The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1901-10-17
AODGSONS TESTIMONY.
Tells Story Of Brooklyn's Part In
Santiago Fight.
TESTIMONY IN FAVOR OF scHLEv

Latter's Conduct Was All That a Com.
mander-in-Ch Chiefs Should Have Been.
Says hodgson-Bombardm of
Colon Developed Batteries Strength
Washington, Oct. 8.-Lieutenant
Commander Hodgson yesterday again
occupied the greater part of the time
Of the Schley court of inquiry as wit
ness. Hodgson repeated and
extended his story of the battle OF
July 8. giving the opinion that Com
modore Schley's conduct on that ocea-
sion was such as that of a commander.
in-chief should have been. He also
explained at some length his CORES
pondence with Admiral Schley con-
corning the alleged colloQuy between
them while the Santiago engagement
was in progress. Ee said he had had
no controversy with l.e commodore.
but he repeated that the commodore
had said Damn the Texas" when told
that that vessel was in danger.
Captain Folger said that the bonn
bardments Of the Cristobal Colon on
May 81 had been eminently successful
In developing the strength Of the Span
ish shore batteries, and had shown
them to be very weak. He also said
that IL the Spanish vessels had at
tempted to escape at night they could
not have been seen by the blockading
feet In bad weather.
Commander Hodgson. at Mr.. Ray
ner's request continued his description
Of the Santiago battle from the point
where he had dropped it last Friday.
He said:
Tho Brooklyn did all she could.
She got into action Just as quick az
steam could carry her there. We COM
menoed firing as soon as the first gun
on the port bow would bear, and we
kept the port battery firing until she
turned with port helm through the arc,
using the aft guns until we got all the
starboard guns to bear We got around
as quickly as We could with port helm
until we almost paralleled the course
Of the leading Spanish vessel, when
the helm was eased and the ship steer
ed course parallel with the Niscaya,
which was then the leading vessel, al
thought the .laria Teresa probably was
further to the westward than the Wis.,
caya. She was standing at an angle
into the shore. When we got around
the smoke was so very dense nothing
could be seen Of anything in the rear
Of us. The three Spanish vessels we
were then engaged with were the Wis.,
caya, the Colon and the Oquendo. The
Viscaya was about $500 yards on our
starboard bow; the Colon probably a
little forward of tho starboard beam.
The Oquendo was abaft the starboard
beam. We continued In that direction,
when remarked TO Coptain Cook that
it seemed rather lonely for us out
there. He was in the coming tower
He asked Why" ! said that we were
all alone with the three Spanish ves-
sells, and 1t seemed that 1t depended
upon US to knock them out. At that
time the smoke was so dense | could
not SEQ anything, and l supposed that
the New York being away, the Brook
lyn was steaming ahead of the slower
vessels. He stepped out of the coming
tower and exclaimed to me: What's
that off our starboard Quarter?" |
looked in that direction and saw tho
heavy bow of a ship, anu said, That
must be the Massachusetts He said.
No, it could not be the Massachusetts;
she has gone TO Guantanamo | said,
1t must be the Oregon and he re-
marked, God bless the Oregon!' I
said, Well. l am very glad to see her.
The Oregon was at that time, should
say, four or five hundred yards Off
our starboard quarter at full speed.
We continued in that position until the
Brooklyn's speed began to increase as
we got up steam, and probably drew
a little farther ahead from the Oregon.
She never was that close to us again
as I remember The Oquendo very
shortly fell out and went ashore The
Colon gradually drew ahead and also
went in shore.
Chasing the Colon.
II remember very we'll the time that
the Viscaya blanketed her from our
FIRE. This chase was continued in that
direction until. when off Acerreaderas,
the viscaya ported her helm and ran
In Shore Tho Colon at this time had
gained speed and was in shore sup
pose some seven miles. After passing
the Viscaya we steamed ahead and
ceased firing. Tho men were allowed to
come out Of the turrets one at time
to get a breathing spell, although, Of
course, all guns were manned and
everything ready, but the gaining upon
the Colon was very slow, in fact, she
gained apparently on US. This was
about Ills, when the iscaya stood In
for Acerreaderas. The chase was con-
tinued then after the Colon. l know
it must be six or seven miles away
until we gradually began to gain.