The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-12-20

alongside of the collier and the COM
handing officer Of the collier deemed 1t
unsafe to place his vessel between two
battleships.
T n Texas and the Marblehead coaIed
at sea. OFF Santiago, from golfers, May
Vixen on May 18th; the Brooklyn and
Iowa. on May Goth: the Brooklyn, Texas
and Marblehead on May 31st.
At $3.50 p. m. May 9th Commodore
Schley signaled to the st. Paul: 'If
Sampson comes here, tell him half OF
the squadron is out of coal and collier
engines broken down"
At 10:45 o'clock p. m, May 9th. Com
modore Schley signaled to the Texas:
The more coal you take in this smooth
weather the less you will have to take
in Haiti"
Commodore Schley made no effort to
ascertain whether the Spanish squad
ron was in the harbor of Santiago. He
left said harbor entirely u~nguarded
from 6 o'clock p. m. of May 26th to 5
O'Clock p. m. of May 9th. and guarded
only by the scout boat ST. Paul from 5
o'clock p. m. May 9th. until about .
O'Clock p. m. Of May 18th.
The flying squadron arrived off the
harhor of Santiago de Cuba. seven miles
south Of the MORO, at 6 o'clock p. m.
May 18th and established a blockade.
The distance from Cienfuegos to San
tiago is 315 miles. Commodore Schley
did not proceed with all dispatch from
C~ienfuegos to Santiago de Cuba
Early on the morning of Nav 29th the
Cristobal Colon and other vessels of the
Spanish squadron were discovered at
anchor in the harbor of Santiago. about
LOO yards from the entrance. No at
tempt was made by Commodore Schley
on Nav 29th or Nav Goth to capture or
destroy these Spanish vessels.
At 11:10 o'clock a. m. the flagship Mas
sachusetts signalled: 1.-The Massachu-
in after dinner to a distance of 1000
wards and fire at the Cristobal Colon
with 8. IL. and IL inch guns. speed about
ten knots"
At 1:30 o'clock D. m. the three vessels
steamed in column towards the en-
trance to the harbor of Santiago head
ing to the eastward. at about 10 knots
speed. The ships passed the harbor en-
trance. about 1000 yards distant from
the MORO. firing at the Colon and the
shore batteries with ranges varying
from 1000 yards to $500 yards. All pro-
jectiles fell short.
When the ships had passed to the
eastward Of the entrance, the flagship
turned off shore. followed in succession
by the other ships. repassed the en-
franc and fired as before. but with
ranges varying from 5000 yards to II, 600
yards. Some of these projectiles fell
near the Colon.
The fire was returned by the ships in
the harbor and by tie land batteries
but no large guns.were used by the bat
teries. Several projectiles passed over
our vessels, but no injuries were sus-
tanned.
The flying squadron did not withdraw
at night from the entrance to Santiago
harbor to a distance at sea. The block
ade was maintained at an average dis
tance of about six to sever miles from
the harbor entrance durig the day., n
probably somewhat nearer during the
night. Two vessels performed picket
duty at night, two miles inside Of the
line of vessels. 4
The Spanish squadron was discovered
to be in the entrance to Santiago har-
Dor Steaming out about $50 o'clock a
~. JULY 3. 1898.
The BROOKLYN at that time was head
ing to h westward of north, about
6 300 S. w. q S. from the MORO which
was practically her ~blockading position.
Large vessels coming out Of the har-
Dor of Santiago were obliged to head
about S. w. by S. and the Spanish YES
sells. therefore, in coming out until
clear of the Shoal to the westward, were
obliged to head directly for the position
of the Brooklyn. When clear Of this
shoal the Spanish vessels turned, in
succession to the westward and took a
course nearly parallel to the land.
The BROOKLYN stood towards the Span
ish vessels. with varying helm, fired
n shot from her forward turret at g.
$40 yards range, which proved short.
and then engaged with her port battery.
When about 400 yards distant from the
leading Spanish ship, the Teresa, the
Brooklyn turned to ~starboar with her
helm hard aDort n continued so to
frraro ~ 49, h@oIoI r. 49, -
parallel to the course Of the Spanish
ships. The commanding officer of the
BROOKLYN put the helm hard aport, and
at almost the same instant Commodore
Schley gave the order Hard aport."
When the Brooklyn's helm was put
hard aport the Teresa was about 1,4o0
yards to the eastward of north from
the Brooklyn; the Vizcaya was to tho
eastward Of the Teresa. and the Colon
was to the eastward of the Vizcaya
When the Brooklyn completed the turn,
and was heading to the westward, par
allel to the course of the Vizcaya the
Vizcaya and the Colon were about 2.40(
of the Brooklyn.
The u of the Brooklyn was towards
the Texas. The Texas stopped and
backed her engines.
On July 8, 1898. about the time the
Brooklyn began her urn to starboard
a CoLifcISdIlOH regarding the proximity
of the Texas took place between Com
modore Schley and Lieutenant A. c
Hodgson.
Admiral Schley caused to be publish.
ed in a daily newspaper a letter ad.
dressed to him by Lieutenant Comman.
der A. c. Hodgson, dated June II. 1879:
in which Lieutenant Commander Hodg
son said: The colloquy published IL
The New York u and alleged to have
taken place Letween you and me on tn
a of the battle off Santiago July 3rd
1888. never occurred"
Admiral Schley did no have publish.
ed the other letters of Lieutenant Com
mander Hodgson in regard to this mat
ter
Opinion of the Court.
Commodore Schley, in command O.
the flying squadron, should have pro
ceeded with utmost dispatch off Cienfu
egos and have maintained
close blockade Of that port.
He should have endeavored on Ma
23rd at Cienfuegos, to obtain informa
ton regarding the Spanish squadron