The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-07-28
THE SANTIAGO FIGHT.
The Reports of the Subordinate Naval
Officers.

Officers.
Washington, July 27.-Ihe reports OF
Captain Chadwick or the New YORK,
Captain Taylor of the Indiana. Captain
Philip of the Texas, and Lieutenant
Commander Wainwright of the Glouces'
ter, on the destruction of Cervera's fleet,
which were included in Admiral Samp-
sons report, wore made public today
The points of them all were OF course IN
cluded in the reports of Sampson ana
Schley.
AS sample Of the statements Oh the
suboriinates perhaps, the report Oh
Lieut.. Com. Wainwright is as interesting
as any. He says:
U. S. S. Gloucester,
Off Santiago de Cuba,
July 6, 1898.
SIR
IL have the honor to report that at
the battle of Santiago on July 3, the
officers and crew of the Gloucester was
uniniured and the vessel was not injured
in hull, or machinery, the battery only
requiring some slight overhauling. 1t is
now in excellent condition.
al enclose herewith copy of the re-
port of the executive officer, made In
compliance with paragraph 525, page 10,
naval regulations, which report believe
to be corr ect in all particulars l also en-
close cop les of reports OF the several
officers which may prove valuable for
future reference.
BIT was the plain duty of the
Gloucester to look after the destroyers
and she was held back, gaining steam,
+box, aft thn anfrancQ The
Indiana poured in a hot fire, from all her
secondary battery upon the destroyers;
but Captain Taylor's signal 'gunboats
close inn gave security that we would
not be fired upon by our ships. Until tho
leading destroyer was injured, our course
was coverging necessarily; but as soon as
she slackened her speed we headed direct,
starboard batteries as the occasion Of
fsred.
All the officers and nearly all the
men deserve my highest praise during
the action. The escape of the Gloucester
was due mainly to the accuracy and
rapidity of the fire. The efficiency of this
fire, as we'll as that of the ship generally,
was largely due to the intelligent and
unremitting efforts of the executive
officer, Lieut.. Harry p Huse. The result
is more to his credit when it is remem-
bered that large portion of the officers
and men were unframed when the
Gloucester was commissioned. Through
out the action he was on the bridge and
carried out my orders with great cool
ness That we were able to close IN with
the destroyers and until we did so they
were not seriously injured, was largely
due to the skill and constant attention OF
Passed Assistant Engineer George W.
McElroy. The blowers were put Oh. and
the speed increased to II knots without
causing q tube to leak or a brass 70 heat.
Lieut.. Thomas G. Wood, Lieut. George
H. Norman, Jr., and Ensign John 4.
Edison, not only controlled the fire OF the
guns in their divisions and prevented
waste of ammunition, but they also did
some excellent shooting themselves.
Acting Assistant Surgeon, j. W.
Bransford, took charge of one OF the guns
and fired it himself occasionally. Acting
Assistant Paymaster Alexander Brown
had charge of the two Colt guns, firing
one himself and they did excellent work.
my orders from the bridge and occasion
ally fired gun when 1 found it was not
being served quite satisfactorily. All
were cool and active at a time when they
could have held but little hope of escap.
ing uninjured. s8
5.-Lieutenants Wood and Norman,
Ensign Edison and Assistant Engineer
HTOCUOT were LII CldISo VI potseo OlSu6Seh
in saving life. They all risked their lives
repeatedly in boarding and remaining
near the two destroyers and the two
armored cruisers when their guns were
being discharged by the heat and their
magazines and boilers were exploding.
Theylalso showed great skill in landing
and taking off the prisoners through the
surf.
COT the mon mentioned in the several
reports, l would call special attention to
John Bond, Chiet Boatswains' Mate lie
would have been recommended to the de-
partment for promotion prior to his gal
liant conduct during the action of July
3D.. I would alsoS recommend to your
attention Robert P. jennings, chief.
mach1nist, mentioned in the report of
Mr.. McElroy. Ibelieve it would have a
good effect to recognize the skill of men
and the danger incurred by the sngi.
neers' force. III would also recommend
that the acting appointments of t.ose
men mentioned by the officers in their re-
ports be made permanent us
THE wounded and exhausted prison
ers were we'll land skilfully attended by
Assistant Surgeon Bransford, assisted by
Ensign Edison, who is also surgeon.
s.-Thsi Admiral, his officers and men
were treated with all consideration and
care possible They were fed and clothed
as far as our limited means would per-
NIT.
Very respectfully,
RICHARD WAINWRIGHT,
Lieut.. Com. U. S. N, Commanding.
To the Commander-in-C Chief q. S. Naval
force, Atlantic Station.