The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-21
Location of Ships During the Battle
and Parts Taken by Them in De-
strOying Cervera's Fleet.
POSITION OF THE NEW YORK
AT THE OPENING AND CLOSING OF
THE ENGAGEMENT.
Several Disputed Points Settled-An-
Melville, of the Navy.

WASHINGTON, Oct 20-The report of
the Wainwright board, convened for the
purpose of determining the positions and
courses of the ships engaged in the action
at Santiago July 8, was made public to-
day The report, which is dated United
States Flagship New York, First Rate.
Navy Yard, New York, Oct. s." follows:
81. In obedience to your order of Sept. 2,
lssS, appointing US a board to plot the posi-
ions OF the ships of Admiral Cervera' S
squadron and those of the United States
neet In the battle of July 3. 1885, off San
tiago de Cuba we have the honor to submit
tho following report. accompanied by a
chart, showing the positions of the ships at
seven different times.
q These times. taken by the United
States ships engaged, with the incidents
noted, are as follows.
mo. /, 9:S5 a m.-Maria Teresa came out
No. 2. $50 a. m.-Putcn came out
No. 8, 1918 a. m--Maria Teresa turned
to run ash here
ashore
mo. 5, 1890 a. m.-Furor blew up and
Pluton turned to run ashore.
ashore
NO. Z. Ills p. m.-Colon surrendered.
% The chart selected by the board for
plotting is H. Q. chart. No. ZIG, 1886. West
Indles, eastern part of Bahama islands,
Domingo. This selection was made after
careful comparison with ell other charts at
hand. as the positions of the principal head
lands and inets and the distances between
them on 1t agree more nearly with the OBJ
servation of members of the board than
"a. The positions of the United States
ships We're established by known bearings
and distances from the Moro at No. /, with
the exception of the New York whose posi-
ton is plotted by the revolutions of her en-
gines during a run of forty-tive minutes
east from her position, southeast one-half
ncf -holf con Inn 1f he Tor
70, 5000 yards. Position at No. 2 is plotted
by all ships according to their relative
bearings from each other. the operations of
of the officers ON board them and the ranges
rsed in firing at the Spanish ships Position
No 5 is plotted from observations from the
officers of the United States ships, with re-
gard to their nearness TO each other and rel
alive bearings of themselves from the
Teresa with ranges in use at the time, the
performance of the engines and general
heading of the ships Position No. 4 same
as No. 3. substituting Oquendo for Teresa.
Positions Nos. ). and { are plotted on the
same general plan.
.. Before plotting these positions the
board took each ship separately and dis
cussed her data for the position under con-
sideration, this data being obtained from
the report of the commanding officers notes
taken during the action and the evidence
of the members of the board. In reconcile
ing differences of opinion in regard to dis
tances, bearings, ranges, etc, full liberty
was given to the report of the ships under
discussion to bring any argument or data
he considered necessary, and the board sub
mits this report with feeling that, under
the circumstances, it is as nearly correct
as is possible so long after the engage
mont
The foregoing is signed by Richard VAIN
wright lieutenant commander, u. S. NJ. Sc
nior member; S. p. Comfy. lieutenant. U. S.
n; 1. G Heilman, lieutenant y ,. NJ W
H. Schuettze. lieutenant. Y. 5. N; A.. G.
Hodgson. lieutenant, Y. S. N; w. II. Allen,
lieutenant, u. S. N: Edward e. Capehart,
lieutenant, U. 5. n.
THE REPORT EXPLAINED.
The report continues: 1.-THE above report
needs the accompanying chart to make
clear what were the positions of the ships
during the famous battle of Santiago. on
July 8. Measurements upon the chart show
ing the positions of the vessels at the spec
flied times named in the report will give as
fair an idea of the work of the board as
can be made without the chart itself.
Position No. l. 9:35 a. m.-When the Maria
Teresa came out of the harbor the New
York was nine miles east of MORO. accom-
panied by the Hist and Ericsson The
Brooklyn was three miles southwest of Nor
no. being two and two-tenths miles from the
shore west of the mouth of the harbor. The
Texas was eight-tenthS of mile east of
the Brooklyn. The Iowa was one and eight
tenthS miles east and south of the Brook
Ign, and the Oregon nalf mile east of the
Iowa, the Iowa being three miles directly
south of Moro The Indiana was two and
the Gloucester enc mile almost directly
north of the Indiana and mile and four
tenths from MORO.
Position No. 2 $50 a. m.-When the Pluton
came out, all the Spanish vessels had come
out of the harbor and their positions We're:
Maria Teresa, two and half miles south
west of Moro and the Vizcaya Colon and
Oquendo, in the order named, behind the
Teresa and from four-tenths to half mile
apart The position of the American yes
sells We're: The New York had moved up
two and one-tenth miles westward. The
Brooklyn had started north, swerved to the
northeast and toward the mouth of the har
Dor. and was turning east on the swing she
made to the right and around to the west
ward course. She was eight-tenths of
mile from the Vizcaya. At position No. 2
the Texas first went east half mile,
swinging toward the harbor, then turning
to the left she is at No. a half mile di-
rectly north of her first position. The Iowa
moved by varying course northwest and
was mile and four-tenths from the Viz
caya. the Oregon being two-tenths of
mile behind the Iowa. the Indiana three
tenths behind the Iowa. The Gloucester's
first start was half mile directly away
from the harbor. but. swinging to the right,
had advanced toward the Spanish ships.
being one and seven-tenths miles from the
nearest. the Oquendo.
Position No. g. 1915 a. m.--The Maria
Teresa turned TO run ashore. She was five
was two and three-tenths miles westward
from the Teresa, the Oduendo one and two
tenths miles and the Colon one and four
tenths miles in advance of the Teresa. The
American vessels were as follows: The
New York had come within three miles of
MORO. being southeast of that point. The
Brooklyn was two and a half miles south
and west of the Teresa and one and three
tenthS miles directly south of the Colon.
one and one-tenths miles ard a little be-
hind the ViZcaya. one and three-tenths
miles and a little in advance of the Oquen-
do. The Texas was one and two-tenths
miles from the Teresa a little behind her
and one and four-tenths miles from and be-
hind the next Spanish ship. the Oquendo.
The Iowa was one and one-tenth miles from
the Teresa and little closer in. but not
quite as far west as the Texas. The Oregon
Iowa. being a little further in shore than
the Texas and little further out than the
Iowa. She was in advance of the Teresa,
being one and Seven-tenths miles from that
vessel six-Cenths of mile from and direct
ly in line of the Oquendo, Seven-tenths of
a mile from the Colon and one and two
tenths miles behind the NiZcaya The In
diana was two miles from the Texas and
two and six-tenths miles from the Oquendo
the nearest Spanish vessel. The Gloucester
had moved up six-tenths or a mile and was
just mile directly south of MORO.
Position No. T. 1920 a. m.-The OquendO
turned to run ashore. Only five minutes
eapsed from position No. 3. All vessels
had been running westward without ma
-terial changes in their positions. The Colon
I'D RIM one and three-tenths miles. the
ViZcaya about one-tenth of mile less and
sN~eTA ed TO the left bringing her to within
one and one-tenth miles Of the Brooklyn.
The Iowa was the same distance. but al
most directly astern and the Oregon was
one and three-tenths miles from the Viz
caya, but further out to sea The Iowa
was eight-tenthS of mile from the Oquen-
do. the Oregon nine-tenths of mile ftom
the same vessel and both somewhat in adj