The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-03-07
NO ORDER WAS WITHHELD
HIS EXPLANATION CONCERNING
SIMPSONS ORDER.
schley Never Gave 1t to the Depart
ment Until Last Month-Order
Was Countermanded On the Day
1t Was Received-schley's Re
treat From Santiago.

ANp4iS oSCISldIy IOlS > SSCollu 4ettSI
in the Sampson Schley controversy,
this communication being in reply to
Admiral Schley'S letter. The first mat
ter which the secretary takes up is Ad-
miral Schley's mention of Admiral
Simpsons letter of May 20, which, the
secretary says, seems to have given
certain senators the impression that
the department has withheld that let
ter On this point he says:
First.-That this letter was not in the
possession of the department on Feb.
g. nor was its existence known to the
department at thatatime.
Second.-That it was in the posses
sion of Admiral Schley until the 9Th of
February, when it was sent to the de-
Dartment upon its request to be fur
nlShed with all official records relat-
ing to his duty as commander-in-chief
of the flying squadron and as a f1ag
officer in the North Atlantic fleet
Third.-In its instructions with re-
gard to maintaining the blockade of
Cienfuegos, it was not more explicit
than the letter of Admiral Sampson of
May 10, which accompanied the COM
munication of Feb. 6, and which is pub
hshed in the appendix to the report
OF the bureau of navigation on page 464.
Fourth.-That on May 81, the day af-
ter it was written, Admiral Sampson
sent orders to Commodore Schley in
duplicate by the Hawk and Marble
head, which orders were received by
Commodore Schley during the early
forenoon of the 29rd and oath respec-
lively, directing Commodore Schley to
proceed with all dispatch. but cautious
ly, to Santiago, il satisfied the Spanish
squadron was not at Cienfuegos. The
set of these orders, as sent by the
Hawk, was received on the same day
as the letter of the Goth, and, bearing
the later date, May q, of course,
revoked the instructions to blockade
CienfueGos, contained in the letters of
the 18th and goth.
F'ifth.-That, i'll obedience to these
instructions, the flying squadron left
Clenfuegos on the afternoon OF the
24th, bat did not reach the immediate
vicinity Of the port of Santiago until
the morning of the 18th of May.
The secretary quotes the admiraPs
reference to the departments order re-
ceived by him on the 9th of May. di-
recting him to positively ascertain if
Cervera's fleet was in Santiago harbor,
and not to allow him to leave Santiago,
if found certainly to be there, without
a decisive action" He gives the adj
miral's reply in full, and says:
1T will be seen that Rear Admiral
statement to the senate does
iAOl SDON lldl he SIdIlGu " IGluIH u
Key West and signaled to the squadron
TO that effect and SO informed the de-
partment, and it might be inferred that /
he Immediately obeyed that order and
ascertained the presence of the enemy (
at Santiago. On the contrary his tele- /
gram above, dated May IS, and written /
May q, shows that, though having |
Just received the telegram of the de-
partment, and having on hand suffi- /
n I e,r
West, he reported that he could not /
obey the order, and continued to pro-
coed toward Key West. However, it !
later became evident to him that this
was unnecessary, and he resumed the /
movement toward Santiago
Another point in Admiral Schley's
letter is touched upon in the following
manner:
Admiral Schley's mention of the sig
nal by Admiral Sampson at S:45 a. M,
July 3-'Disregard movements of the
in-c ilief-and his mention
IF the communicative toward ST.
honey is followed by an Incorrect in
terence, to-wit: This left the senior
officer present and necessarily clothed
ne with the responsibility OF the COM
nand.' The signal above mentioned is
one which is frequently made in squad
'on and is never held as in any sense
l REIMBURSEMENT of command. 1t is
made where for any reason the flagship
caves its assigned position. as was the
,ase when the New York left her habit
lal blochading station the morning of
July 8. At such times it is made to
lvoid confusion which would result if
)ther vessels. fixing their position by
'eference to the flagship, were to move
With her. Without further signal the
responsibility of command would not be
hifted until the senior officer had gone
tut Of signal distance.
The statement concludes with the fol-
owing: THE department furnishes the
Oregoing statement only to complete
he record, in compliance with the re-
luest of the senate Of Jan. %. Desir-
ng to do Admiral Sampson and Schley
ull justice for services rendered. it has.
lfter full consideration of all the cir
recommended to the presi-
lent their promotion to the grade of
ear admiral, and begs to express the
lope that his recommendation to the
anne may be confirmed by the senate"
DENIAL FROM sIGsBEE.
Annexed to the letter from the sec
etary is one from Captain Sigsbee, in
eply to Admiral Schley's reference to
i'm as commander of the scout steam
r St. Paul, quoting him as authority
or the opinion that Cervera's fleet was
ot in Santiago harbor. On this point
igSbee says: What I actually said
o the admiral was that Pilot Nunez
ad first expressed the belief that such
arge vessels as Cervera's cruisers
ould not get into Santiago, because
f their length, but he afterwards adj
litted that they might go in with the
id of tugs. Every officer on board the
It. Paul knew that 1 believed Cervera
Q be at Santiago; nevertheless, con-
idered Nunez's opinion"
He says that he first saw the fleet |
\ the harbor on May 20 and signaled
Admiral Schley, and adds: while 1
ad not known, from previous observa-
ion, that Cerveras fleet was in San
iago, believed that it was there be-
ause I had been so informed by the
avy department, and during the eight
avs the St Paul remained off Santi-
60 the different vessels touching there
nd communicating with me had
rought no counter report from the
ANY department"
With reference to the statement that ! ,
e had confirmed the difficulty of coal
lg off Santiago, Captain Sigsbee says:
There had been weather unfavorable
Or coaling, but l remember no state !
lent of mine relative to coaling made
} the admiral, excepting on the morn
lg when we Jointly discovered the
parish vessels. The commanding Of
GERS were assembled on board the
rooklyn. On that occasion 1 twice
lformed the admiral that the weather
hen prevailing was unusually favor :
BILE for coaling at sea, and I recon- ;
lended that advantage be taken Of it, ,
n the ground that so good an oppor- !
unity could not be expected often At s.
ne same time I expressed the belief
nat Guantanamo bay should be seized
5 a base, not necessarily by Admiral
chley, but as soon as the troops We're
valuable to hold the place"
SEcnMn rrrrrrvrnr MTG