The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-02-21
SCHLEY TALKS BACK.
Gives His Version of the Santiago
Naval Campaign


Washington, Feb 21--Rear Admiral
w s SchIey, having been granted per-
mission to answer the charges made
against him in a communication re-
Gently sent to the senate, has handed
to the committee on naval affairs his
statements in which he disclaims any
purpose of controversy with the navy
department The letter of the depart
ment, he says, so far as it relates to.
him. can be summarized under the fol-
lowing heads:
The delay of Cienfuegos; that al
legged slow progress toward Santiago de
movements of the 18th and 9th of May;
the battle OF Santiago and the destruc-
ton of Cervera's fleet"
The admiral says his orders from
Sampson on May 19 were to proceed to
Cienfuegos, which he proceeded to do.
He had no knowledge that there were
any insurgents about CienfuegOs who
were friendly until the Marblehead ar
mander McCalIa of the Marblehead
ashore to establish relations with the
insurgents, the result of which was
made known to him at $40 o. m, on
May "a. Then, for the first time, he
learned definitely that the Spanish fleet
was not at Cienfuegos- Within two
hours he started for Santiago What
possible ground of criticism he says,
adverse to me there can be in all this
I do not see. I was on the spot acting
under orders which gave me entire dis
crGClOD, ana yet clothed me with the
responsibility of going to Santiago only
after 1 was satisfied that the fleet was
not at Cienfuegos.'
HE QUOTES SAMPSON.
He quotes from the dispatch of Samp-
son OF May 20, in which the latter says
Schley should hold his fleet at Glen
fuegos- If the Spanish ships have put
into Santiago, they must come either
to Havana or to CienfuegOs to deliver
the munitions of war which they are
said to bring for use in Cuba I am
therefore of the opinion that the best
chance to capture these ships would be
Havana, with all the force we can mus
ter. If later it should develop that
these vessels are at Santiago, we can
then assemble off that point the ships
best suited for the purpose and COM
pIeteIy blockade it Until we, then, re-
ceive more positive information We
shall continue to hold Havana and Glen
fuegos-''
Admiral SchIey adds:
This letter is not printed either in A
appendix or executive document c, but
I received it on the 23rd. and it shows
that I was expected to hold my squad
ron off CienfuegoS.''
AS to the slow progress toward San
tiago on account of the Eagle he states
that she was a part of the force which
Admiral Sampson had seen fit to send
him, and he had no right to abandon
her. The weather also was rough and
not much better speed could have been
coed cautiously" If, however, he had
known that the Spanish fleet was in
Santiago, no consideration of the Eagle
or anything else would have prevented
him from getting there at the earliest
possible moment with the larger YES
sells, but the weather and sea made it
impossible for him to do better than
he did
Speaking Of the 'retrograde move
ments'' which the secretary, adopting
the language of Admiral Sampson.
characterizes as "reprehensible con-
duct" Admiral Schley says that in for
ty-tWo years service never was such
language used to characterize conduct
of mine, and I see no reason for it
now
RESULT THE SAME.
He adds: Acting in accordance with
my best judgment, in view of the cir
cumstances. without certain knowledge
of the whereabouts of that Spanish feet,
after having been informed by the
scouts commanded by such officers as
Sigsbee, Jewell and Wise, that although
they had been off Santiago for a week
they had seen nothing of it and knew
nothing of its movements, or its where
abOuts, since 1t had left Curacao after
being assured by Sigsbee that he did
not believe it was in Santiago, and by
the emphatic declaration of Pilot NuneZ.
and knowing that as the sea and wealth
er then were il would be impossible to
coal my squadron off the port, 1 deemed
it best to take the action 7 did, the
final result of which was the location
of the enemy's fleet in Santiago har-
bor''
As to the battle of Santiago, Admiral
Schley says the facts of that contest
speak for themselves He quotes from
his official report to Sampson in which
he congratulated the commander of the
squadron and said the victory seems
big enough for all of u.s. He asks the
ii