Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-07-28
TIT G[oUs[STER'S WORK
Her Gal ant Fight Against the Tor
pedo Boat Destroyors.

i
THE GLOUCESTER UNDERTOOK
PERILOUS SERVICE IN RESCUTNG
THE SURVIVORS FROM THE
BURNING VESSELS.
WashiA4ton, July 27.-The reports
of Capt. Chadwick, Of the New York;
Capt. Taylor, of the Indiana; Capt.
Philip, OF the Texas, and Lieut.. Com
mander Wainwright, of the Gloucester.
on the destruction of Cervera's fleet,
which was included in Admiral Samp-
cons report, were made public to-day.
These reports, except that CT VAIN
wright, of the Gloucester, vary In moth
ing but minor details from the reports
Of Sam oson and Schley, printed yester-
day. Vain wright's report follows:
United States Steamship Gloucester,
off Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. July 6. 1898.
Sir:-One-I have the honor to re-
port that at the battle of Santiago on
July 8 the officers and crew Of the
Gloucester were uninjured and the ves-
sci was not injured in the hull or ma
chinery, the battery only requiring
some slight overhauling. 1t Is now In
excellent condition.
Two-I enclose herewith a copy OF
the report Of the executive officer made
in compliance with paragraph 525, page
ITO, naval regulations, which report /
believe to be correct in all particulars.
also enclose reports of the several
officers which may prove valuable for
future reference.
Three-It was the plain duty of the
Gloucester to look after the destroyers
and she was held back, gaining steam
until they appeared ct the entrance.
The Indiana poured in hot fire from
all her secondary battery upon the de-
strcyers; but Captain Taylor's signal
"gunboats close In" gave security that
we would not be fired upon by our own
ships. Until the leading destroyer
was injured our course was converging,
necessarily; but as soon as she slack.
ened her speed, we headed directly for
both vessels, firing both port and star
board batteries as the occasion Of
fered
Four-All the officers and the men
deserve highest praise during the &C
ton. The success of the Gloucester
was due to the accuracy and rapid1ty
of the fire. The efficiency of this fire
as we'll as that of the ship generally
was largely due to the intelligent and
unremitting efforts of the executive
officer, Lieut.. Harry P. Huse. The
result is more to his credit when it is
remembered that large proportion of
the officers and men were unframed
when the Gloucester was commission
ed. Throughout the action he was
on the bridge and carried out my Or
ders with great GOODNESS. That we
were able to close In with the destroy
ers-and until we did, so they were
not seriously iIjured-was largely due
to the skill and constant attention of
Passed Assistant Engineer George P.
McElroy. The blowers were put on
and the speed increased to II knots
without causing a tube to leak or a
brass to heat. Lieut.. Thomas C. Wood,
Lieut.. George H. Norman, Jr., and
Ensign John T. Edison, not only con-
trolled the fire of the guns in their
divisions and prevented waste Of am
munition, but they also did some eX-
cellent shooting themselves. Acting
Assistant Surgeon J. F. Bransford
took charge of one of the guns and
fred it himself occasionally. Acting
Assistant Paymaster Alexander Brown
had charge Of the two Colt guns, fir
ing one himself, and they did excellent
work. Assistant Engineer A. M. Proc
tor carried my orders from the bridge
and occasionally fired gun when
found it was not being served quite
satisfactorily. All were cool and &C
tive at a time when they could have
had but little hope of escaping unin-
jured.
Fifth-Lieuts. Wood and Norman
Ensign Edison and Assistant Engineer
Proctor were in charge of the boats
engaged in saving life. They all risk
| ed their lives repeatedly in boarding
and remaining near the two destroy
ers and the two armored cruisers
| when their guns were being discharg
| ed by the heat and their magazine
and boilers were exploding. The.
also showed great skill in landing ant
taking off the prisoners through thu
surf.
! Sixth-of the men mentioned in tn
several reports l would call special at
| tention to John Bond, chief boat
swain's mate. He would have bee
| recommended to the department TO
| promotion, prior to his gallant con
duct during the action of July 8.
would also recommend to your atten
ton Robert P. Jennings, chief ma
chinist, mentioned in the report OF Nj
McElroy. I believe it would have