The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-05-30
WITH THE FLYING SQUADRON.

.H.Iatf 81 rrs NT
Commodors scaiey Failed to Blud tho
Spanish Fleet at Cienfusgos = Sailors
manifest Great Disappointment. Il
Correspondence OF the Associated Press.
OFF CIENFUEGos, Cuba, May 2a-
The squadron assigned to special duty
and which found Its name from It's first
nucleus, "the flying squadron" left Key
West on Thursday, May 10. 1t consist
ed of the armored cruiser Brooklyn, fly
Ing the comnodore's flag OF Winfield
Scott schley. and under command OF
Captain Francis A. Cook; the battleship
Massachusetts, commanded by Francis
]. HlGginson: the battleship Texas.
commanded by John w. Philip. and the
Scorpion, commanded by Lieutenant
Commander Adolph Mark.
Commander Schley's orders were to
proceed to Cienfuegas. where he would
be Joined by the Iowa, then taking coal
al Key West. the Marblehead and Nash
Vile, and two torpedo boats. The Iowa,
first-class batueship. In command of
Captain Robley d. Evans, the Marble
head, third rate cruiser, in command OF
Commander Bowman II. McCalla, and
the Nashville. third rate cruiser, In
command OF Washburn Maynard, to-
gether with the torpedo boats and per-
haps some fast gunboats, Is was be-
lIeved make IN invisible squadron,
On Friday morning at o'clock, when
Just In sight OF Cape San Antonio light,
the smoke OF two steamers was made
out on the horizon. A call to the guns
and to prepare for action created the
greatest enthusiasm among the officers
and men, and much disappointment
was manifested when tho strangers
were made out to be the United States
cruiser Cincinnati and the dynamite
cruiser vesuvius. Captain Chester. of
the Cincinnati. came aboard the Brook
lyn, and to Commodore Schley gave a
summary OF their patrol work about the
coast. They had not seen the Spanish
feet or any Indications Of It To Cap
tain Cook the captain OF the Cincinnati
said he believed II to be Of no utility
to attempto to land munitions Of war on
the coast unless we landed troops also,
for absolutely no dependence could be
placed upon the insurgents for assist
ance. He believed that the arms and
ammunition already landed were In the
hands OF the Spanish. Maceo, the in
surgent leader, had not shown any In
terest In the matter. but had claimed to
have been insulted because communica-
tions sent him at great risk OF life were
not officially addressed.
The Cincinnati and the Yesuvius left
for Key West to get coal.
Saturday at o'clock Cienfuegos was
sighted. Sunday morning at 7:3o o'clock
while at breakfast, torpedo boat was
seen near the entrance OF the harbor.
There was quick call to general quar-
ters, but the boat disappearing, break
fast was resumed. At s o'clock the
smoke of a steamer was seen to tho
southwest. It proved to be the torpedo
boat Dupont with dispatches for the
fleet.
A close inspection OF the harbor Of
Cienfuegos failed to reveal any indica-
tion OF the Spanish fleet, although the
shore batteries defiantly raised their
Spanish standards. A group OF cavalry
was seen on the shore at one point, but
no attempt was made to fire on them.
At noon the Iowa steamed within sight
and Joined the squadron hyE ~.
Commodore Schley allowed the men
to cheer. and Fighting Bob" and his
splendid battleship were lchecred to tho
echo. The Iowa announced that the
Marblehead, Castine and collier Nerri-
mac would be here In the morning,
At o'clock Commodore Schley took
his squadron, now a most formidable
aggregation OF ships, and ran close In
10 Cienfuesos harbor. discovering that
there were no warshlps there, but only
few schooncrs and O small gunboat,
.It Is the Spanish squadron I'm look
Ing for" said the fighting commodore,
land not q few almost ruined Spanish
subjects In Cuba" and 80 not u shot was
fired:
At s o'clock the Scorpion was sent to
Santiago de Cuba, 300 mics distant, for
the purpose of communicating with tho
Minneapolis or the Harvard, either of
which IS supposed to be there, so that
they could take dispatches from the
fleet to Hayti for direct cable to the
United States navy department.
On Monday morning, May g. great
excitement was caused by news that the
Spanish fleet was at Santiago de Cuba.
The news was brought by tho Hawk,
the converted yacht, which came from
Key West with the gunboat Castine and
the collier Morrimac. Her captain said
That the Minneapolis. which had been
scouting through the windwnrd pas
sage. Ind discovered the fleet on Thurs
day morning and had run to Hayti and
cabled II. The Hawk came down with
all speed. Much concern was felt for
the safety OF the Scorpion. which left
Sunday night bearing dispatches from
Commodore Schley and the Associated
Press correspondent
The work OF conling all the vessels
was proceeded with Immediately, and
actively continued oil the morning.