The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-10-22

four miles. There were picket boats
inside the line. but he did not see them.
Did you ever have any conversation
with Commodore Schley before July
3rd relative to the ook going to
Guantanamo for oal?"
I'm substance, I mentioned the fact
that other ships OF the squadron were
in the habit OF going to Guantanamo
for coal. We had had some difficulty
in coaling in the open off Santiago.
The commodore replied that lie had
been asked on several occasions If he
would like to go to Guantanamo where
he could coal quickly and CIV the Of
ficers and men a rest from the strain
of blockade. He said that his answer
was in each case that he preferred to
remain on the station until the Span
ish ships came out OF the harbor."
Referring to the battle of July 3rd.
the witness said that he had been in
charge of the powder division and II
it also was his duty to look after the
lower decks. Consequently. he had not
seen a great deal of the fight.
Were any cheering or encouraging
messages sent among the men that you
know Of, by whom and what were
they?"
81 had a messenger who made fire.
quent trips to the gun deck and who
reported to me what was happening.
I conveyed this information to the men
of my division in the different handling
rooms"
Were any of these messages of suf-
ficient Importance that you would like
to speak of them?"
Zone message which seemed to cheer
the men below very much was that
there were Spanish ships on our star
board beam. all firing at us"
you don't know who sent these mes
sages. who gave them, do YOU"
Il took it for granted -
Judge Advocate Lemly here inter-
rupted the witness by stating that it
did not appear that Commodore Schley
sent these messages, which brought q
statement from Mr.. Rayner that he
would prove when Admiral Schley went
on the stand that the admiral sent
these messages of encouragement to the
men.
Can you speak of the conduct. bear
ing and manne of Commodore Schley,
during the engagement in which you
saw him."
HE impressed me as being remark
ably cool, considering what had just
occurred. He was perfectly natural in
manner and bearing"
Mr.. Hanna asked: did you hear
Commodore Schley say anything about
coaling difficulties?"
Il do not remember. / know he was
always extremely anxious n seemed
to coal whenever there was an oppor-
tunity. The conversation about going
to guantanamo impressed me particu-
larly because afterward l thought 1t
was such a wise decision"
Mr.. Hanna, asked the witness wheth-
er the flying squadron had proceeded
with dispatch" on the Voyage from Cl-
enfuegos to Santiago, and the witness
replied: Eyes, as a unit until we made
the turn westward on May 18th. The
slowest ship fixed the speed and that
was six or seven knots an hour
Then in your answer you except the
retrograde movement"
II do.
BY the court: What difficulties did
the Brooklyn have in coaling off SAN
tiago prior to June 1st?"
Il do not think there was any difti-
Guilty during these dates"
Ensign c.. A. Bell asked about the
blockade on May 29th in front of San
tiago said: cat night we steamed back
and forth in front of the harbOr at a
distance of five or six miles. At night
[ saw signaling going on between the
harbor and the fort. The system of
signals was hat used in the English
army. blinking white light and ] judged
it was the Colon signaling to the fort.
1t happened on two occasions"
The witness in describing the battle
of July 3rd said that he had had charge
of the port battery on the main deck
forward and that when the Spanish
vessels first came out of the harbor he
could not train his guns on them be-
cause of the distance. Later he open
ed fire and he observed that the lead
ing Spanish ship held steady on the
Brooklyn's port bow for some time and
then turned to the westward. It's range
then was 1.400 yards, and the lowest
range at which he fired during the day
was LOO yards.
Ensign John Haligan, Jr., was the
first witness of the afternoon session of
the court. He said that on approaching
Cienfuegos May 21st he had heard the
firing of guns. Referring to the block
ade of Cienfuegos he recalled that on
the 22nd the Brooklyn steamed past the
entrance to the harbor and that the
ship had gone to within about a mile
of the harbor. He also recalled that
the Adula had reported that the Span
iards had left Santiago.
Coming to the blockade of Santiago
he knew that the M~arblehead and the
Vixen had been inside the blockading
line.
Asked as to Commodore Schley's
bearing in the battle of Santiago the
witness said it was "such as to inspire
enthusiasm"
LEMLY SUCCESSFULLY RECON
NOITERED.
do you KNOW what vessels were III
sight at the beginning of the battle? %
asked Mr.. Rayner.
Hold on there" exclaimed Captain
Lemly. before the witness could reply.
81 object"
Captain Lemly stated that the pre-
cept did not call for the position OF
ships except to show whether they en-
dangered the Brooklyn. Replying Mr..
Rayner said that the question was sim
liar to other questions which had been
admitted.
Il believe hat it is an invasion of
the decision of the court already rem
dered with regard to going into this
matter of the positions of vessels"
said Captain Lemly.
Mr.. Rayner: Il will not press this
question now, but there is a stage OF
the case where l will have to bring it
up. 1 will withdraw it now"
Judge Advocates: I'VE will have to
enter this on the record as another re-