The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-08-30
FOR NOT SEEING TIE INDIANA
DTRI\G THE FIGHT.
ADMIRAL SAMPSON REPLIES %sOOTHlNGlY
And Explains Why the indiana was signa''eo
10 Return 10 bl.ckad--Ihe Whole
Correspondence was FeteHed 10

nneEt the lolloNihS le'''i~ 49,
PASSED bctWcen himself ana 'HI'"l'
,y.vI.r of he battleShip Indiana:
L. :. !. indiana 'dahi'iit"' -
Cuba. August a. 1873.
-AdllIrdl: ~" ItI"ii : -. I'M
SciltN on me h'l'it - - HUI,
llShed gives crtdl' ~ =
gralli 10 four SlllS ana hi'A'',iN =
name ther captains, a'i'P9' 49,
Clark and to"E. ana aadS.
'lhe dense smoke OF the commas ~
o1t from my view the liidia'll IN" -
cestcr. but rs these NtsSe,s were 10 =
Your flagship no d"uhl ihtll pa. -
conflict WAS uhutf Your lHiill''i'" "
SeryatIOn.
;. IN your report rs pHnllSlcd You
make but slight mention ~ INC lh",'n''
stating that THE Iowa ana ih"ian" h3N
ing done good WORK. ana no. HIN,h- -
speed Of the olt"r Sllll'S' were IVY
by Inc. etc, etc. !.
>. The result OF THESE Reports j. 'n't
the taDtalnS OF All me NtSStlS OF h'
limo of battle except the Indiana nay
received personal mention III the olhrlll
report before the Department. Whlle wv"
smaller ships have also had dlStlhclh'
mention either from the commandments
chief or the second IN command.
f.. If the official record should be re
ferred to in future 1t Will appear from
its general tone that the INDIANA WAS
less deserving than all OF her collSortS.
Leaving out my personal interest III the
matter it is right that | should con
slider the officers and crew of the ship.
and | speak for them rs We'll as for my
self when submit to YOU, Admiral,
that the above comblna ton OF reports
Will place the ship. III the OPINION OF the
Department and the country, markedly
below al the other vessels Of your
squadron. ! respectfully submit. sir
that This is unjust to the Indiana and
her officers and crew.
=. | can say without diSparagement
o. ANY ot he W. NGSSet M, u,rl,,s ,mn n G:a
contributed TO the destruction of The
oaranIn ,nd III roras, WOO ~, th,+
Of any SINGLE vessel Of orr snu,dron ~
cent ono and oouoled bnrs ID not know
whv tho second IN comnand f,Iod ~ nb
serve the Indian, durinn This neriod of
orr hottest action sew 10 Rrooklvn
quite plainly.
G An examination of these rcnorts
with reference to The Indiana Will be-
lieye. convince Won sir that thav do
produce the effect Of ]puttinr the Indiana
below al The other vessels Of the souad-
ron. If it be your Opinion. sir that this
IS tho case. and that all thn vessels from,
the Rrooklyn To tho Viyen rendered cnr.
vices rs much moro y,Iu,hla thon Tho
Indians, as the unfinished ronort Of thn
commandments and tnn second i'm
taken together vould Indicate
then | must accent if for myself and
the shin. If on the contrary fiat no not
vol1r opinion T uroa resnectfu,Iv tbo+ s,,ch
r4.,- - -
may seem wise TO Won
Very resppctfullv
TT q TASTO on
r~o~tain T. s NAVY Con,m,,Jnr
To the Commander-in-chief Tnited ct,t,.
\av,l forcn %orth AtIa.t;n
N-Ntii SUM ltElIl.
I. ). ). New York, Guantanamo Bay
August :, lS9S.
'n. am greatly obliged that YOU
haNe 'dlled my attention to what appears
. h'Ne pech an injustice to Your ship,
,, - 'ld crew l"r the part which
'neE TOOK III the action Of July Bird. and
ais" Tor the very proper manner in which
YOU nave presented it. ! Mn however
'lat You Will agree with me that. i'm
submitting such Il report to the Secretary
OF III" Navy. where so many officers are
Fltaiy interested. and justly proud Of
tiielf snip. 1t IS 10 easy task to do 50
without apparently bcstowing praise IN
justly. If requires very careful consid-
GRAFTON OF the report from every point
Or view to avoid misunderstanding.
me position OF the ships Of the
squadron must be carefully considered
to fully appreciate what it was noseihlo
for each vessel to under tbe
circumstances in which she was placed
those that We're to the westward of the
escaplng enemy We're certainly better
paced Tor stopping the enemy. and also
better placed for delivering thair fro
than the vessels to the eastward which
was the blockading station of tbn In
diana.