The times., 1898-11-26

suitable convoy
On June 4. in reply to telegram from
the Department, asking if the convoy was
ready the commandant of the naval base
at Key West stated. Vessels all ready"
On June s information was received at
Tampa, through the naval base at Key
West, from two different sources, indicais
Ing the possible presence of force of
Spanish vessels in Nicholas Channel. The
War Department was informed of this
news and orders We're issued to Admiral
Sampson to re-enforee the conveying
squadron by two armured vessels. On the
next day the expedition was directed to
proceed without regard to this informa-
tion. as it was discredited both by Ad-
miral Sampson and the department and
the following telegram was sent:
Washington, June ., 1898.
Naval Base. Key West Fla:
The expedition will proceed without
reference to the Spaniards. Department will
inform commander in chief North Atlantic Sta
tion and the War Department of this
ALLEN, Acting Secretary.
A suitable convoy was retained at Tam
pa until the transports were ready. The
army expedition finally left Tampa ON the
14th, this department having rendezvoused
additional vessels off Rebecca Shoals.
where the transports arrived at s p. M.
June 15 and thence proceeded to San
tiago.
FnIstaH Arrives.
Upon arrival of the convoy off Santiago
Admiral Sampson sent his chief of staff to
communicate with Gen. Shafter. The
chief of staff took with him a chart of
Santiago Harbor and explained to Gen.
Shafter that, In order to enable the YES
sells of the navy to enter. it was necessary
that the positions occupied by the east
ern and western batteries of the enemy
| should be carried. The possession of these
! points insured the destruction of the
mines, the entrance of the naval vessels,
and an attack upon Admiral Cervera $
! squadron. To this plan Gen. Shafter gave
cordial assent. The landing place on
which he finally decided was BaiquIri
! Gen. Shafter reported to AdmiTai
| Sampson on June q his intention to
commence the landing of troops, and Ad-
miral Sampson at once put an officer in
I charge of the Decentralization, which VIZ $
begun during the forenoon of the 22d by
means of the steam launches and cutters
| from the ships of the squadron The
naval vessels shelled the coast about
! Baiquiri. and demonstration was made
| at Cabanas to engage the attention of
| the enemy. All the troops were succ ess-
fully landed by the boats of the navy,
and the joint operations of the army and
navy began, which finally resulted in the
| surrender of Santiago.
On July /. in accordance with a re-
quest from Gen. Shafter of June 30, L e
! forts at Aguadores were bombarded and
a demonstration made at the ent-arce
of the harbor of Santiago, and on Ju V
the batteries at the entrance Of the har-
Dor Were heavily bombarded. especially
the Punta Gorda battery by the Oregon
| and Indiana.
a report of this bombardment was
sent to Gen. Shafter. and Admiral Samp
son stated that ii was impossible 10
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 b.;
our troops.
Gen. Shafter replied that 1t was n I
possible TO say when he could take the
batteries at the harbors mouth and
urged that effort be Immediately
made by the navy to force an entrance
Admiral Sampson wrote to Gen Shaf-
ter that the forts which had been bonn
barded BY the squadron could not in
convenience the army in capturing the
city. as they could not fire except to
seaward: that as the channel TO the har-
Dor was strewn with observation mines
an effort to force an entrance would ra-
suit in the sinking of one or more
naval vessels and in closing the entrance
to the harbor; but that If it was desired
that the navy should attempt to force
the entrance he would at once prepare
to undertake it, although he had hored
that an attack by the army on the shore
batteries from the rear would leave the
! navy at liberty TO drag the channel for
torpedOes.
'.Truth Crushed to Earth
On the morning of July q. an in
ferview having been prearrnured
between Gen. Shaftcr nnd Admiral
Sampson, the latter. in the flagship
| New York. left the fleet for Siboney.
When the flagship was about 4 mile.
east Of her bIockadIng station. and
nbnut miles from the MORO. the
Spanish squadron wns seen steam
ing out of the harbor entrance. This
! wns at 9::tD n. m. The. vessels of the
biocLndinE squadron were. rs usual.
In their designated positions. maxi
Ing n semi-circIe about the hnrbor
entrance, counting from the east
ward in the following order: In
diana. Ore-on-the New YorI<'s
place being betwcen these two
Massachusetts had gone that morn
ing to Guantanamo for coal. The
GIoucester and Vixen lay to the
eastward and westward of the hnr-
bO'r entrance. close to the land The
torpedo boat Ericsson was in COM
| rany with the flagship.
Admiral Cervcrn's squadron came
out of the harbOr in the fOlIowin;;
order: !nfanta Maria Teresa, Viz
ca?a, CristObnl Colon, AImirante
Oduendo. and the torpedo boat de-
.troyers Pluton and Furor. The
New York turned and steamed for
the escaping fleet. flying the signal
to cluse in toward the hnrbOr en-
trance and attack vessels. but our
ships had already, In accordance
with standing orders. at once en-
gagged the Spanish ships with the
utmost spirit and yiGOr. and in the
course of n running fight. whicl,
continued until 20 y. m.. the latter
were completely destroyed and
sunk. and the famous victory, with
its splendid credit to officers and
men. was won. The casualties on
our side were 1 mnn killed and 10
wounded. most of them in the drum,
of the ear by the concussion caused
by the guns. Our ships suffered nu
injury of any account. Admiral
Cervern, about 20 officers. and 1000
men were made prisoners. white
about $50 Sraniards were killed or
drowned and 100 wounded. These
estimates are probably considerably y
below the actual numbers. Many OF