The San Francisco call., 1901-10-10
Distinguished Officer Who Commanded One Of the Battle
ships That Participated in the Fight Off Santiago Gives
Important Testimony at the Schley Court of Inquiry
Orders Sent by Secretary of the Navy Long to Sampson
During the Operations Along the Cuban Coast Admon-
shng Him to Beware of Disaster Are Placed in Evidence

II want to read you what Captain Higgin-
son says about Commodore Schleys manner
and bearing upon that action He saws: His
manner was that OF commander IL chief
He left a different impression In your mind
from what he left on Captain Hlgginsons mlnd'
then?"
Had Captain Higginson opportunity to OBJ
serve him on that occasion?
Not as well as did.
why was that?"
Because Captain Higginson was in the
coming tower and I was outside"
Did not Captain Higginson have ave. any any con co.,
versation with the commodore at that time?
Prom time to time. yes"
What do you mean by mental excite
II quoted conversations that had had. The
first thing was the apparent anxiety Of Com
modore Schley about using the coming tower.
Secondly his stating that at distance Of
five to six miles men standing on the forward
tb furre5 we6e se the con2ns
II did not see the commodore go into the
coming tower. To the best Of my knowledge
coming tower and between the coming tower
and the heavy plate that protects the menhole
Commodore Schley previous to that occasion
so entirely different from the impression
taeS as On 1ndea ony Mental strain
Have you ever been under any mental
strain in time of battle?''
Il have been scared.
Have you any other facts from which you
base your statement to the court that he was
laboring under mental excitement except the
facts which you have given?'
Yes When Commodore Schley came on
board the Massachusetts he stated in distinct
Colon The Colon was not destroyed When
he left the ship he called it a reconnaissance
drawing the fire Of the batteries and devel-
oping their weakness or strength.
DO you gather from that that he was labor
ing under great mental excitement"
''From that and from circumstances I have
already stated from my observation of him
from the time he came on board the ship ul-
til he left"
Suppose you were made aware of the fact
that when he entered into that engagement he
was under obligations to the Navy Depart
ment to not engage batteries IL there was any
danger Of the shore batteries Gripping the
ships, would you say, If you knew of that, he
was still laboring under great mental excite
ment?"
II cannot answer that question"
Captain Lemly objected to the introduction
but the court decided they could be put in
Mr.. Raynor then asked concerning the
weather on the trip from Cienfuegos and the
witness said that on May % it had been what is
called dirty" There easterly wind
and moderate sea. rough for small vessels.
The witness said on further examination that
Ears and Lieutenant Wells had been present
during the bombardment of the Colon, when
a GoIrfnooore Scniey hao reniarkeo that as they
turret it would be better to move away.
Referring to the Spanish shore batteries at
Santiago, Commander Potts said they would
have been menace to arnored ships passing
them.
At the suggestion of Judge Advocate Lemly
court, Mr. Raynor here formally introduced
evidence the order of the Navy Department
concerning the exposure of the American
ships to the fire of the shore batteries. The
order is that issued by Secretary Long, April
6, 1898, and directed to Admiral Sampson. The
court asked questions follows:
'Can you give the distance the large
sells from the entrance to Cienfuegos on
the early morning of either the 22d or 23d of
Mayo
II do not recollect being nearer than I
have said, four or five miles,
What efforts nn5de by the vessels of
the flying squadron prior to the arrival of
the Marblehead to determine whether or not
Cervera's squadron in the harbor of Glen
fuegos?
None that knew Of"
Lieutenant Leiper then called. He
served on the New Orleans during the Span
ish and told Of the participation Of that
vessel in the bombardment of the Colon May
81 He described the engagement, saying
there order either to fire at to
mike observations of the batteries. But not
withstanding this, he did fire at the eastern
batteries on his responsibility. One shot
from the enemy fell thirty forty yards
from the New Orleans. He thought all the
shots from the American ships had fallen
short Of the Colon.
The witness said he had secured his most
accurate idea of the strength of the shore bat
teries by the fact that June IA the New
Orleans had approached to within 1850 yards
OF them, remaining for twenty minutes and
silencing them after four five minutes.
Lieutenant Leiper still on the stand
when the court adjourned for the day.