Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1898-08-12

San Juan, changed his destination to
Santiago. Our movement To Porto Rico
thus became a reconnaissance and full
filled its purpose. There was no inten-
tion at the time Of taking Porto Rico,
as the army was not there To cooperate.
Third-With regard TO sending our
ships into the harbOr Of Santiago. Ad-
miral Sampson was acting under the ex-
plicit orders of the department not to
expose his armored ships to the risk Of
sinking by mines, and the wisdom OF this
course, | believe, is universally ac-
knowledged by naval authorities. He
waited. as he should have done. the CO.
operation of the army How effectually
under this cooperation the result wa.
accomplished is now matter of history.
There are few more graphic scenes than
must have been presented at o'clock on
the afternoon of the 14th of July when
Shafter, with his troops ready to as
sault Santiago, awaited the reply of the
Spanish commander TO the demand for
surrender. SamUsOn's fleet was at the
lllOutIl VI AHt Ilul bols uldN u up III llIt
and ready to lombard. as it had been for
days previous. and the signal officer
stood on the heights ready to wigwag
the signal for firing. Happily, instead
of this signal came the good word that
the Spanish had surrendered to this
combined readiness for attack
FOurth-Please bear in mind the va
riety and weight OF the responsibility
which were upon Admiral Sampson for
the month prior to the great battle
which destroyed Cerveras $ fleet. He
was commanding officer of the whole
squadron; charged with the blockade
Of the whole Cuban coast; charged with
the detail Of all the movements Of ships;
charged with clerical correspondence
with the department and other officers,
especially charged with preventing the
escape Of Cervera. Remember that
this man. whom you so sweepngly ac-
cuse, was dcVoting his days and nights
to those duties. II you will read the
orders issued by him, beginning with
June /, you will find that the most
thorough precautions had been taken TO
prevent the escape of Cervera: that our
fleet was kept constantly in line, SO
far from the entrance at night and SO
far by day; that the most rigid care
with searchlights and every other APP
pliance was taken every night, that the
commanding officer of every vessel
knew his post and his duty in case of
an attempt 20 escape, SO that when the
attempt came the movement to pre-
vent it, by the attack of our vessels upon
the outcomeing Spaniards. went on like
Clockwork. AS at Chattanooga. every
movement Of that great battle was car
ried out, although General Grant was
neither at Missionary ridge or Lookout
mountain.
can we'll understand why the friends
of other officers should be 50 enthusiastic
and earnest. as | ann in giving them
the credit they So richly-everyone of
them deserves for his glorious work;
| cannot conceive of anybody SO mean
as to detract by u single hair from their
| merit-but / cannot understand why
such a bitter feeling is manifested in
many quarters toward Admiral Samp-
son, when all these officers. subordinate
to him, in their reports. clearly and
! cordially recognize the fact that. al
though at the beginning he was, by or
ders from Washington, going to confer
| with General Shafter, yet the battle was
! fought under his orders. and that the
victory was the consummation of his
thorough preparations. For myself.
| know no prediction for any one Of
| these gallant men. l would crown
everyone of them with laurels. | want
them all to have their just deserts.
Every one of them deserves unstinted
! praise: not one of them deserves any
| less than full measure for that day s
work and therefore, l can think of
nothing more cruel than a depreciation
of the merit of the faithful. devoted
patriotic commanderin-ch physically
frail, worn with sleepless vigil, weighed
with measureless responsibilities and
details. letting no duty go undone; for