The age-herald., 1898-07-29
CAPT. CLARK OF
 THE BROOKLYN Renders Report of the Engagement OH
 Santiago July 3. TEXT OF THE DOCUMENTS Battle Between the Opposing SquadrenS Graphically Described by Cook. THE RACE OF THE TWO FLAGSHIPS The Brooklyn 0uran the Crstobal Colon and Compelled Her to Take to Land
 Bravery of the Men Under
 His Command.
THE RACE OF THE TWO FLAGsHIPS

Washington, July 2S.-The navy depart- ment has made public the reports of Cap
 tain Cook of the Brooklyn; Lieutenant
 Usher, commanding the Ericsson and Cap
 tain Cotton of the Harvard, giving their
 stories of the destruction of the Cervera
 fleet. The full text of these documents
 follows:
 U. s. Flagship Brooklyn, First Rate,
 At Anchor, Guantanamo Bay, July '. Sr-1. At a. fn, July 3, l gave orders and arrangements were made for general
 muster at 9:sO a. m. At 9:3O the enemy were
 reported by the Iowa coming out. At
 the same time they were discovered by
 the quarter officer on watch of this ship and reported to the officer the deck. The executive officer, Iieutenant-Com- mander Mason, who was on deck about to execute the order for general muster, im- mediately gave the order, "Clear ship for action and general quarters" Signal was made at the same time, Enemy coming out, action" I went immediately forward, stood for the enemy and gave orders to get steam on all boilers. We started with steam on three boilers at about 12 knots
 speed.
 g. The head of the Spanish squadron
 in column was just outside the entrance of the harbor of Santiago, heading about southwest The Spanish suuadl on consisted of the Maria Teresa thagship), Vizcaya Oquend1 and Colon and two torpedo boat Iestroyers. We opened fire on the leading
 ship in five minutes from the discovery.
 g. The port battery was first engaged
 as we stood with port helm to head off the
 leading ship and giving them a raking fire
 tabout 1,500 yards range. The enemy
 turned to the westward to close into the land. We then wore around to starboard, bringing the starboard battery into action. The enemy hugged the shore to the west ward.
 Brooklyn In the Lead
 f. The Bro 1klyr lea iinr. WIS fcllo yed by the Texas, Iowa. Oregon, Indiana and Gloucester. The Vixen. which had been to the westward of us on the blockade, ran to the southward and eastward of us, and | kept for me tine off oup port side, Gt'- tant about 1 0G0 yards, evidently intending to guard off a torpedo attack on this ship. Shells passing over us fen very thick about her, some passing over her. At this tne the firing was very fast and the Whlst Ing of shell incessant, and our escape With so little injury was miraculous, and can on-
 ly be attributed to bad marksmanshlp on
 
 which had dropped astcrn whie we wete
 nearing under the heavy fire of our feet,
 ashore.
 5 The Vizcaya, Oquendo anc Colon con-
 tinuing on and gaining Al distance, the
 Brooklyn was engaged with the thre'
 leading ships of the enemy which were
 forging ahead the Texas. Iowa and lndi-
 ana keeping up heavy fire, but steaoiiy
 dropping astern. The Oregon was keeping
 up a steady fire. and was coming up 'n
 o1or gallant Style. cut
 stripDine all of the others. It was an la-
 sniring sight to see this battleshp. with
 large white wave before her and Ter
 smokestacks belching forth continued d puffs from her forced draught We wers
 making fourteen knots at the me, ant inc Dragon came off our starboard quarter at about 600 yards and maintained her po- sition though we increased cur spe 70 fifteen knots. and just before the Coon surrendered we were making nearly SIX, | teen. ,,, G. The Oquendo soon after the falling ont of the Teresa dropped astern and on fire ran ashore. The Nizcaya and Colon continued on under fire from the Brooklyn and oregon The other vessels of our fleet
 were well stern and out of range. The Texas was evidently coming up fast. AL atyo,it 10:s9 a. m the Vizcaya was seen to beson fire and the Colon passed inside or heb with increased speed, took the leao anu gradually forged ahead. The Vizcaya soon a afsfar the DeaCn tDldHe Wilh iiS' wy sienalled to the Oregon 10 cease firing on the Vizcaya as her flag was down. f1rlng immediately ceased and we both continued the chase of the Colon. She was now about 12 900 yards away. The ranges run
 from 300 to 5000 yards. with the ViZcaya
 as she kept in and out frorn the coast. We steered straight for a distant nolnt near l Cane Cruz while the Colon kept close to | the land running in to all bights She could not have come out without crossing
 our bows and we were steadily gaining on her. We were getting steam all the time and now had four and one half boilers on
 and the remaining one and half ready. Ran Into Eight of Land
 I. After running for about fifty miles west from the entrance the Colon ran into | plight of land, beached, fired gun to | leeward and hauled down her flag. The | Oregon and Brooklyn had just previously | begun to fire upon the Colon and were land | ing shell close to her. I was sent on board
 by Commodore Schley to receive the sur | render The captain spoke English and l received me pleasantly. though naturally
 much depressed. He surrendered uncon- ditionally He was polite, shook hands and said that his case was hopeless and that he saw that we were toe much for him. I was on board about fifteen minutes. As we came from the Colon the flagship New York came in with the Texas. l reported on board the flagship to Rear Admiral Sampson. stated to him that believed the Colon could be gotten off the beach. B. During the entire action l was in con- stant communication with you so that l
 was enabled to promptly execute your or
 ders and instructions. The officers and | crew behaved with great and exceptional | ble coolness and bravery so that 1t Is dif- | fcult to discriminate. They were encour- l aged in their best efforts by your enthus- 1 iasm and your cherry words: Fire, l steady, boys and give it to them.'
 | 9. The executive officer, Lieutenant | Commander N F. Mason, with his usual | zeal, was continually at the battery direct | ing the fire and keeping me well informed l of the exact condition of the ship and in encouraging both officers and men by his | example of coolness and courage.
 10. Lieutenant Hodgson was on the bridge, cooly and deliberately taking bear ings and measuring and giving ranges. He was assisted in getting ranges and not