The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-03-24
ON The BIG FIGHT!
Some Inside Happenings in the
N avail Campaign at Santiago.
HIVE JUST BEEN MADE PUBLIC
sampson Did Not Write THE Fleet Uu-
dsr My Command -schley's Two Re-
ports-Captain Evans Opinion ut tho
Two Omcers' BlockadeS

/
Two Omcers' BlockadeS
NEW YORK, March 2O.-Rear Admir-
u Sampson has contributed chapter
o the book with Sampson Through
he War; just issued by w. A. M.
ioode, correspondent of the Associated
'rcss on the flagship New York dur
ng the war.
The author states that the famous
dispatch beginning 1.-The fleet under
NJ command" dated July 3, although
s.gned by Sampson, was not written
~ him.
Admiral Sampson holds that the VIC
'ory over Cervera is not entirely ac-
for by the superiority of the
American force and is inclined to be-
'icve t,at it was due more to excellent
craftsmanship than to anything else.
Regarding the strategy of Cervera,
Sampson is of the opinion that had
the Spanish admiral come out during
the evening, making his departure to
coincide with a passing storm, he
would have hal a good chance to save
,,e or more of his vessels. Explain
ng this, Admiral Sampson writes:
IF this attempt had been made dur
ny darkness it would have enabled
one of the Spaniards to have gone out
If sight of most of our vessels in few
minutes. The result would undoubt.
..lly have been different. Therefore,
is my opinion that if the time of
escape had been set for the evening
he result would have been more sue
:cssful. The whole night would have
been left to the Spaniards to elude
:..leir pursuers and especially had the
hour been set to coincide with pass
1lg storm, which would have dimin-
shed the intensity Of our searchlight
md would have greatly increased the
Intensity of the darkness"
The author, speaking of the reports
turned in by the various officers, after
he destruction of Cervera's fleet, says
:he account of tn. battle submitted by
Rear Admiral Schley contradicted in
rarious details those sent in by the
oattle ship captains. Somebody was
evidently mistaken. and it was judged
1nwise to forward reports from Ev-
ms. Philip. Taylor and Clark that
.ontradict.d the statements OF the
second in command. The attention of
Sampson was drawn to the discrep-
,ncies.
"Oh, well," he said, what does it
natter? The battle was won. So
what's the use of bothering?" How
To
'or Schlev. and the result was that
The latter withdrew his original re-
port and submitted the one known to
he public.
Captain Robley D. Evans contrib
ties chapter about the blockade. He
describes how the Iowa joined Admiral
schley of Cienfuegos April 20. After
.aluting the commodore the Iowa be.
,ame one of the flying squadron and,
Evans adds, "proceedel to drift leis'
,rely off with it, off and on, Micaw'
,er-hke, waiting for something-we
,oped the Spanish squadron-to turn
up"
Summing up the much-discussee
question of ho- Cervera was bottled
Captain Evans. after telling Of the
discovery OF the Cristobal Co on, or
May 20, IN the mouth of Santiago har
3or, writes as follows:
NV, signale to the fl ,gsh:p Brook
yn) Spanish cc.,. .er Cristobal Color
n the harbor, AAd t..e answer cam,
promptly, i understand A moment
ater second Spanish cruiser, sup
posed to be the Maria Teresa, was dis
covered to r.. lett "s Cay SIN tn. al
till later TIE spars Of third wer
,een over the land. Tn. Iowa was a
,nce cleared for action and every thin
vas m lde ready for battle, as we fel
,ure the Spaniards mean: to fl yht.
.hey had wanted to escape they Ger
.ainly had had every opportunity t
10 so
Later on it was found that Adm
al Cervera had entered the harbor q
Santiago May Is. the day and almos
he hour the flying squadron left Ke
West for Glen fuegos. 1t is, therefore
,yident that the maneuvering of tn
lying squadron had nothing to d
,ither with forcing Cervera into Sal
;iago or l.1vcnting his escaps there
rom up to 7:45 4. m. on May .9
son June / Admiral Sampson q
lived upon the New York and tt
Iowa ceased to be vessel Of the ayin
squadron. The admirars plan
blockade was substituted for that {
Commodore Schley and the beginnir
II the end was in sight.
In another chapter, entitled. "Tl
Rattleship In and Out of Action" Ca
ssin Evans gives the following lesso
hat in a genel al way he deduc
rom the war:
"First-The absolute necessity I
asst armored cruisers, capable OF lol
.ea endurance.
"second-Ample supply OF torpe
voat destroyers.
.'Third-Ths absolute necessity +