The Portland daily press., 1898-07-26
Big enough FOR US ALL.
That Is What Schley Says of the Victory
Over Cervera..-The Official Report.

| Pluton were ended, and two.thirds of
their people killed The Furor was
| beached and sunk in the surf: the Pluton
sank in deep water a few minutes later
| The destroyers probably suffered much
| injury from the fire of the secondary bat-
| teries Of the battleships Iowa, Indiana and
Texas, yet THINK very considerable
| factor in their speedy destruction was
| the fire at close range from the Glouces-
| ter's batteries. After rescuing the s,rvi-
vors of the destroyers the Gloucester did
excellent service in landing the crew of
Infanta Maria Teresa.
| 8-1he method of escape attempted by
the Spaniards-all steering in the same
direction and in fornlation-removed all
the tactical doubts or difficulties and
| made plain the duty of every United
States vessel to close in, Immediately
engage, ard pursue. The3 was promptly
and effectively done. AS already stated,
the first rush of the Spanish squadron
carried it past number OF the blockad-
ing ships, which could not immediately
suffered heavily in passing, and the In
fanta Maria Teresa and the Oquendo
were probably set on fire by shells fired
during the first Is minutes of the engage
ment. 1t was afterwards learned that the
Infanta Maria Teresa's nre-main had
pOClt Cuu NY Ou0 I'll OuE uISU SHELLS. and
that she was unable to extinguish fire.
With large volumes of smoke rising from
their lower decks aft, these vessels gave
both fight and flight, and ran in on the
beaoh--the Infanta Maria Teresa at about
1915 q. H., at Nina Hima, six and a
half miles from Santiago harbor en-
trance, and the Oquendo at about
from the port.
9-The Vizoaya was still under the fire
Of the leading vessels, the Cristobal
Colon had drawn ahead, leading the
chase, and soon passed beyond the range
of the guns of the leading American
ships. The Vizcaya was soon set on fire,
and at IL. 10 she turned in shore and was
beached, 15 miles from Santiago, burning
fercely, and with her reserves of ammu-
milton on deck already beginning to ex-
plode. When about 10 miles west of
Santiago, the Indiana had been signalled
to go back to the harbor entrance, and at
Ascerraderos, the Iowa was sigma lied to
resume blockading station" The Iowa
assisted by the Ericsson and the Hist,
took off the crew of the Vizeaya, while
the Harvard and the Gloucester received
those of the Maria Teresa and the Oquen-
do. This rescue of prisoners, including
the wounded from the burning Spanish
vessels was the occasion OF some of the
most daring and gallant conduct of the
day. The ships were burning fore and
aft, their guns and reserve ammunition
were exploding and it was not known at
what moment the ire would reach the
main magazine In addition to this
heavy surf was running just inside of the
Spanish ships; but no risk deferred our
officers and men until their work of hu-
nauity was complete.
10--There remained now of the Span
ish ships only the Cristobal Colon-,but
she was their best and fastest vessel,
forced by the situation to 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 her squirt was finished, the
American ships were now gaining upon
her. Behind the Brooklyn ana the Ore
gon came the Texas, Vixen and New
York. 1t was evident from the bridge of
the New York that all of the American
ships were gradually overhauling the
chase, and that she had 10 chance of
escape. At IL. 20 the Brooklyn and the
Oregon opened fire and got her range
the Oregon's heavy shells striking beyond
her-and at 1.20 she gave up without
firing another shot. hauled down her COL
ors and ran ashore at Rio Torquino, 48
miles from Santiago. Capt Cook Of the
Brooklyn, went on board to receive the
surrender. While his boat was along
side I came up in the New York, re-
ceived his report, and placed the Oregon
in charge of the wreck TO save her, If pos
sible, and directed the prisoners to be
transferred to the Resolute, which ha d
followed the chase. Commodore Schley,
whose chief of staff had gone on board to
receive the surrender, had directed that
all their personal effects should be re-
tained by the officers. This order did
not modify. The Colon was not injured
by our firing and probably is not much
injured by. beaching, though she ran
SO steep that she came off by the working
of the sea. But her sea valves were
opened and broken treacherously, am
sure, after her surrender and despite all
efforts, she sank. When it became evil
dent that she could not be kept afoat, she
was pushed by the New York bodily upon
the beach, by Capt. Chadwick with ad-
mirable Judgment. and sank in shoal
water and may be saved. Had this not
been done, she would have gone down in
deep water and would have been ,to4a GER
tain degree, total loss.
Ill regard this complete and i'm
porGant victory over the Spanish forces as
the successful finish of several weeks of
arduous and close blockade, SO stringen
and effective during the night, that the
enemy was deferred from making the at
tempt to escape at night and deliberately
elected to make the attempt in daylight.
That this was the case was Informed by
the commanding officer of the CristobaI
Colon.
12.--It seems proper to briefly describe
here the manner in which this was ac-
complished. The harbor of Santiago is
naturally easy to blockade-there being
but one entrance--and that q narrow one:
and the deep water extending close I'D to
the shore line presenting no difficulties of
navigation outside of the entrance, At
the time of my arrival before the port
June 1st-the moon was at its full, and
there was sufficient light during the
night to enable any movement outside of
the entrance to be detected, but with the
waning of the moon, and The coming of
dark nights there was opportunity for the
enemy to escape, or for his torpedo boats
to make an attack upon the blockading
vessels. 1t was ascertained with fair
conclusiveness that ths Merrimao. so
CALAMITY taken into the chann el on June
3rd, did not obstruot it. l therefore
maintained the blockade as follows:
10 the battleships, was assigned the
duty in turn, of lighting the channel
Moving up to the port, at distance If
from one to two miles from the Morro
they threw searohlight.beam directly m