Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-12-01
On Operations Of BIockading
Fleet at Santiago.
Contains Criticism Of Skaters Hand
ling Of Laid Forces.
Intimates that Sampson Was an Important
Man at About that Time.

Oh the Cililei CedlSS pioNN
aiding fleet off Santiago after the de-
struction of Cervera's fleet Admiral
Sampson tells of the demonstration
made against Aguadores by the Mlchi-
gan troops the point of which was that
as soon as the ships took part in the
fight the Spaniards disappeared He
saws that the bombardment of Santi-
ago July 2. served no particular end
because Shafter's attack had been post
poned.
He quotes dispatches from himself
TO Shafter stating that it was impossi-
BILE to force an entrance to the harbor
until the mines had been removed and
that work could be accomplished only
after the troops had taken the forts.
Shafter replied that he could not tell
when he could take the batteries. If
they were as difficult as those against
which he was pitted, it would take
some time and a great loss of life.
Said he:
81 am at loss to see why the navy
cannot work under destructive fire
as we'll as the army. My loss was over
500 men.
BY all means keep up fire on every
thing in sight until demolished. I eX-
pect. however, with time and sufficient
men, to capture the forts along the
bay"
An hour later Shafter appealed to
Sampson to force the harbor entrance
Immediately, so as TO avoid future loss
among his men, already very heavy.
Said he: You can operate with less
loss of life than I can" In. reply on
the same day Admiral Sampson point
ed out that the channel of the harbor
was we'll strewn with mines, which
which would certainly result in the
sinking of one or more of his ships if
he attempted to enter the harbor and
that by sinking one the harbor would
by sinking one the harbor would be
blocked against the entrance of the
others. He had hoped that Shafter
would take the batteries from the rear,
so that he might drag for the torpe-
does, but if it was Skaters earnest
desire that he should force the en-
trance he would prepare to undertake
it although the position of both army
and navy would be made more difficult
if they failed in; the attempt. Said
Sampson:
1T is not SO much the loss of men
as it is the loss Of ships which have
until now deferred me from making a
direct attack upon the ships within the
port"
After the battle with Cervera's fleet,
Shafter renewed his request that Samp-
son force an entrance. saying his pres
ent position had cost him 1000 men and
he did not wish to lose any more.
= Sampson, in comment. says this
showed a complete misrepresentation of
the circumstances. He alleges that the
sinking of the Mercedes would obstruct
the entrance of the larger American
ships and that extensive shore batter
les We're known to exist.
His chief of staff had indicated to
Shafter the points which should be car
ried before any attention was paid to
the city and the taking of these points
would have insured the destruction of
the mines and the entrance of the
American fleet.
Shafter had cordially consented to
this and Sampson did not know why
the plan was changed unless the troops
had been advanced too far to divert
He expressed the belief that an adher-
ence to the original plan would have
resulted in the much quicker surren-
der of the Spanish troops and less loss
of life, except by the navy, which would
have borne the brunt of the attack
Sampson tells how he contemplated
bringing up the marine battalion from
Guantanamo, landing it at the foot OF
MORO to assist in assault or to take the
west battery, and had no doubt of sue
cess of his plan. He arranged to visit
Shafter to talk this over, but being i'll
was obliged to send Chief of Staff Capt
Chadwick.
1 They reached an arrangement tr
lombard Santiago from the sea for q
hours with the heavy guns, and, if thai
~sfailed to bring the enemy to terms
then to assault the Socapa battery with
the marines and Cubans and force ar
entrance to the harbor With some OF
the smaller ships.
Admiral Sampson says: Il have
been surprised to see published in the
papers any statement of refusal on my
part to endeayor to force my way into
the larbor, and cannot understand
case the newspaper reports be a truth
full statement of what was sent by him
Gen. Skaters sending any report OF
this kind.
II here, moreover. would animadverl
upon the apparently extraordinary
openness with which every detail OF
hope, effort or suggestion on the part Of
the army has been published. The I'M
wisdom of such procedure is too man
ifeSt for diScusSiOn''
After referring to the existence of what
he terms an indefinite truce at that time
Sampson quotes a message from Shaftel
dated July 10, asking him to begin firin2
on the city according to the programme
but to be careful to put his shots well tt
the westward, near the bay, to avoid q
disastrous moral effect upon his soldiers
The admiral says that reports from army
headquarters show that shells were fired
with great effect and caused several fires
in the city, only a few falling into thu
water He quotes a dispatch of Shafter
to this effect
He also quotes dispatch from Score
tary Long saying that the secretary Of
war desires Sampson to force the har
Dor; that he wishes to do all that is rea
sonable to bring about the surrender ant
leaves the matter to SIMPSONS discre
tioh, except that the United State!
:irmored vessels must not be risked.' z