The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1901-10-18
THE SCHLEY INQUIRY
The COmmodore's Record
Will Stand Unim=
peached.

criticised: First that he, dis |
obeyed orders, in leaving Santiago and |
going to Cienfuegos; Second, That he
started to Key West to coal his
fleet; Third, that he did not sink the
Colon, the best one of Cervera's ships
in'the outer harbor of.Santiago, on the
3lst of May; and Fourth, that in the
battle of Santiago, he took his flag ship,
the Brooklyn, out of the fight, by max
ing loop that carried her some 5000
yards from the line of battle, lost much
time by it, enabling the Spanish vessel,
the Colon, to get a big start; and at the
same time by the loop came very near
running into the Texas, and delayed
her pursuit of the Spanish ships.
Because of these charges, Schley had
been accused of cowardice, disobedience
of orders, and of getting ratified In the
fight.
Schley demanded Court of Inquiry,
which is now Investigating the charges
The witnesses against him have all
been examined, and the testimony in
his behalf has commenced.
After reading the testimony as it has
been developed. we are of the opinion
that Admiral Schley has been the vic
tim of unfortunate circumstances and
hasty and unjust judgment; that he is
not a coward, that he did not disobey
orders, that he acted from the best
judgment in seeking to coal his fleet,
that his orders from Washington pre-
vented his closing in on the shore bat
teries and attacking the Colon, and
that the loop he made, (which was
made by order of Captain Cook, the
commander of the Brooklyn,) was all
right, showed good judgment, perhaps
saved the Brooklyn, and enabled her to
take leading part in the chase after
the Colon.
1t has been proven that Schley had
orders to watch for Cervera's feet at
Santiago and Cienfuegos. He went to
Santiago, and could not see the Spanish
vessels in the harbor. He was assured
by Cuban spy that they were not
there. Therefore, he went to Cien-
fuegos. He found there Spanish forts,
along the coast, saw smoke in the har-
Dor, and saw signals he did not under
stand, but which he took for Spanish
| signals. But the signals were from the
insurgents, telling h,ra that the Span
ish fleet was not there. Schley, how
ever, had not been given the code OF
signals, and did not understand them.
Soon a small British ship from Jamaica
informed Schley that the Spanish fleet
had gone to into Santiago. He
then went at once to Santiago, and
blockaded the harbor.
The evidence discloses the fact tina,
part of Schley's fleet, notably the
Texas did not have coal enough to &c
to Key West, if they remained block
fading Santiago for any time. The com
mander of the Texas, and Others
thought it dangerous to coal from the
coaling vessel, the Merrimac, at sea, 81
Schley was solicitious about the mat
ter, and he surely was justifiable in be
ing so. But he became satisfied it wa
best to remain at Santiago and did so
The attack he made on the -Colol
when she lay in the outer harbor, wa
not vigorous, and she might have beel
destroyed; but Admiral Schley ha
positive orders from the Secretary Q
the Navy to not endapger his ships b.
attacks upon shore batteries, as tn
safety of our commerce and our seapor
cities depended on the navy, and Cel
vera's fleet could do no harm while
remained pennod up in Santiago hal
Dor. The Admiral's orders therefor
forbade his risking the fleet under tn
! fire of the batteries of Morro an
Sacopa. That he was correct in hi
, action, is evidenced by the fac
, that the Colon remained in sight tn
next day, after SIMPSONS arrival, an
, the latter gave no order to attack hel
| and no attempt Mas made then or after
wards, by Sampson to destroy the Colo
or the Spanish batteries.
: AS to Schley's course in the battl
, with the Spanish fleet, we think th
evidence furnishes his complete excul
, patton from all blame. The Spanis
vessels show that more of the shots {
Brooklyn hit the mark than of an
other vessel; that the Brooklyn wa
hit more times than any other one {
our vessels, and that she was the ho
test in the chase after the Colon, say
the Oregon.
The Brooklyn was southwest, in th
semi-circle of vessels that surrcunde
the mouth of the harbor of Santiago
When Cervera's fleet came out tn
vessels closed in on them from thei
various positions, The Spanish flee
instead of coming straight toward ou
fleet, turned west, along the coast
The Brooklyn as she steamed towar
the shore ran due northeast, and to joi
in the chase had to turn toward tn
west, as she approached the Spanisl
vessels. She had been hotly engage
with them. A turn to the left woul
have taken her dangerously near tn
Spanish vessels, and she might hav
been rammed or have got under a yer,
heavy close fire. She was only
cruiser, only partially protected, not I
war vessel like the Iowa, Indiana ant
others. By turning to the right, sht
would be on the shortest line of pur
suit, and being the fastest of our fleet