The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-10-11

and on TWO occasions InereaIIer.
After The beginning Of the battle,
please state where you observed tie
Brooklyn. whether you noticed her
proximity TO the Texas and what i.
was
when the battle had been on about
ten or fifteen minutes my attention was
attracted 20 the Brooklyn by my sig
nal officer. Captain Dawson. He said
TO me that the Brooklyn must be injur-
ed or words to that effect, as she was
dropping out of action 1 observed the
Brooklyn heading apparently about
south or off shore. She was then on
my port bow half a mile perhaps ahead
of me and at that time a quarter of a
mile outside of the line Of our column.
She was not turning as far as 1 could
see. The Texas was apparently lying
still in the water. / did not see wheth-
er she was backing or not. The dis
tance between those two ships was i'm
possible for me to see as they were
toe nearly in line for me to judge of
the distance between them. a few
minutes later my attention was again
turned TO the Brooklyn. She had then
proceeded q distance not over two miles
and not under one mile from the tirle
l had seen her first, and the second
time saw her as near as 1 could figure
out, one and a half miles to seaward of
our column Of battle"
Did you observe whether there was
any attempt on the part of the Spanish
vessels TO ram any of the vessels OF
the American squadron"
Il observed that there was no such
attempt
TAYLOR CROSS EXAMINED.
Mr.. Rayner began his cross examina-
tiOn with an effort to introduce certain
signals which had passed between the
Indiana and Admiral Simpsons flag
ship, the New York. in the early morn
ing of July 3rd, 1898. Captain Lemly
made immediate objection and Mr.
Rayner presented an earnest plea to
be allowed to read the signals. He was
not permitted at that time to do so,
but it is understood that the signal
which he desired to introduce as having
been sent from the New York to the
Indiana was dated at S:15 a. m. .of that
DAY ana was an invitation from the
flagship to accompany her to Siboney
While the response was declination TO
do so. The admiral's invitation was
Wlg-Wagged by Captain Chadwick and
was as follows: 1.-The admiral wishes
10 know II you will join him this morn
ing in going to see General Shafter?"
TO this Captain Taylor replied at
S:51; Work aboard ship previously
gong on prevents me from going with
you today
Mr.. Rayner contended that the sig
nails were among the most imports y +
occurrences of the day prior to the time
that the command of the fleet devoJv-
ed upon Commodore Schley
Captain Lemly replied that under
previous rulings of the court the read
ing OF the signals was clearly inadmis-
sIble. He, however, agreed that he
would consult with Mr.. Rayner, and
| that, after this consultation the cues
IOn including the reading of the sig
nals Should appear proper, Admiral
Taylor could be recalled and the uues-
ton asked. To this Mr.. Rayner con-
sented.
At the Afternoon session of the court
Admiral Taylor said that on the morn
| ing of the battle of July the 3rd, the
Indiana had signalled The enemy is
| escaping" The Indiana, was, he said.
| at that time always cleared for action.
| He had. he said. personally seen the
| Brooklyn while on her southern detour.
| commonly known as the loop
The court asked only one question of
! Admiral Taylor as follows: WAS the
| Indiana in such position with reference
| to the Brooklyn and the enemy's ships
| just after they cleared the entrance to
( the harbor that you could form a near
| ly correct estimate of the distance be-
| tween them?'
| The reply was: AT the time men,
| toned there were but two occasions
| when the smoke permitted me to see
| the Brooklyn distinctly. 1 could not
| therefore say waht was the distance be-
| tween the enemy and the Brooklyn just
| after the Spanish fleet came out of the
| harbor.'
| COMMANDER POTTS.
Commander Potts said that during
| the blockade of Santiago the distance
| observed by the flying squadron was
| from seven to nine miles from the
mouth of the harbor. At Cienfuegos
| the distance out was from four to five
\ miles, with an increase of the distance
| at night.
| The witness said that he had been on
| the Massachusetts OH May 31st, the day
/ of the bombardment of the Colon, when
| Commodore Schley had used that YES
| sci as his flagship.
| Detailing Commodore Schbley's con-
| versation on that occasion the witness
4 said: when Commodore Schley came
/ on board 1 heard him say, 'Higginson,
| am going in with you and the Iowa
| and pot the Colon with your big guns
| I want to fire deliberate Admiral
| Sampson will be here tomorrow morn
| ing and I wish to destroy the Colon,
i or words to that effect. After that
/ there was a conversation between Com
| modore Schley and the commanding
i officer of the ship as to when we would
| go in. and it was determined that we
| would allow the men to go to dinner,
and so in afterward. which we did
Later on, about o'clock 1 think, while
on the port bridge just abaft the pilot
house, I was present at conversation
between Commodore Schley and Cap
I tain Higginson in which the question OF
where the ship was to be fought was
under discussion. Commodore Schley
| asked Higginson what position he in
tended to take. He replied: I think
the coming tower Commodore Schley
replied: Yes, I think that is wisest.
Shortly after this Commodore Schley
and his staff, the captain and myseh
| went down to the coming town on the
| forward 13-inch turret. Commodore
Schley, Comma nder Schroeder, I think
! Commodore Schley'S personal stan, ano
myself were standing as the ship wa:
standing in toward the entrance. Com
modore Schley said in my hearing anC
. | presence: Gentlemen, we are yer!
| conSpicouS objects here in white.
think we had better get out of this.
| Commodore Schley left the forward