The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1901-10-05
lieutenant Commander Sharp Testi.
fees Before the Schley Court
of Inquiry.
enuMANDED The VIXEN At SANTIAGO.
commodore Schley Had Never Dis
,us.ed with Him the RetrOgrade
Moyement Toward Key West
The Service of the Vixen During
the Siege Described.

hogan with the usual recall of former
witnesses for the correction of their
testimony in the official record.
Leutenant- Commander Alexander NJ.
Sharp, who commanded the converted
Yacht Vixen during the Spanish war,
was the first new witness of the day.
Va testified that he had first fallen ia
with the flying squadron on the morn
ing of May "a, off Cienfuegos. He said
that the weather on the cruise from
C.nfuegos to Santiago had been
soually, but not sufficiently bad to in
terfere with the speed of the Vixen.
The vessel had not, he said, been in
urgent need of coal on May 20. III
had been" he said, land received or
ders to coal, | should have tried to do
49, though it would have been an UNI
comfortable job, because the Vixen
was very small ship
Commander Sharp said that, not
outstanding he had been on the
Brooklyn several times, Commodore
Schley had never discussed with him
the retrograde movement toward Key
West, begun on May 26.
Describing the service of the Vixen
during the siege of Santiago under
Commodore Schley, Commander Sharp
said that he had been placed on picket
duty at the eastern end of the line
on the night Of May 20, and had con.
tnued this duty afterward. He was
about two miles from the shore, he
said, and probably three miles from
the month of the harbor. He said
that the entire fleet could not be dis
cerned at night, and that the shore
line could only be dscerned as black
mass in the distance.
Commander Sharp said that the
Vixen had carried Commodore Schley
from the Brooklyn to the Massachu'
sets on May 81 before the beginning
Of the bombardment of the Cristobal
Colon and that when he had asked
what course he should pursue in the
approaching action, Lieut.. Sears had
replied for the commodore that the
latter had directed that Commodore
Sharp keep his craft clear, AS she was
vulnerable and should not assume
any risks. He thought the commodore
had afterwards spoken to him to the
same effect.
Mr., Hanna: passing on to the bat
tie Of July 3, did you see any portion
Of the loop made by the Brooklyn
when ] first saw the Brooklyn |
think she was headed about south,
and swinging very rapidly under hei
port helm
Did you at any time have any CON
versation with any person in tho
presence Of Commodore Schlcy with
respect to the direction In which the
Brooklyn turned on that occasion2'
"Yes, sir"
state the circumstances Of the
conversation"
u took on board the Brooklyn a
copy OF the notes taken by Lieut.
Harlow, the executive officer Of the
vixen, during the engagement and
showed them to the commodore. The
commodore was seated at his desk, as
l now remember II, and at various
times different officers came into the
eommodore's cabin, Capt. Cook was
mere, think, at one time. The navi.
gator OF the Brooklyn, Lieut.. Hodg.
soh, came In also. / think Com.
nnahder Eaton was In at one time, and,
am not mistaken, Capt Barker
was In, was talking TO the commo.
uore about those notes, and at one
part OF tho converse ton, Of the way
INC helm Of the Brooklyn had been
put to form the so-cnlled loop. |
stated that the helm was put to port
lieut. Hodgson spoke up and said
No' you are mistaken; helm was put
70 s'orboard,' said No, no, you
pu' your helm to port lie said; u
%h prove II 10 you, Look at this
mart snld; Il don't want to zee the
mart You swung with the port
helm"
was II conceded Hnally?" asked
Mpt' Lemly, that the helm had been
pas 10 port TO take the turn"
~ 4 am not positive" wns the reply,
vu' u Ia my impression that u was
~ IN response TO question from Mr.,
"ayher' Commander Sharp said thot
me position OF the Vixen during the
m"ockade was not correctly given by
'ae Official chart lie was nearer the
more than there shown,
Vh redirect examination Capt, Lem.
brought out tho fact as to- the
V"shge In the Harlow notes.
Judge Advocates "Dd you attach TO
svur Official report OF July , n copy
VI .he notes Of said actlon?'
Yves, SIR"
~, mhere did you obtain this copy?
Harlow" '
4. pld you at the time know whether
, ~,re were any differences between
s "'' copy M attached 10 your official
s ,vport and the copy ~ II appears In
your log bookp"
AZ, ies' air, | knew there were some
nshs differences"
4. from whom did you learn that
s mers were those differences and was
wy NY explanation made Of this fact TO
"hen was writing my report OF
M Me action Of July 3, sald to IAout
-'''ow' I desire y copy Of your notes