teresa and the Alimirante 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 re.
serve ammunition were exploding, and IL was
not known at what moment the fire would
reach the main magazines. In addition TO this,
a heavy surf was running Just inside Of the
Spanish ships But no risks deferred our Off.
GERS and men until their work Of humanity
was complete.
Tenth-There remained now OF the Spanish
ships only the Cristobal Colon-but she was
their best and fastest vessel. Forced by the
situation to hug the Cuban coast, her only
chance of escape was by superior and sus
tanned speed. When the Vizcaya went ashore
the Colon was about six miles ahead Of the
Brooklyn and the Oregon, but her spurt was
finished and the American ships were now
gaining on her. Behind the Brooklyn and the
Oregon came the Texas, Vixen and New York
1t .yas evident from the bridge of the New
York that all the American ships were gradu
ally overhaulIng the chase and that she had no
chance of escape
At l2 80 the Brooklyn and tho Oregon
opened fire and got her range-the Oregon's
heavy shells striking beyond her-and at |: 20
she gave up without firing another SHE'LL
hauled down her colors and ran ashore at Rio
Torquino, As miles from Santiago, Captain
Cook of the Brooklyn went ON board to receive
the surrender. While his boat was alongside
I came up in the New York, received his re.
port and placed the Oregon in charge Of the
wreck, to save her II possible, and directed
the prisoners to be transferred to the Resolute
which had followed the chase.
Colon Probably Not Mach Injured.
Commodore Schley, whose chief of staff had
gone on board 10 receive the surrender, had
directed that all their personal effects should
be retained by the officers. This order did
not modify. The Cristobal Colon was not in.
jured by our firing, and probably is not much
injured by beaching, though she ran ashore at
high speed. The beach was so steep that she
came off by the working of the sea. But her
sea valves were opened and broken, treacher-
ously, l am sure, after her surrender, and de-
spite all efforts she sank. When it became evi.
dent that she could not be kept afoat she was
pushed by the New York bodily up on the
beach-the New York's stem being placed
against her for this purpose-the ship being
handled by Captain Chadwick with admirable
sank in shoal water and may
be saved Had this not been done she would
have gone down in deep water and would have
been TO a certainty a total loss.
Eleventh. regard this complete and i'm
portant victory over the Spanish forces as the
result of several weeks of arduous
and close blockade so stringent and effective
during the night that the enemy was deferred
from making the attempt to escape Mt night
and deliberately elected to make the attempt in
daylight. That this was the case waa in
formed by the commanding officer of the
Cristobal Colon.
Admiral Sampson in section 12 of his
report then described the method OF
He further said:
Thirteenth-When all the work was done so
well it is difficult TO discriminate in praise.
The object OF the blockade Of Cervera's squad.
ron was fully accomplished and each indi-
vidual bore well his part in 1.-THE commodore
In command on the second division, the cap
tains OF the ships, their officers and men. The
are OF the battleships was powerful and de-
structive and the resistance Of the Spanish
squadron was, in great part, broken almost
before they had got beyond the range of their
own forts.
Fine Speed OF the Oregon.
The fine speed of the Oregon enabled her TO
take a front position in the chase and the
Cristobal Colon did not give up until the
Oregon had thrown l3.inch shell beyond her
This performance adds TO the already brilliant
record Of this fine battleship and speaks
highly of the skin and care with which her
admirable efficiency has been maintained dur
Ing q service unprecedented In the history of
vessels Of her class The Brooklyn's westerly
position gave her an advantage In
the chase which she maintained 60 the end,
and she employed her fine battery with telling
effect. The Texas and the New York were
gaining on the chase during the last hour and
had any accident befallen the Brooklyn or the
Oregon would have speedily overhauled the
Crlstobal Colon. From the moment the Span
ish vessel exhausted her first burst of speed
the result was never in doubt
She fell, in fact, far below what might rear
sonably have been expected of her. Careful
of time and distance give her
nm average speed-from the time she cleared
the harbor mouth until the time she was run on
shore at Rio Tarquino-of 1871 knots Neither
the Now York nor the Brooklyn stopped TO
couple up their forward engines, but ran out
the chase with one pair, getting steam, of
course, as rapidly as possible on all boilers.
To stop to couple up the forward engines
would have meant delay Of l5 minuteS-or
cour miles in the chase.
Fourteenth-SeverM Of the ships were
struck, the Brooklyn more often than the 9th.
ers, but very slight material injury was done,
the greatest being aboard the Iowa. Our loss
was one man killed and onS vou,ded, both on
the Brooklyn
The admiral follows with more details
and then signs the report.
Commodore Schley's report said m
part, regarding the battle of July y,
1898:
Second-At 9:35 u M Admiral Cervera. with
the mfanta Maria Teresa, Vizcaya, oquendo,
Cristobal Colon and two torpedoboat destroy
ers, came out Of the harbor OF Santiago de
Cuba in column at distance and attempted to
escape to the westward Signal was made
from the Iowa that the enemy was co ming out,
but his movement had been discovered from
this ship at the same moment. This vessel was
the farthest west ,except.the Vixen in the block