The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-07-29

out of the harbor of Santiago de Cuba
in column at distance and attempted
to escape to the westward. Signal was
| made from the Iowa that the enemy
was coming out but this movement
had been discovered from this ship
at the same moment. This vessel was
the farthest west, except the Vixen.
in the blockading line; signal was
made 10 the western division as pre-
scribed in your general orders and
there was immediate and rapid move
| ment inward by your squadron and
| general engagement at ranges begin
ming at LOO yards and varying to 5000
until the FiZcaya was destroyed about
1890 o'clock a. m. The concentration
OF the fire OF the squadron upon the
ships coming out was most furious
and terrific, and great damage was
done them.
About twenty or twenty-five minutes
after the engagement began, two ves-
sells, thought to be the Teresa and
Oquendo and since verified as such,
took fire from the effective shell fire
of the squadron and were forced TO
run on the beach some six or seven
miles west of the harbor entrance,
where they burned and blew up later.
The torpedo boat destroyers were de-
stroyed early in the action, but the
smoke was so dense in their direction
that / cannot say to which vessel or
vessels the credit belongs. This doubt
less was better seen from your flag
ship.
The Vizcaya and Colon, perceiving
the disaster to their conSOrtS, cOntin-
ued at full speed to the westward to
! escape and We're followed and engaged
in a running fight with the Brooklyn,
| Texas, Iowa and Oregon until 1880
| o'clock, when the ViZcaya took fire
| from our shells. She put her helm to
! port and with a heavy list to port.
| stood in shore and ran aground at
! Asseraderos, about twenty-one miles
| west of Santiago on fire fore and aft,
! and where she blew up during the
| night. Observing that she had struck
| her 'cOlors, and that several vessels
were nearing her to capture and save
| the crew, the signal was made to
| cease firing. The Oregon having prov
| ed vastly faster than the other battle
| ships she and the Brooklyn, together
| with the Texas and another vessel
| which proved to be your flagship, con-
| tinued westward in pursuit of the
| Colon, which had run close in shore
| evidently seeking some good spot to
| beach if she should fail to elude her
| pursuers.
This pursuit continued with increas-
| ing speed in the Brooklyn, Oregon and
| other ships and soon the Brooklyn and
| the Oregon were within long range of
| the Colon, when the Oregon opened
| fire with her 13-inch guns, landing a
| shell close to the Colon. A moment
| afterward the Brooklyn opened fire
with her S-inch guns, landing a shell
| just ahead of her. Several other shells
J were fired at the Colon, now in range
I of the Brooklyns and Oregon's guns.
| Her commander seeing all chances. of
| oscar fcut off and destruction awaiting
his ship, fired a Lee gun and struck
| her flag at LIS o'clock p. m, and ran
| ashore at point some fifty miles
west OF Santiago harbor. Your flag
ship was coming up rapidly at the
| same time as was also the Texas and
| the Vixen. A little later, after your
arrival, the Christobal Colon, which
had struck to the Brooklyn and the
| Oregon, was turned over to you as
one Of the trophies of this great vic
| tory of the squadron under your COM
| mand.
| During my official visit little later,
| Commander Eaton, of the Resolute,
J appeared and reported to you the pres
ence of a Spanish battleship near AL
| tareS. Your orders to me We're to take
the Oregon and go eastward to meet
| her, and this was done by the Brook
| lyn, with the result that the vessel re-
| ported as an enemy was discovered
| to be the Austrian cruiser Infanta Ma
| ria Teresa, seeking the commander-in-
| chief.
l would mention for your considera-
| ton that the Brooklyn occupied the
most westward blockading position
| with the Vixen, and, being more di-
rectly in the route taken by the Span
| ish squadron, was exposed for some
| minutes, possibly ten, to the gun fire
of three Of the Spanish ships and the
west battery at a range of 1,500 yards
| from the ships and about 5000 yards
| from the batteries, but the vessels Of
| the entire squadron, closing in rapid
ly, soon diverted this fire and did mag
nificent work at close range. I have
never before witnessed such deadly
| and fatally accurate shooting as was
| done by the ships of your command,
as they closed in on the Spanish squad
| ron, and / deem it a high privilege to
commend to you for such action as
you may deem proper, the gallantry
| and dashing courage, the prompt decis-
ion and the yskillful handling of their
respective vessels, of Captain Philip
Captain Evans, Captain Clark and es-
pecially Of my chief of staff, Captain
Cook, who was directly under my per-
sonal observation and whose GOODNESS
promptness and courage were Of the
| n1SneSI OTuoE. Inc O0nSe smoke Oh
the combat shut out from my view the
Indiana and the Gloucester, but as
these vessels were closer to your flag
ship no doubt their part in the con-
f1ict was under your immediate Obser-
| walton.
Lieutenant Sharp, commanding the
| Vixen, acted with conspicuous courage
| although unable to engage the heavier
| ships of the enemy with his light guns
nevertheless was close in to the battle
line under heavy fire and many of the
enemy's shots passed beyond his Yes
| sell
/ beg to invite special attention II
the conduct of my flag lieutenant, Jas
H. Sears. and Ensign Edward Nc
Cauley Jr., aide, who were constantly
at my side during the engagement anC
who exposed themselves fearlessly in
discharging their duties; and also t
| the splendid behavior of my secretary
Lieutenant B. W. Wells, Jr., who com
manded and directed the fighting OF
the fourth division with splendid ef-
L