The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-04
CAPT. SIGSBEE SPEAKS
TELLS HOW HE SIGHTED THE SPAN.
IARDS IN SANTIAGO HARBOR,
And Also How His Auxiliary Cruiser,
mel, Cervera's Collier.

NEW YORK, June 3.-The United States
auxiliary cruiser ST. Paul, Captain Sigsbee
commanding, came into port to-day. Cap
tain Sigsbee went ashore and thence pro-
ceeded to the navy yard. He at first re-
fused to be interviewed regarding the re-
cent service of his ship in the vicinity of
Santiago de Cuba, at which port, it has
been said. Captain Sigsbee ran the st. Paul
well into the mouth of the harbor and OBJ
tanned the first definite information of the
presence there of Admiral Cerveras squad
ron. s1s5a
After visiting Commodore Bunce, at the
navy yard, Captain Sigsbee relaxed from
his reserve sufficiently to say to a reporter:
Il had target practice right along from the
first day arrived at Santiago de Cuba, on
May o. and. while none of my men have
been in the service long, am well satisfied
with their work at the guns. We have not
been in any fight SO far, but my men will
give a good account of themselves.
1T was on the 18th when we captured
the Restormel. I knew that the Spaniards
needed the coal, very badly, and 1 made
every effort to see that they did not get it.
While off Santiago with Schley 1 saw two
more Spanish cruisers and Schley saw two
torpedo boats There is no question that
they are bottled UP as tight as can be in
Santiago harbor / went in so close that /
made sketches of their Notifications which
! am sending to Washington. Their guns
could easily have reached me, but the bat
teries made no attempt to fire, for what
reason do not know. It may be the Span
iards did not want to reveal the strength
and location of their guns. 1 am going to
Washington with dispatches from the fleet,
and O. I'D
stoned we shall put to sea again This
probably will not be for three or four days.
LAS soon I arrived outside the harbor
Of Santiago there were indications of the
presence of Cervera's fleet on the inside,
behind the hills. l Rugged the mouth of the
harbor so closely that it would have been
impossible for anything afloat to sneak out
without our seeing them 1t was either the
third or fourth day after our arrival that 1
saw two Spanish vessels which L was sure
were the Viscaya and the Cristobal Colon.
They crept cautiously into the stream and
got to the middle of the channel. AS soon
as they caught sight of me they scampered
back as rapidly as they could steam
las soon as we arrived off the harbor I
announced my presence by the courtesy of
salute, taking as a target one of the
Spanish forts. The fort evidently did not
intend to accord me the courtesy due in re-
turn, for its guns remained silent. When 1
was satisfied with the practice my men had
1 steamed The ST. Paul out of range and re-
stunned scout duty outside the mouth of the
harbor.
1T was directly under the guns of a fort,
and within easy range, that l took the
Restormel, with 2.4O0 tons of coal aboard.
This coal was evidently intended for the
Spanish fleet, and the attempt of the Re-
stormel TO run our blockade and enter San
tiago harbor was of itself evidence that the
Spanish were there. We had to fire several
shots at her before she hove TO. L put a
prize crew aboard and sent the collier to
Key West asa
During the period was at Santiago, be-
tween May 70 and "a, Schley came and went
several times, cruising little to the west
ward, but the st. Paul remained off SAINT
lago harbor for all of the eight days. 1t
was on May 20 that saw heavy lines of
smoke from what | at first thought was the
Spanish squadron coming to the relief of
Cervera; There was great excitement on
board the ST Paul, and Immediately put
out after the fleet l soon found the smoke
was coming from Schley's ships. returning
TO the entrance of the harbor. on this day
both Schley and myself saw again positive
evidences that the Spanish ileet was still
bottled up inside the Santiago harbor.
When L came up with SchleX meet we both
signaled-Schley to me and TO nirn