The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-07-27

DO[te OF AuHltldl oditipHOhs
Schley. Captain Clark OF the Oregon
and Captain Evans Of the Iowa on the
battle Of July 5 which resulted in the
destruction of Cervera's squadron. They
are as follows:
& United states flagship New York.
first rate. OFF Santiago de Cuba, July
Is, 1898. Sir:
F1rst-I have the honor to make the
following report upon the battle with
the destruction of the Spanish squad
ron. commanded by Admiral Cervera
of Santiago de Cuba on Sunday, July
5. 1888.
= Second-The enemy's vessels came
: cut Of the harbor between 1885 and 10
q M the head of the column appear
ing around Cayo Smith at 1881 and
emerging from the channel i've or six
minutes later.
Third-The position Of the vessels of
my command off Santiago at the mo-
ment were: Flagship New York was
four miles east of her b~lockading sta
ton and about seven miles from the
harbor entrance. She had started for
siboney. where / intended to land, &C
companied by my staff, and go to the
front to consult with General Shafter
for a discussion of the situation and
for a more definite understanding be-
tween US OF the operations that had
been rendered necessary by the unex-
pectedly strong resistance of the Span
ish garrison at Santiago. l had sent
8 my chief of staff on shore the day be
{. fore to arrange an interview with Gen
eral shafter, who has been suffering
from heat p~rostration. ] made arrange
ments to go to his headquarters and my
fagship was in the position mentioned
above when the Spanish squadron APP
peared in the channel. The remaining
vessels were In or near their usual
= blockading positions; distributed in a
semi-circie about the harbor entrance,
counting from the eastward to the
westward In the following order: The
Indiana about a mile and a half from
shore, the Oregon-the New York's
place between these two-the Iowa,
Texas and Brooklyn. the latter two
miles from the shore west of Santiago.
The DISTANCE Of the vessels from the
r. maroon entrance was libili tNo III nv
half to four miles. the latter being the
limit Of day b~lockading distance. The
length of the arc formed by the ships
was about eight miles. The Massachu-
sets had left at 4 a. m. for Guantanamo
for coal. Her station was between the
Iowa and the Texas. The auxiliary
Gloucester and Vixen lay close to the
land and nearer to the harbor entrance
3 than the larger vessels, the Gloucester
to the eastward and the Vixen to the
westward. The Ericsson was in com
pany with the flagship and remained
with her during the chase until ordered
10 discontinue, when she rendered very
efficient service in rescuing prisoners
from the burning NiZcaya. | enclose a
diagram showing approximately the po-
above.
~Fourth-The Spanish vessels came
rapidly out of the harbor at a speed
estimated at from eight TO ten knots
and in the following order. Infanta
Maria Teresa (iagship), Nizcaya, Cris-
tobal Colon and the Almirante Oquen-
do. The distance between these ships
was about 500 yards, which means that
from the time the first one became Wis
ible IN the upper reach OF the channel
until the last one was out of the har-
hor an interval of only about IL minutes
elapsed. fOllOWlnk the oQuenuo Ut a
distance OF about 1900 yards came the
torpedo boat destroyer Pluton and at
ter her the Furor.
The armored cruisers, as rapidly as
they could bring their gun to bear,
opened a vigorous fire upon the block
aiding vessels and emerged from the
channel shrouded in the moke from
their guns.
Fffth-The men of our ships In front
Of the port were at Sunday quarters
for inspection. The signal was made
simultaneously from several vessels:
"Enemy's ships escaping and general
quarters was sounded. The men
cheered as they sprang TO their gum
and fire was opened probably within
eight minute by the vessels whose
guns commanded the entrance.
Part sampson Played.
The New York turned about and
eteame for the escaping fleet. dying
the signal, Close in towards harbor
entrance and attack vessels" and grad
ually increasing her speed until toward
the end Of the chase she was making
1914 knots and was rapidly closing on
the Cristobal Colon. She was not AT
any time within range of the heavy
spanish ships, and her only part in
the firing was TO receive the undivided
Ore from the forts in passing the har.
Dor entrance. and 10 fire a few shots
At one of the destroyers, though at tn,
moment the destroyer was attempting
70 escape from the Gloucester.
Sixth-Tile Spanish vessels, upoT
clearing the harboT. turning TO IN,
westward. increased their speed 10 tn,
full power 81 their engines. The heavy
oiockading vessels, which had closed IL
toward the MORO at the instant of tn,
enemy's appearance and at their hes
speed. delivered a rapid fire. well sus
tanned and destructive. which speedily
n~NRrWyhGlman and EflEnHgn the SnanAEi
nre. The initial speed OF the Spaniardl
carried Their rapidly past the blockad
ing vessels. and the battle develope'
into a cha &c. in which the Brooklyn
and Texas lad at the start the sdyan
tage of position. The Brooklyn main