The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-02-21


Sampson on May 10 were TO blockade
Cienfuegos. which he proceeded To do.
He had nc knowledge that there were
'any insurgents about Cienfuegos who
were friendly until the Marblehead ar
rived on the 24th. Even had he had this
knowledge on May 20 the surf would
have prevented communication On his
arrival he sent Commander McCalla Of
the Marblehead ashore To establish re-
lations with the Insurgents, the result
OF which was made known TO him at 3:40
of May q. Then. for the first time. he
learned dfnitely that the Spanish feet
was not at Clenfuegos. Within two hours
he started for Santiago.
What possible ground of criticism
he says. adverse 10 me there can be In
all this do not see. was on the spot
acting under orders which gave me en-
tire discretion and yet clothed me with
the responsibility of going to Santiago
only after / was satisfied that the fleet
WAS not at Cienfuegos."
He quotes from the dispatch OF Samp-
son OF May 90 in which the latter says
Schley should hold his fleet off Glen
fuegos." IL the Spanish ships have put
into Santiago they must come either To
Havana or Cienfuegos 10 deliver the
munitions Of war which they are said
to bring for use In Cuba. am therefore
OF the opinion that the best chance 10
capture these ships will be 10 hold the
two points. Cienfuegos and Havana,
with all the force we can muster. III
later IL should develop that these vessels
are at Santiago we can then assemble off
that port the ships best suited for the
purpose and completely blockade II.
Until we. then, receive more positive in
formation. we shall continue to hold Ha-
yana and Cienfuegos."
Admiral Schley adds: This letter is
not printed either in the appendix or
executive documents. but / received IL
on the 23rd, and il shows that was eX
pected 10 hold my squadron off Glen
fuegos."
AS to the slow progress towards San
tiago on account of the Eagle, he states
that she was a part of the force which
Admiral Sampson had seen ft TO send
him. and he had no right TO abandon her
The weather also was rough and not
much better speed could have been kept
up. He had been ordered to proceed
Cautiously" II. however. he had
known that the Spar feet was in San
tiago. no consideration for the Eagle or
anything else would have prevented him
from getting there at the earliest pos
sble moment with the larger vessels,
but the weather and sea made IL impos-
sble to do better than he did.
Speaking OF the retrograde movements
which the secretary. adopting the lam
ruage Of Admiral Sampson. character
ICES as "repre hensible conduct" Admiral
Ia, ypa aerNiaa
never was such language used TO
characterize conduct OF mine. and see
no reason for IL now
He adds: Acting In accordance With
my best Judgment. in view Of the cir
cumstances without certain knowledge
of the whereabouts Of that Spanish fleet,
after having been informed by the
scouts. commanded by such officers as
sigsbee. jewell and Wise. that, although
,hcy had been off Santiago for j week
that they had seen nothing of IL and
knew nothing OF it's movements, or lis
wherea bouts since IL had left Curacao:
after having been assured by Sigsbee
that he did not believe IL was In Santiago
and by the emphatic declaration OF the
Pilot Nunez: and knowing. as the sea
And weather then were. IL would be Inn
possible To- coal my squadron of the port
I deemed il best 90 take the action did
the final result Of which was the loca'
tion Of the enemy's feet in Santiago
harbor.'
Admiral Schley speaks OF the difficulty
OF doing anything with the insurgents
and refers 10 tho manner in which Lieu
tenant Blue took three days to secure
information
as to- the battle OF santiago. Aumira
schley says the facts OF that contes
speak for themselves. He quotes iron
his official report 10 Sampson. In whicl
he congratulates the commander OF tn
sluadron. and said the victory Is biI
enough for all OF u.s. lie asks the corn
mittee TO contrast his reports ano thos
uf Sampson. containing references u
himself. and continues;
AS TO all this criticism OF my cours
psior 20 the discovery by RE on May
~ Cervera's = feet. whether from Adnirs
bampson or the department none or !
has ever been made by either 10 nae. an
mover heard a word of 10 from any on
until after The battle with ihat i""t. sl
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