Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-10-07
ON THE BROOKLYN
Commander Hodgson's Story Of the
Battle of July 8.
AGAIN BEFORE COURT OF INQUIRY
Tells of the Chase of the
Colon.
INCIDENTS OF THE FIGHT

The Schley court of inquiry at the navy
yard was opened this morning with it's
usual audience of 200 or 900 people, most
of whom were ladies.
Lieutenant Commander A. C. Hodgson
went on the stand. and continued to iden-
tify correspondence which had passed be-
tween himself and Admiral Schley, all of
which has been published in The Star.
These letters were read by the judge advo-
cate, and at II 80 the entire correspondence
had been placed on the record.
Mr.. Hodgson was then cross-questioned
by Mr.. Rayner.
Q. By Mr.. Rayner)-Do you recollect see
ing lights on shore at Cienfuegos? Where
We're they? A. think on two nights after
we got there we saw signals.
Q. What did you suppose they were? A.
1 supposed they were some signals from
people on the coast to people in Cienfuegos
signals between the Spanish forces.
Q. Had you any knowledge that signal
code had been arranged by McCa1la and
the insurgents? A. L had not the slightest
Idea, and 1 do not think anybody else
aboard had.
O. Was the progress of the squadron i'm
peded between Cienfuegos and Santiago? ?
A There was heavy weather and the Eagle
impeded the progress of the fleet.
O. How about the Merrimac? A. The
Merrimac seemed at times able to keep up,
and at times fell back.
Q. Explain what you know about the
breaking of the machinery on the Merri-
mac on the way from Cienfuegos u San
tiago.
The judge advocate and Mr.. Hanna both
objected to this question, saying that the
witness not being on board the Merrimac
could not speak from his own knowledge
In regard to any breaking of the machinery,
If there had been any. The Judge advo-
cate said that the questions of counsel
were too leading.
Mr.. Rayner replied that the witness was
under cross-examination and he had a
right to ask him leading questions. He
wanted to know the personal observations
Of the witness in regard to the Merrimac
This question was allowed by the court
but the witness answered that he did not
know anything about 1t.
The witness also said that the Texas had
some difficulty in coaling on account of
the weather on the 25th of May, and also
on the morning of the 2ith.
Speaking of the blockade maintained off
Cienfuegos, he said that the Dupont was
sent within the line of the blockade close
to the mouth of the harbor, and the block
ade itself was a mobile blockade, moving
up and down. He thought also that the
Castine was inside the blockade line to give
warning if anything occurred in the har-
Dor.
O CBy Mr.. Rayner): How far from
shore was the fleet at Cienfuegos? A. In
asmucn as the shore at the harbor mouth
was at right angles, we steamed across
the mouth of the harbOr and were nearer
the shore at each end of the course stea med
over than we were when directly In front
OF the harbor But we passed in front of
the mouth of harbor about four miles away.
The Blockade of Santiago.
@. How far off was the blockading squad
ron at Santiago7 A. In the daytime our
position was about six miles from shore.
In the night 1 think We steamed up and
down about four miles from shore. The
{,,,1e 1.-Two
of picket boats, the Vixen, 1 think, on the
east side and the Marblehead on the west
The Brooklyn leading, we steamed in COL
umn about from Companies to Aguadores,
followed by the Massachusetts. the Texas
the Iowa and, l think, the New Orleans
when she arrived
Q. How far were the picket boats inside
the blockade line? A. I judge the picket
boats We're about half way between us and
the shore.
Q. Then the picket boats were two miles
from shore; is that right? 1t would be
right If your suppOsitiOn is right. A. If
my suppositiOn is right, yes. sir; about two
miles from shore.
O. What was the entire length of the
blockade? A The extreme length Of the
eilipse was six miles-five and one-half
miles.
@ Did you see any shots fall outside of
the Iowa or Massachusetts on the recon-
nOissance of May 81? A. I saw them fall
outside the Iowa.
The witness explained that he was on the
Brooklyn and that vessel coaling in
position where they could see the firing
when the attack by a portion of the feet
on the Colon on May 81 took place.
The Part Taken by the Brooklyn.
He was asked to give an account of the
battle of July until the time the viscaya
ran ashore Mr.. Rayner asked that he give
the work that the Brooklyn did in that bat
tie from the commencement until the sur
render OF the Colon.
The witness-'eThe Brooklyn did all she
could do. She got into action and COM
menced firing as soon as the first gun Of
the port bow could bear on the enemy and
We kept the port battery firing until the
Brooklyn turned around by the port helm
and brought her starboard batteries to bear.
We got around quickly as we could un-
III almost parallel with the Spanish vessels.
fhe Maria Teresa was farther to the west
ward than the Niscaya and they were
standing at right angles to the shore. When
We got around the smoke was very dense
and nothing could be seen to the rear of u.s.
Three Spanish vessels were then in sight
the Niscaya. Colon and Oquendo The Wis
eaya was at our bow and the Oquendo abaft
OF the starboard beam. We continued in
thar direction until l remarked to Capt
Cook that It seemed rather lonely there
He was inside the coming tower and he
asked why, and ! said we were all alone
with three Spanish vessels. At that time
the smoke was dense and / could see moth
ing IN the rear. He stepped out and ex-
cid!fned. " nat Is that on our Starboard
quarter?' | looked in that direction and
saw heavy bow wave formed by a ship
and the bow commenced looming up. and L
said that must be the Massachusetts, He
said II could not be the Massachusetts, as
she was OF getting coal. He said 1t must
be the Oregon, and he said God bless the
oregon" and said l was glad to see her.
We continued in that position The Oquen-
do very shortly fell out, and the Colon,
gradually turning her head, went inshore
with the Viscaya. I remember that the
h1scaya blanketed our fire at one time as
the chase continued in the direction of Aser-
raderos- The Colon at this time began
speeding until she was ahead some seven
miles During the chase the firing men
were allowed to come out OF the turrets
one az a time or few at a time. to get a
breath and TO get refreshments. But the
gaining on the Colon was very slow. In
us
q (By Mr.. Rayner): How far is Aserra-
neros from Moro? A. About eighteen
miles
Chase After the Colon.
The witness continued: The chase con-