The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-07-27
SIMPSONS REPORT OF
THE FIGHT At SANTIAGO
Great Praise Given the Gloucester for Her Gallant Work in Destroy
ing the Pluton and Juror Brave Schley Receives
Hardly a Word of Mention.

tanned this lead until the Oregon,
steaming with amazing speed from the
commencement of the action, took first
place. The iowa and the Indiana had
lone good work. and not having the
speed of the other ships were directed
by me in succession, at about the Time
the Vizcayl was beached, TO drop out
of the chase and resume
stations. These vessels rescued many
prisoners. rhe Vixen, finding that the
rush of h Spanish ships would put her
between two fires, ran outside or her
own column and remained there dur
inc the battle and base.
Seventh-The skillful handling and
gallant fighting of the Gloucester, 10
the admiration Of everyone who Wit
messed it, morits the commentator OF
the navy department. She is a fast
and entirely unprotected auxiliary YES
sel-the yacht Corsicana-and has a
battery Of light rapid-ire guns. she
was running about two miles from the
harbor entrance to the eastward. and
Immediately steamed out, firing apo
the large ships. Anticipating the APP
pearance of the Pluton and Furor, the
Gloucester stood by, gaining more rap
idly a high pressure OF steam, and when
the destroy"rs came out she steamed
for them az full speed and was able to
come TO short range where her fire was
accurate. deadly and of great volume.
During this fight, the Gloucester was
under the IRE of the Socapa battery.
Within 20 minutes from the time they
emerged from Santiago harbor, the ca
reers Of the Juror and Pluton were end
ed and t~wo-tkirds of their people killed.
The Juror was beached n sunk in the
surf. The pluton sank I'm deep water a
few minutes later. The destroyers
probably suffered much injury from
the fire of tic secondary battery of the
a-1 800
yet ] think n very considerable factor
i'm their speedy destruction was the fire
at close range OF the Gloucester's bat
terry. After rescuing the survivors OF
the destroyers. the Gloucester did ex-
cellent service in landing and securing
the crew of the Infanta Maria Teresa.
Made Plain the Duty.
~Eighth-The method of escape at
tempted by the Spaniards-all steaming
in the same direction and in formation
removed all tactical doubts or diff
culties. and made plain the duty of
every United States vessel to close in
Immediately. AS already stated, the
first rush OF the Spanish squadron car
ried II pas: a number of blockading
ships which could not Immediately
work up to their best speed, bu they
suffered heavily i'm passing. The In
fanta Maria Teresa and the Oquendo
were probably set on fire by the shells
fired during the first 15 n u of the
engagement. 1t was afterward learned
that the Infanta Maria Teresa's fire.
mains had been put out by one of our
first shots, and that she was unable TO
extinguish the fire. With large vol
umes OF smoke rising from their lower
( decks aft, these vessels gave up both
fight and flight and ran i'm on the beach
the Infanta Maria Teresa at about
1915 a. m. a Kimanima. six and a hair
miles from Santiago harbor entrance.
and the Almirante Oquendo at about
1890 a. m. at Juan Gonzales, seven
miles from tie port.
The Vizcaya was still under the fire
of the leading vessels. The C%ristobal
Colon had 1rawn ahead, leading the
chase and soon passed beyond the
range of the guns leading the Amer
lear ships. The NiZcaya was soon set
on fire and al 1l:15 she turned inshore
and was bsached at Azzeraderos Is
miles from Santiago, burning fercely
and with her reserve ammunition on
deck alrea5v beginning to explode.
When about 10 miles west of Santiago,
the Indiana had been signalled to 20
back to thu harbor entrance, and at
Azzeraderns the Iowa was siRnalled to
resume bloclading station" The Iowa,
assisted by the Ericsson and the Hist,
took off the crew OF the Vizcaya, while
the Harvard End the Gloucester rescued
those of the Infanta Maria Teresa and
the Almirarte Oquendo.
This rescue OF prisoners, including
the wounded. from the burning ships,
was the occasion OF some OF the most
daring and gallant conduct OF the day.
The ships were burning fore and az,
their guns and reserve ammunition
were exploding and IL was not known
at what moment the fire would reach
the main magazines. In addition 10
this. a heavy surf was running just In
side of the Spanish ships. Blu no risk
deferred our officers and men until
their work of humanity was complete,
Tenth-There remained now of the
Spanish ships only the Cristobal Colon,
but she was their best and fastest ves-
sci. Forced by the situation 10 hug
the Cuban coast. her only chance OF
escape was by superior and sustained
speed. When the Vizcaya went ashore
the Colon was about six miles ahead OF
the Brooklyn and the oregon, but hei
squirt was finished and the American
ships were now gaining upon her. BE,
hind the Brooklyn and the Oregon
came the Texas, Vixen and New York
II was evident from the bridge of tn
New York that all the American shin,
were gradually overhauling the chas,
! and that she had not nance Of escape
: At 1880 the Brooklyn and Oregon
I opened fire and got their range-th
I Oregon's heavy shells striking beyon,
her-and at l:l0 she gave up withou
J firing another shot. hauled down he
colors and ran ashore at Rio Torquinl
= Is miles from Santiago. Captain Cool
: of the Brooklyn went on board to re
e ceive the surrender. While his boa
. was alongside came up in the Ne'
VarL raaa1R.a HE ,as,ars .Va ,n,,.
. the oregon in charge of the wreck, {
: save her II possible. and directed tn
: prisoners 10 be transferred TO the Res
: olute. which had followed the chase
; Commodore Schley. whose chief {
: STAN had gone on board To receive IN
surrender. had directed that all the
personal effects should be retained b
n the officers. This order ] did not moo
5 fly. The Cristobal Colon was not In