The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1901-10-24
oREeon OFFICERS STORY
Navigator Nicholson Tells of Battle
of Santiago as He Saw It,
Other Testimony.

Washington, Oct. 21.-While Ensign
Schley court Of inquiry, for the purpose
Of correcting his former testimony, he
vas Intercepted by Lemly concerning
a conversation between sigsbee and
Schley, overheard by witness. when
S1gsbee came Hoard the Brooklyn off
Santiago May 26.
Lemly asked: May not Sigsbee have
said, I have been here about a week
and have not seen anything of them
or words to that effect, meaning the
Spanish fleet?"
mo, sir. AS I remember 1t, he said:
They could not be here unless 1 knew
it."
Lieutenant Commander Nicholson.
navigator Of the Oregon, was then
called and recited the story of the bat
tie of July 3, which he had observed
from the deck of the Oregon. He said
there was no question that the Wis
caya, during the fight, pulled out of the
general Spanish line to the southwark,
headed towards the Brooklyn for some
time, and then Strengthened out and
ran ashore. He recalled some signals
from the Brooklyn on the day OF the
battle, among others one at the begin
ming Of the battle, to close up; another
at the close of the engagement, saying,
wen zone, OregOn.
AS for the first signal he said, I'VE
We're already closing in, and it did not
influence u.s.
Witness could not say positively he
had seen the Brooklyn make the turn.
but had seen her change position. He
had never seen the Brooklyn and Texas
when they were closer together than a
mile or a mile and a half. He did not
remember any signal from the Brook
IVn RI tho nro~~n = "a 500 49, = - .-.
guns on the Colon.
The court asked questions of Nichol-
son, as follows:
Was the Oregon in her proper
blockading position when the Spanish
ships started out?"
Practically, yes"
VIVA was her course with reference
to Morro?"
About four miles distant, a littl.
eastward to south of it,
VIVA was the distance between the
hlockading positions of the Oregon and
Brooklyn?"
From three to four miles in the cay
time. They We're nearer together al
right"
What was the relative position of
The American ships when the Spanish
vessels came out?"
The Iowa vas due south Of tn.
on her port and the BROOKLYN
farther off to the Westward; the Ore
con to the right, the Iowa and Indiana
IN shore to the eastward, with the New
York in the distance. / remember m.
smediately looking for the flagship and
Saw her off seven or eight miles toward
Sibony."
Did the Oregon at any time pass
between the Brooklyn and the Spanish
ships?'
Not when they We're offering any az
tltve resistance. She did as the Span
lsh velles turned to go ashore"
When the Oregon changed her dirc--
ton toward the Brooklyn had the
Brooklyn completed her turn?"
I am under h impression that She
rad; h must have done so.'
What was the position Of the Ore.
son when she turned with the sta.-
board helm during the BATTLE of San
tiago?"
..She was lying still in the water: we
turned to hold off the Spanish fleet.
We overlook all but the Colon very
quickly. The Oregon had used her l3-
Inch guns early in tine action, bur
stopped during the chase of the Coon.
as that vessel was too, far away to use
them and it would have been a waste
of ammunition"
He thought the Oregon nearer the
enemy during the chase than the
Brooklyn, but h distances var.eL
somewhat. At one time the Brook ".
Lad apparently turned to head Off tire
turn Of the Colon towards Cape Cruz.
During h early part of the engage
ment he had seen or OF the Spanish
vessels turning towasls any of lie
American ships ant
no well developed movement in that d.
rection. yet the smoke was dense ard
he could not be certain Of all the de-
tails.