The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1898-10-26
THE WAINWRIGHT REPORT.


OmcIal Account of the Positions of the
American WArships At the Start and
Finish Of the Fight with Cervera's Fleet.
Washington, Oct. 21.-The report of
the Wainwright board, convened for
the purpose of determining the posi-
tions and courses of the ships engaged
in the action near Santiago on July
8, was made public yesterday. The re-
port is as follows:
New York, Oct. 21.-In obedience to
your order of September 2, 1898, APP
pointing us board to plot the posi-
tions of the ships of Admiral Cervera's
squadron, and those of the United
States fleet in the battle of July 3, 1898,
off Santiago de Cuba, we have the
honor to submit the following report,
accompanied by chart showing the
positions of the ships at seven differ
ent times. These times, as taken by
the United States ships engaged, with
the incidents noted, are as follows:
No. $3.50 a. m. Maria Teresa came
out of the harbor.
No. $3.50 a. m. Pluton came out.
No. 3-10:15 a. m. Maria Teresa
turned to run ashore.
No. 4-10:20 a. m. Oquendo turned
to run ashore.
No. 5-10:30 a. m. Furor blew up
and Pluton turned to run ashore,
No. 6-11:O5 a. m. Viscaya turned
to run ashore.
No. 7--1:15 p. m. Colon surrendered.
When the Maria Teresa came out of
the harbor the New York was nine
miles east of MORO, accompanied by
the Hist and Ericsson. The Brooklyn
was three miles southwark of Moro,
being 22 miles from the shore, west
of the mouth of the harbor. The
Texas was $40 of mile east of the
Brooklyn; the Iowa 1.S miles east and
south of the Brooklyn, and the Oregon
half mile east of the Iowa, the Iowa
being three miles directly south of
Morro. The Indiana was 2.2 miles
southwest of Morro and the Glouces-
ter one mile almost directly north of
tine Indiana, IA miles from Morro.
When the Colon surrendered she had
run 26h miles and was off the Tar
quino river The Brooklyn was the
nearest American vessel. She had
sailed 281a miles and was 3.4 miles
from the Colon. The Oregon was
41a miles and more in shore than
the Brooklyn. The Texas was 3.4
miles behind the Oregon. The New
York was 91s miles from the Colon.
None of the other vessels had come up
save the Vixen, which was abreast Of
the New York. This little vessel in
the beginning of the fight steamed
out to sea and sailed westward on a
course about 2A miles from that Of
the nearest Spanish ships.
The tracings of the chart show that
the Spanish vessels sailed on courses
not more than three-tenths of mile
epart until the Oquendo ran ashore.
Then the Vizcaya veered out to sea
and the Colon kept near the shore,
their courses being about seven-tenths
of mile apart. Up to the time the
Oquendo went ashore the Iowa,
Indiana, Oregon and Texas sailed on
courses -tenths of mile of each
other, the Iowa being the nearest and
the Texas the farthest from the coprse
of the Spanish Ships The Brookiyns
course was from three-tenths to one
| half of a mile outside of that of the
Texas. The swing to the right which
the Brooklyn made at the beginning
of the engagement shows an oval four
tenths of mile across. She crossed
the courses of the Texas, Oregon and
Indiana twice while making the turn,
| but before these vessels had gone over
them.
The course of the New York after
passing MORO was nearer the shore
than any other United States vessel
except the Gloucester, and a mile be-
hind where the Oquendo turned to run
ashore she passed inside the course of
| the Spanish vessels. Ten miles west
of the Vizcaya diaster she crossed the
| Colon's track, but followed very close
the course of that vessel until the lat
| ter surrendered.
The Iowa, Indiana and Ericsson did
not go farther west than where the
Vizcaya ran ashore. The Gloucester
stopped by the Maria Teresa and
Oquendo, as also did the Hist. The
latter vessel was notable to keep pace
with the New York and Ericsson, the
vessels she was with at the beginning
of the battle. "a 1861
| ceurM NA,rnr Hn,rR