Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-08-06
COMMANDERS REPORT.
He Refers But Briefly to the Work of Com
modore Schley and Extols
the Gloucester


II. s. Flagship New York. Off Santiago
de Cube, Cuba. July IS, 1898.
Sir: 1 have the honor 20 make the
following report upon the battle with !
and the destruction of the Spanish |
squadron commanded by Admiral Ger
vera, off Santiago de Cuba, on Sunday. |
July 3. 1898
The enemy's vessels came out Of the |
harbor between 9:35 and 10 a m, the |
head of the column appearing around !
Cay Smith at 1851. and emerging from
the channel five or six minutes later.
The positions of the vessels of my
command off Santiago at that moment
were as follows: The flagship New
York was four miles east of her block
aiding station. and about seven miles
from the harbor entrance. She ha0
started for Siboney. where / intended
TO land, accompanied by several of my
staa, and go To the front TO consult
with General Shafter. A discussion of
the situation and a more definite un-
Outstanding between us of the opera
lions proposed had been rendered nee
cesary by the unexpectedly strong re-
sistance of the Spanish garrison of
on shore the day before to arrange an
interview with General Shafter. who
had been suffering from heat prosta-
ton 1 made arrangements to go to his
headquarters. and my flagship was in
the position mentioned above when the
Spanish squadron appeared in the
channel The remaining vessels were in
or near their usal blockading positions.
distributed in a semi-circle about the
harbor entrance. counting from the
e eastward to westward, in the following
order: The Indiana about mile and q
half from shore; the Oregon. the New
Yorks place between these two; the
iowa, Texas and Brooklyn, the latter
two miles from shore, west of Santi-
ago. The distance of the vessels from
the harbor entrance was from two end
one-half to four miles, the latter being
the limit of day blockading distance.
The length of the arc formed by the
ships was about eight miles. The
Massachusetts had left at a. m. for
Guantanamo for coal. Her station was
between the Iowa and Texas. The aux
iliaries Gloucester and Vixen lay close
TO the land, and nearer the harbor
entrance than the large vessels, the
Gloucester to the eastward, and the
Vixen to the westward. The torpedo
boat Ericsson was In company with the
flagship, and remained with her dur
ing her chase until ordered to discon-
tinue when she rendered very efficient
service in rescuing prisoners from the
burning Vizcaya. I enclose a diagram
showing approximately the positions OF
the vessels as described above.
The Spanish Vessels Appear.
The Spanish vessels came rapidly out
OF the harbor. at a speed estimated a;
from eight to ten knots, and in the fol-
lowing order: Infanta Maria Teresa
(hagship). Vizcaya, Cristobal Colon
and the Almirante Oquendo. The dis
tance between these ships was about
500 yards, which means that, from the
time the first one became visible in the
upper reach of the channel until the
last one was out of the harbor an IN.
terval Of only about II minutes elapsed
Following the Oquendo, at a distance
Of about 1900 yards, came the torpedo
boat destroyer Pluton, and after hel
the Furor. The armored cruisers, a.
rapidly as they could bring their guns
60 bear, opened a vigorous fire upon TIT
blockading vessels, and emerged from
Che channel shrouded in the smoke o
their guns.
The men OF our ships In front Of tn
port were at Sunday quarters for in
spection." The signal was made stimuli
taneously from several boats. Enemy
ships escaping" and general quarter
was sounded. The men cheered a
they sprang TO their guns, and fire wa
was opened probably within eight min
uteS by the vessels whose guns com
manded the entrance. The New Yor
turned about and steamed for the es
Gaping fleet. flying the signal "Close {
towards harbor entrance and attac
vessels and gradually increasin
speed until toward the end of the chas
she was making 16h knots and wa
rapidly closing on the Cristobal Color
She was not at any time within tn
range Of the heavy Spanish ships, an
her only part In the firing was to re
ceiVe the undivided FIRE from the fort