Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-27
SAMPSON AND SCHLEY


lyn stopped to couple up their forward en-
gines, but ran out 90 the chase with one
pair, getting steam. OF course, az rapidly
as possibly. on all boilers. To. atop to cou-
pie up the forward engines would have
meant delay Of fifteen minutes. or four
miles. In the chase.
OUR IMMUNITY FROM LOSS.
IA Several OF the ships were struck.
the Brooklyn more often than the others,
but very slight material injury was done,
the greatest being aboard the Iowa. our
loss was one man killed and one wound
ed. both on the Brooklyn. IL Is difficult
to explain this immunity from loss OF life
or injury to ships IN q combat with mod
ern vessels of the best types. but Span
ish gunnery Is poor at best, and the sopeA
rior weight and accuracy OF our IRE speed
lily drove the men from their guns and
silenced their fire. This Is borne out BY
the statements OF prisoners and by OBJ
servation. The Spanish vessels. as they
dashed out Of the harbor, were covered
with the smoke from their own guns, but
this speedily diminished In volume and
soon almost disappeared. The fire from
the batteries of the battleships appears
TO have been remarkably destructive. An
examination of the stranded vessels shows
that the Aimirante Oquendo especially
suffered terribly in the fire. Her sides are
everywhere pierced, and her decks were
strewr with the charred remains OF those
who had fallen.
rs. The report of Commodore Schley
and the other commanding officers are en-
closed.
BOARD OF EXAMINATION.
&c. A board appointed by me several
nal ny mi
of the stranded vessels, both with view
TO reporting upon the military features
involved, and reporting upon the chance
of saving any of them, and wrecking the
remainder. The report OF the board VIII
speedily follow;
VERY respectfully,
"Commander-in-Ch Chief. U. S. Navy Force,
"W. r. SAMPSON.
United States Navy, Com
mander-in- Chief United States Naval
Force. North Atlantic Station"
"To Secretary of the Navy, Washington,
D. c."
sCHLEY'S REPORT.
Commodore Schley's report Is as fol-
lows:
North Atlantic Fleet, Second Squadron,
United States Flagship Brooklyn,
"Sir: /. / have the honor to make the
following report OF that part of the
squadron under your command, which
came under my observation during the
engagement with the Spanish fleet on
July g. 1898:
80 At 9:S5 A. NJ. Admiral Cervera, with
the Infanta Maria Teresa, Vizcaya,
Oquendo, Cristobal Colon. and two tor
pedo boat -destroyers, came ont OF the
hafbor 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 coming out, |
but this. movement had been discovered |
from this ship at the same moment. 1his |
vessel was the farthest west, except the |
Vixen. in the blockading line. Signal was |
made to the Western Division, as pre- |
,crbed in your general orders. and there |
was immediate and rapid movement in |
ward by your squadron, and general |
Engagement at ranges beginning at 1,lOo |
Yards and varying to 5000 until the Viz !
ava was destroyed about 1870 A. M. |
rhe concentration of the fire of the
squadron upon the ships coming out was
most furious and terrific, and great dam
ICE was done them
THE TERESA AND oQUENDo.
''9. About 20 or Is minutes after the
Engagement began, two vessels, thought
o be the Teresa and Oquendo. and since
certified as such, took fire from the effec-
i've shell fire of the squadron. and We're
orced TO run on the beach some six or
even miles west Of the harbor entrance,
where they burned and blew up later.
1.-THE torpedo boat-destroyers were de-
,troyed early in the action, but the smoke
vas so dense in their direction that j
,annot say to which vessel or vessels the
,redt belongs for their destruction. This,
doubtless, was better seen from your
iagship.
$50. VIZCAYA AND COLON.
"a. The Vizcaya and Colon, perceiving
he disaster to their consorts, continued
It full speed to the westward. to escape.
md were followed and engaged In run
ling fight with the Brooklyn. Texas,
owa, and Oregon, until 1850. when the
yizcaya took fire from our shells. She
tut her helm to port. and with a heavy
list to port, stood inshore, and ran
ground at Asseraderos about twenty
even miles west OF Santiago. on fire fore
nd aft. and where she blew up during
he night. Observing that she had struck
er colors, and that several vessels were
earring her TO capture and save the crew,
ignal was made to cease firing.
1.-THE Oregon having proved vastly
aster than the other battleships. |
he and the Brooklyn, together
nth the Texas, and another
essel which proved to be your flagship,
westward in pursuit of the
dion. which had run close inshore, evil
entity seeking some good spot to beach,
she should fail to elude her pursuerS.
COLON STRUCK TO BROOKLYN.
"5. This pursuit continued, with increas-
lg speed in the Brooklyn, Oregon, and
Their ships and soon the Brooklyn and
ne Oregon were within long range of the
dion. when the Oregon opened fire with
er 13-inch guns, landing a shell close
} the Colon. A moment afterward the
opened fire with her S-inch
uns. landing q shell just ahead of her.
everal other shells were fired at the
dion. now in range OF the Brooklyns
nd Oregon's guns. Her commander.
icing all chances of escape cut
4. and destruction awaiting his
Zip, fired lee gun. and struck her flag ,
/ l =. NJ, and ran ashore at a point
me fifty miles west of Santiago harbor.
our flagship was coming up rapidly at
10 time. as were also the Texas and the
ken. A little later, after your arrival.
e Cristobal Colon, which had stuck
the Brooklyn and the Oregon. was /,
rned over TO you as one of the trophies
this great victory OF the squadron
ider your command.
70. During my official visit little later
Eaton. of the Resolute ap-
u