New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-26
NETWORK DAILY TRIBUNE SATURDAY. NOVEMBER 26. 1893
whether not Cerveras squadron was in the
port Of Santiago.
SCHLEY LEAVES CIENFUEGOS.


the squadron stopped while repairs were made
TO the collier Merrimac. At 100 p. m. he sig
nailed TO the squadron. Destination Key West
via south side Of Cuba and Yucatan Channel, as
soon as collier IL ready. Speed. nine Knots.
About o p. m the squadron got under way. and
after steaming to the westward until ll:2O p. m
stopped to make repairs to the Yale
on the morning of the 9th the Harvard from
Mole ST. Nicholas. delivered to Commodore
Schley the following dispatch:
Harvard. St Nicholas Mole. Hayti: Proceed al
once and inform schley and also the senior Office
Information indicates Spanish division Is still al
Santiago. The Department looks to you to ascer.
leave without decisive action. Cubans familiar
with Santiago say that there landing-places 1--WE
Dor and that there Insurgents probably will he
found, and not the Spanish From the SURROUNDING
ascertaned notify the Department whether enemy
is there Could not squadron and also the Haryari
Channel, or Mole Hayti? The Department will
send coal Immediately TO Mole. Report without
delay situation at Santiago de Cuba LONG.
At II a. m. two hours after receiving this
dispatch from the Department. commodore
Schley signalled to the squadron can you
fetch into the port of Key West with coal re-
naming? Report by signal AT noon the
Harvard left. carrying his reply to the Depart
ments dispatch. as follows:
Kingston. May 2s. 1895.
Secretary Navy, Washington; Merrimac o ensne te
disabled is heavy; am obliged to have o~eG o 10
Key West. Have been unable absolutely 10 c9al
the Texas the Marblehead, the Vixen. the Brooklyn
from collier all owing to very t rough The seq BrookSn
oRe has han off c?a an to
leeward Cape Cruz In the summer al 9"ing 10
obey orders Of Department. Have strIven Gaines
ly: forced TO proceed for coal to Key MeSt ny w.
collier t fo yet cable 10 hold sCHTEY.
Later in the day. the squadron meantime +,
having again moved westward the signal S,op
made to the Flying SQUADRON aIltr VIII Il
the Texas and the Marblehead went alohgSld.
the Merrimac and coaled. The squadron was az
that time distant about forty mics u '"'
southwark and westward of Santiago. $40
sThe Flying Squadron remained here uIl'ii -
r. M Of the 2Sth. when signal was mace 10 re-
turn in the direction of Santiago rms cou !i ~
was kept up till a little after dark "hen we we
SQUADRON stopped for the night about ten hilies
10 the southwark of Santiago. with the Marble
head scouting two miles inside the squadron
CERvERAs SHIPS SIGHTED.
Fairly on the morning of the Doth Spanish
man-of-war the Cristohal Colon. was seen IylhS
at anchor inside the harbor entrance ana iateI
a second man-of- war and two smaller Vessels.
At 10 a. m. Commodore Schley capieu 'ii IA,
Cervera's SQUADRON was at Santiago. On the
morning CT the 3lst. with the MassachusellS ;,
the Iowa and the New Orleans, ne eXchahssu
fire with the ships inside the harpor anu nc ~,
forts at a range Of about seven thousand yards'
on June | Admiral Sampson arrived Oh 9a ,
ago and found Commodore Schleys siuauIph
in column to the westward OF the Ihoutl VI ' ~
harbor Immediately upon the concentratloh Oh
these two forces at Santiago close anu eHl-
Gent blockade was established Admlra lamp
son IN command. The harbor was ciosc'S
guarded day and night by our ships IN a semi
circle Powerful searchlights were thrown upon
its entrance during the dark. plan OF attack,
by which our vessels were TO close In at once
upon any of the enemy's coming out was pro-
vided FOR in standing orders.
SINKING OF THE MERRIMAC.
on June 2 an attempt was made to close the
harbor by sinking across Its entrance the colIler
Nerrin1ac This attempt, though UNSUCCESSFUL
in its object. darinely executed. IL Is now
one Of the wel-known historic marveis OF naVa'
adventure and enterprise. in which Naval Con
structor Hobson and his men won undyng
fame.
on June the Marblehead and the Yankee
took possession Of the lower LAY OF Guanta-
nano as a harbOr Of refuge for the fleet and on
June 10 the first battalion Of marines was
landed there and went into camp For three
days and nights these men, supported ny the
Marblehead and the Dolphin fought almost con-
stantly. The position which they defended was
a most important one for the fleet. as II was
necessary to have near al mana harpor III
which ships could be coaled ana repaired III
safety.
Guantanamo Bay, destroyed by the Texas,
the Marblehead and the Suwanee.
The Department advised Admiral Sampson
that thirty transports with troops would be
sent from Tampa to Santiago. convoy was
provided. The report in showing the co-opera-
ton Of the Navy with the Army says:
Upon the arrival Of the convoy Off Santiago
Admiral Sampson sent his chief Of STAFF 10 COM
municate with General Shafter. The chier OF
staff took with him a chart Of Santiago Harbor.
and explained to General Shafter that in order
to enable the vessels of the Navy to enter II
was necessary that the positions occupied by
the eastern and western batteries OF the enemy
shoud be carried. The possession OF these
points insured the destruction of the mines the
entrance OF the naval vessels and an attack
upon Admiral CerveIas squadron. To this plan
General Shafter gave cordial assent The land
ing-place on which he finally decided was Bal
quirl
LANDING OF sHAFTER'S TROOPS
General Shafter reported to Admiral Sampson
on June % his intention to commence the land
ing OF troops. and Admiral sampson az once
mt an officer in charge Of the decentralization.
which was begun during the forenoon or the
odd by means Of the steam launches and cutters
from the ships Of the squadron. The naval yes
sells shtled the coast about Baiquiri, and dem
onstration was made at Cabanas 10 engage the
attention OF the enemy All the troops were
successfully landed by the boats of the Navy.
and the Joint operations or the Army ana Navy
began which finally resulted in. the surrender of
Santiago.
on July l. in accordance with request from
General Shafter of June ~. the forts at aqua
dOres were bombarded and demonstration MADE
at the entrance of the harbOr. which was heavily
bombarded, especially the Punta Gorda battery
by the oregon and the Indiana. A report OF this
hom ba rdment was sent TO General Shafter. and
Admiral Sampson stated that ii was Impossible
TO force an entrance to the harbor until the
channel could be cleared Of mines. which could
only be done after the forts at the entrance OF
the harbOr were taken by our troops
General Shafter replied that II was not pos
sihle to say when he could take the batteries at
the harbors mouth. and urged that an effort be
immediately made by the Navy to force an en-
trance Admiral Sampson wrote to General
Shafter that the forts which had been bonn
barded by the squadron could not inconvenience
the Army in capturing the city, as they could
NOT fire except to seward; that as the channel
10 the harbor strewn with observation
mines an effort TO force an entrance would re-
suit in the sinking Of one or more naval vessels