Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1901-12-06
Before the Carnage.


On the morning OF July the day
broke beautifully. The skies were
neeced with white CLOUDS, and the
breeze continued little bit longer of
the land that morning than usual. AIT.
err | had eaten breakfast came up to
take survey of the situation with
glasses. We were lying, at that time,
possibly three miles or little bit
over from the land. and | wondered
very much why they had permitted US
20 remain SO close. IL was matter
of constant inquiry and discussion on
board. especially why the batteries
did not fire on us. At S:45 my orderly
reported to me that signal had been
made from the flagship to disregard
her movements, and tnat she mad gone
eastward. l did not, Of course, know
where she had gone.
sat under an awning that we had
put into position each day as the sun
arose. in order that the officers nigh,
collect there. think we also hat
one forward for the men. came or
deck with my glasses, after having
gone below for a little while; and
while | was sitting abaft on a hatch
way heard call from the forward
bridge: Tell the commodore that the
iieel IS coming out" mat was some
time after the men mad been called
to quarters. about 9:35 O'Clock.
The ship at that moment was lyina
with her head In toward the land, In
the direction Of Cabanas. which was q
little cove to the westward and one oil
the marking points we used In man
tanning our positions. i looked ovel
the starboard side and saw the enem!
coming out OF the entrance Of the har
Dor. | then looked eastward to see
the order of the ships, and | saw the
Texas apparently point or more
abaft the starboard beam. My owl
recollection now, as near as I car
state 1t. Is that the ships head wat
near nor'nor-west. The Texas an
peared to me to be heading on some
one of the easterly courses. To the
left Of her was the Iowa. She was
OF course, to the eastward of the Tex
as. The Oregon was to the eastwart
Of the Iowa. The Indiana was east
ward of that position. and the Glou
cester was lying in under the land.
thought In the neighborhood Of Aqua
| dores. The New York was out of sigh
anu out vi btbudt ulblduCt, WIFI
glasses. looked at that to determine
what my position In the action wa,
TO be. II the vessel had not been ouI
OF sight | should not nave made sig
nai.
Said, go Right for Them"
The moment ! saw that, 1 went for
ward on to a little platform ] had hat
constructed upon the battle tower a,
my position in the battle In order (.
be very close to Captain Cook. hat
only been there a moment or two wheI
Captain Cook joined me. In tn,
meantime Mr.. Hodgson, who was OF
the upper bridge, sang out something
to the captain about being connected
M and all ready, an, he at the same
time said to me: Commodore, the,
are coming right at u.s." We'll"
said, go right for them. The helm
was put aport. The ship was started
ahead. first ut perhaps half speed:
do not recollect. She took her way
verv quickly. and when we headed
around ! said to Captain Cook: &c
ahead, full speed, and hoist signal I,
clear ship for action" We general,
made that signal because there wal
around the quarterback and the fore
castle Of most of these ships littl,
temporary railing, composed usual!
Of oars and rope. to keep people from
falling overheard. Generally an avn
ing of some sort was up. That sigma
was followed by CLOSE up for clos'
action"
The Brooklyn. as well as the othe
vessels OF the squadron, charged i'm
mediately into the entrance, In accord
ance with the original plan of seekin'
the enemy's ships In the entrance O.
driving them ashore. We continue,
directly for the head of the enemy,
column, the idea uppermost in m!
mind being that II we could ares
them long enough for the battleshipi
to close in and knock them to pieces
that would be our best point of at
tack. They continued on this course
porting and starboarding to meet tn,
movements OF the leading ship, which
] assumed to be the flagship from ,
flag at her masthead. suppose from
the time we started we were ten t
twelve minutes turning first with por
helm and then advancing direct to tn,
enemv. | saw the ships to the east
ward and westward closing in. I sal,
to Captain Cook: "'Close action O
Close up has been hoisted, and l