Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1901-10-10

board bow: the Colon probably little
! OGuendo abaft the starboard beam.
The Oregon was at that time about 400
| or 500 yards off our starboard quarter.
| at full speed. We continued in that po-
sition until the Brooklyn's speed began
to increase. as we got steam up. and
/! probably drew little further ahead
i from the Oregon. She never was that
| close to us again, as remember. The
| Oquendo very shortly fell out and went
ashore. The Colon gradually drew
ahead and also went inshore. remem-
Der very well the time the Viscaya
blanketed her from our fire.
| Colon Rams In shore.
This chase continued in that direc-
ton until. when of Acerraderos. the
Niscaya ported her helm and ran In
shore The Colon at this time had
gained speed and was in shore, sup
pose. some seven miles away. After
passing the Niscaya we steamed ahead
and ceased firing. The men were al
lowed to come out of the turrets one
at time and get breathing spell. al
though. of course. all guns were
manned and everything was ready. We
| were gaining upon the Colon very
SLOW. In fact she gained apparently
on US. This was about Isis o'clock.
/ NAiGAi llC SiSSedSa SIoO0 III AoI <ASSAla-
deros. The chase continued then after
the Colon. l knew 1t must be six or
seven miles away. until we gradually
! began to gain. / remember keeping
| the stadtmeter at work on her. al
though $4,000 yards would not register
on the stadimeter. remember at ono
/ time telling Schley it was within about
| IS, Goo yards. my recollection is he told
some one to signal the Oregon to try
one of her railroad trains At any
rate, shortly afterward the Oregon
Aired one OF her 13-inch shells, which
fell short. Then we tried with S-inch
shells and they fell short. The Oregon
and we signalled to her to fall her
/ shot. We continued occasionally to
! fire, the Oregon her 13 and s-inch guns,
we our S-inch guns I remember see
ing one of the 13-inch shells OF the Ore
gon fall we'll ahead of the Colon. One
of our s-inch shells apparently fell in
shore.
Colon strikes Her Colors.
eat that time the Colon ported her
helm hard aport: previously to this
she had ported her helm once or twice.
apparently seeking soft spot on
shore. She fired her lee gun and hauled
down her flag at exactly 1:15 o'clock.
We then ceased firing and slowed
down. Orders We're given to get out
ii AS SaPSditA WIS OtOcIGQ W &O
on board and make terms with or tell
the terms to the commanding officer Of
the Colon. Captain Cook went in the
boat and boarded the Colon. think he
probably had mile and half pull.
We had our guns trained on the Colon
! in case of treachery or any act of that
kind on her part. although saw her
| throwing breech-locks overheard.
did not suspect anything of that kind"
How far was the Oregon from the
BROOKLYN"
From 1000 to 1900 yards on the
starboard quarter
Witness said at the beginning of the
fight he had given the range at 1.400
yards, but after the loop it was about
2.400 or $500 yards.
Acted Like Commander.
Hodgson said that schley's bearing
throughout the battle was that Of .
misunderstanding. He occupied a
place on the platform around the con-.
ming tower during the engagement.
This position is a dangerous one, as the
| commodore was always in full view of
the enemy's ships. Hodgson stated that
| any witness who made the statement
that the Brooklyn ran 1000 yards away.
from the enemys ships in making the
loop was absolutely mistaken. The
Brooklyn had gone but 600 yards to the
southwark: that was about the tactical
she was going. He said the turn did
not interfere with her ability to keep
up fire. Captain Cook might have given
the order to the man at the wheel to
! port helm" but Schley gave the origi-
nal order.
Witness was questioned at length
concerning the reported colloquy with
Schley during the battle. in which
Schley is reported to have said, Damn
the Texas" When witness was asked
If he thought there was any suggestion
of such an expression, he replied:
when suggested to Schley there
was danger of colliding With the Texas
he said. Damn the Texas He used the
expression as not in any way condemn
ing the Texas for being there, but as
i If he We're initiated as one might be
about anything"
! Asked about the expression attrib-
uted to witness. she will cut down the
Texas" Hodgson replied there was no
such expression. He never said the
Brooklyn would cut down the Texas
| There's Il good deal in that reported
colloquy did not say he added.
Continuing, he said the dialogue as
reported was fictitious; that he had de-
MED its verbal accuracy, while not de-
nying the truth of part of It, He said
/ he had told Schley he could not repu-
dtate the entire statement and had not
understood him to request that he
should do more than deny its verbal
accuracy He had already, before
writing his explicit denial, told the adj
miral he could not deny the whole
| story.