The sun., 1899-02-12
SCHLEY DIS0BEYED ORDERS
THAT rs ONE or THE REASONS sAMP-
SON WAS ADVANCED oTER HIN.

|
| In Purpose and in Push and His FnIIurs
to Obey orders" Did Not Meet the APP
| provRl of the President and the Depart-
| ment-when schlcy started for Key West
for Coal He Had Enough TO Maintain
| the Santiago blockade Until Supplies
| Arrived-Mehntin,e There Was Nothing
| to Prevent Cervera'A Escape Except
the st. Pnul-No Orders from schley
in the Battle with Cervera's ships. Z,
| WAsHINGToH. Feb 1l.-Socretnry Longs an.
| swer TO tho resolution OF the Senate Of Jan.
| % asking for the facts and records on which
the advancement of Admiras Sampson and
Schey and other officers wore made for their
| services In tho war with Spain Ia very inter.
| estng communication. 1t contains few COM
ments. The Secretary's letter Ia made up
| almost entirely OF n statement based on the
| official records OF the campaign in tho West
| Indies. showing the movements OF the vessels
under tho command OF Sampson and Schley.
with particular reference to Schloys with
drawal from Santiago after the Spanish feet
had entered the harbor. 1t is shown that
| despite Schleys statement that he was
| obliged to go 10 Key West for coal he had
enough coal left TO maintain the Santiago
! blockade until supplies arrived Attention 10
also called to tho fact that up to date given
|
! Of the Spanish fleet 1t is pointed out also
| that signals were sent by Schley TO the
| American vessels engaged In tho tight with
| Cerveras ships. except that the enemy's feet
was escaping, Cease firing" congratulations
| to the other ships and Oregon. well done"
| No commanding officer was directed by Schley
| in the fight. SIMPSONS previous directions be-
| ing carried out
Secretary Long refers to "Schey's repro.
| mt nd In nla nj .bNy
Sampson was promoted over Schlev. that
| Schley's "unStendiness in purpose and i'm push
| and failure to obey orders" did not meet with
the approval of the President or the Navy De-
partment. Accompanying the letter are copies
| OF kilograms, letters. and reports. beginning
| with Sampsons assignment to the command OF
the North Atlantic fleet. Extracts from the most
| important OF these are included In the Secre-
| tary letter. together with charts OF the battle
| with Cerveras feet and cuts showing the inju-
| res to American vessels The reports, &C.,
| which accompany the Secretary's letter were
selected by Capt. Evans OF the Iowa. Capt. THy-
| lor Of the Indiana and Lieut.. Sears. Admiral
| Schley's Flag Lieutenant. These officers were
| selected by Secretary Long TO do this work TO
remove any suspicion thnt the department
had been prejudiced in its answer to the reso-
| luton Of the Senate. Secretary Longs letter
follows.
| NAVY DEPARTMENT. WASHINGTON. Feb. q.
| SIR: In compliance with the Senate resolu.
| tion OF Jan. %. 1899. which is as follows:
I'm Executive Session. Senate Of the United States.
| Jan. 28, 1890.
| "Resotped. That the Secretary OF the Navy be and
lie is hereby directed to furnish the Senate with the
facts and military records in the possession of his
department affecting tho proposal that under sec-
| ton 500 Of the Revised Statutes Commodore
| Sampson be advanced eight numbers and Cop1mo-
dore Schley six numbers and tho same information
| with IN patin fnr
| under Same section and section I.8O5, which
to the Senate along with the tbove nominations
| on Dec. :. 1898.
| Attest: WILLIAM H. Cox. Secretary.
Il have the honor to submit herewith num-
bered copies Of the military records In the pos
| session OF the department affecting the pro-
| posal that certain officers be advanced under
| sections 500 and / .005. Revised Statutes &C.
| cording to the nominations sent by the Presi.
| dent to the Senate on Dec. Z. 1893. The fol-
lowing are facts in the possession OF the
department called for In said resolution:
ION April 22. 1893. Capt. W. T. Sampson.
| who had previously commanded the United
States naval forces on tho North Atlantic sta
| ton as Captain and Commander-n-C Chief.
| hoisted the flag OF n Rear Admiral in obedience
to orders from the department. Commander
| W. &. Schley was given command OF the flying
| squadron at Fort Monroe. At the same time
| no was verbally informed by the Secretary OF
| the Navy that IL his command and Admiral
SIMPSONS came together the ldtter would
| have command Of the whole. He expressed
a ready acIuiescence in this arrangement.
| At the outbreak OF the war Admiral
Sampson was directed to establish a blockade
| OF the coast Of Cuba from Cardenas to Bahia
| Honda. and to blockade Cienfuegos as soon az
| the strength Of the force under his command
would permit This blockade was immedi-
ately established and was later extended to
| take In the whole coast OF Cuba tsome 200
miles,. and was effectively m aintained until the
| close of hostilties. San Juan. Porto Rico. was
| blockaded from June ~.
! "On May 10 tho Spanish force under Rear
| Admiral Pasqua Cervera entered Santiago
harbor. This force had previously been re-
| portod at Martinique and Curacoa. and Conn
| modore Schey's force had been brought from
| Hampton Roads. first of Charleston and then
| to Key West. TO reinforce Admiral Sampson.
| On May II the department telegraphed tho
naval base. Key West. directing that Admiral
| sampson should despatch tho flying squadron.
| with such rcinforcements as he might consider
necessary. to CienfueRos. that the remainder OF
| his force should blockade Havana. and that
| he himself should command Mt Havana or at
| CienfueRos. 1t being directed that Commodore
| Schley should remain with his own squadron.
Admiral Sampson. on May 10, in accordance
| with the instructions OF the department. de
| rected Commodore Schley to sail with his COM
! mand-thc Brooklyn. Texas. Massachusetts
| and ScOrpion-for Cieniuegos and to blockade
| that port In accordance with the orders OF
| Admiral Sampson. the Iowa sailed from Kcy
| West on May 20. with tho CaStine and the cole
| ller Merrlmac. the last having $500 tons OF
coal on board. The Iowa Jolnod Commodore
| Schlcy At CienfuogOs on May % and the Mcrr-
| mac and Castino joined on May %
| "On May - the department issued orders
formally attaching Commodore FchIcy's come
mand to that OF Admiral Sampson. TcleRrams
| sent to Commodore Schley on May IL and May
| IA had directed him to report TO Commodore
| Romey. who under Admiral Sampson COM
manded the naval base at Key West. About
this time the department and Admiral SAMPSON
wore informed that the Spanish force was
! at Santiago. On May II Admiral Sampson
| sent instructions to Commodore Schley to
| nli lint