River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1901-10-17

Were the lighting ships always in order
for battle?''
Il always supposed they were; the
Brooklyn was always in excellent order"
The Battle of July 3.
General interest was manifested through
out the courtroom when Mr., Hanna began
his inquiries about the battle Of July g.
He asked:
Were you on deck when the feet came
out of Santiago harbor on July .? When
were they first sighted?'
The reply was in the negative. Capt.
Cook said he had at that time been in the
cabin. The next question was:
How did you first learn the feet was
coming out?''
The reply to this brought Capt. Cooks
story of that engagement, as fellows:
Il heard the executive officer call out:
Clear ship for actionr and as / had given
directions to have the ship ready for in
spection | knew at once something was
happening. / went on deck Immediately
Had you had any intimation the night
before that the fleet were coming out?"
No. / turned in the night before about
midnight. feeling rather the other way,
all hope OF their coming out having been
given up"
When you came on deck. where were the
Spanish vessels? What were they doing?"
when ] first arrived on the forecastle
there were two in sight. The third one
was just outside the entrance and the
fourth appeared Immediately afterward. :"
What did they do when they came out
which way did they head?"
I'VE were to the westward. The en-
trance to us was about northeast by north
The fleet came out south and turne6 as they
left the entrance to four points southwest,
so that they turned in our direction"
Here Capt. Cook described the famous
loop Of the Brooklyn and declared that he
considered it eminently successful. Adj
miral Dewey interrupted and asked how
near the Brooklyn passed to the Texas.
No Danger of Collision.
81 never thought of collision. 1t never
entered my head. never for a moment
had one idea or vicissitude in that respect.
We passed, / judge, about 100 yards.
handled the ship under all circums tances
and got so | could judge pretty correctly
ard my impression was that we were about
the distance we sailed in squadron. But
collision 1 never thought Of She turned
perfectly clear of the Texas, came around.
and then we had the Viscaya on our star
board bow and about abeam was the
Oquendo and then the Colon. At the time
] thought it was the Teresa, but soon
discovered this vessel was dropping out
and heading for the beach Thatwas about
the hottest time of the action 1t was a
critical time. There was not any time for
iudiseretion. and / do not think there was
any. l have always felt in my mind, in
studying the positions, that the chances
would have been for a disaster had we
shifted helm at such time However, we
got around and we had those three YES
sells"
Didn't damn the Texas"
Continuing his statement after the noon
recess, Capt. Cook said he thought that If
the engines of the Texas had been backed
he would have observed the movement,
although" he said, 1.-THE Texas was quite
a distance from us" He recalled a brief
conversation between Lieut.. Ho6gson and
himself concerning the Texas while the
Brooklyn was making its famous loop. He
said that on that occasion Hodgson had
called his attention to the Texas and that
he had replied, saying he saw the vessel
which Hodgson had afterward told him had
entirely treasured him, He had never
himself used the expression: Damn the
Texas" to Hodgson. ION the contrary
he said, II had every reason to bless her"
He said he had not at the tsae known of
the change in the Brooklyns log in which
the entry had at first been to the effect
that the helm was put to starboard and
then changed to helm aport." He remem-
bered the addenda to the log and had con-
scented that it should be written, but he
had given instructions that there should
be no change in the original log.
At 2:35 p. m, Capt. Cook was excused,
counsel for Admiral Schley announcing
that they had no questions to ask the Wit
ness at this time
SchIey side of Case Begun.
Lieutenant Commander w r. Fulham.
who was the senior watch officer on the
New Orleans during the Santiago cam
paign, was next called, and was followed
by Mr.. Beale. He was last of the govern
ment witnesses. AT $50 Edwardo Nunez,
the Cuban pilot, was called as the first of
Admiral Schleys witnesses.
An interpreter was introduced with
Nunez, who cannot speak English. The
witness said that on May 26 he advised Ad-
miral Schley that he did not believe the
fleet was in Santiago He said he had Sc
cured positive information that they were
there on June from the Cuban insurgents,
with whom he had communicated at Ad-
miral Schleys instance.
At $3.50 p. m. the court adjourned until
Tuesday.