The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-10-01
nent by Captain Lcmly that Rear Admiral Evans
would be the first witness of the afternoon sitting
Admiral Evans Testifies,


Admiral Evans Testifles.
When the court convened for tho afternoon scs..
sion Rear Admiral Roblcy D. Evans who. as cap.
tain, commanded the battlcshp Iowa during the
battle on Santiago, WIS called to the witness
stand. lie said that he joined the Flying Squad.
ron oft Cicnfucgos on May - at y. III, when
he took dispatches from Sampson to schlcy. Those
dispatches he had sent by his executive officer,
Commander Rogers to Commodore Schley lie
did not seen the commodore himself As the dis.
patches were sealed, he did not know their con.
tents.
Judge Adyocntc--"Pcasc say what, IL .nything,
was done while the squadron was of Cicnfuegos
toward developing the fact as to whether the
Spanish squadron under Admiral Ccrycra was or
was not in the harbor of Cicnfucgos?"
There was nothing done SO far az know"
"What, II anything. within your knowledge was
done toward destroying or preventing the further
completion of the cnemy's batteries in the vicn.
ity Of Cicnicgos?"
''On Sunday afternoon, | am quite sure IL was
Commodore Schley formed his squadron in column
and stood in TO a range Of about n mile and a
half from the shore, made a turn and stood out
again. That Ia the only thing know"
''Was an attack made on the enemy or by the
enemy at that time?'
NO; they all got up and stood on the breast
works and looked at us. We steamed out again.
There was no firing on either side"
Were you then within range Of the batteries
in the vicinity of Cicnfucgos with the heavier
guns Of your ship?"
81 did not see any batteries. There was work
they were completing there"
Were you within range of that?'
quite easy range, yes"
"Thc battery Of the Iowa consisted Of what?'
"Four twelve.inch, eight cisht.inch and twelve
fournch guns
h,Ii -
your cight-inch guns when you steamed in?"
"'rhcy were within easy range"
"Wcre they within range OF the four.inch
guns?"
81 should think so yes"
Did the Iowa coal ship while in Cienfucgos,
and. il so, how much did she takc?"
1--WE took about 80 tons of coal on the 23d.
We hogan at Z in the morning and stopped at
in the afternoon. We took coal from collier
alongside. the Merrmac. I think"
Admiral Evans said that he had coalcd the
Iowa from the Merrimac on May 90, while of
Cienfuegos, and that he had no difficulty in doing
so.
Speaking Of the condition of the weather on
May "a and 25. the witness said that OH the even.
ing Of the oath it was squaly: that on the morn
ing Of the 25th the sky was overcast and that the
weather was again squally; in the afternoon it
was worse. there being a good deal of rain with
a long sea.
lie said that after leaving Ccnfuegos the vessel
had steamed to a point about thirty miles south
of Santiago, arriving there on the evening Of
the 26th. and that at that time the squadron
was heading to the east. The weather at that
time, he said, not such as to prevent the
coaling of ships at that date. The Iowa at
that time had about s25 tons OF coal aboard, or
sufficient for steaming 5000 miles.
On blockade the ship used about 80 or 40
tons of coal day.
The Retrograde Movement.
"Whv was the retrograde movement made?'
asked Judge Advocate Lemly
81 do not know was the reply.
The witness said he could have coaled at sea
on the eth, as the sea was smooth.
"Was any efforts made by the flying squadron
on May 2s, 90 or 30 to communicate with the
on shore near Santiago:'
"None to my knowledge"
Testifying that he had first seen the Colon on
May 90. Admiral Evans scaid that vessel was
not inside the harbor at all, but was about
], 800 yards inside the Moro
lie then detailed the particulars Of the bonn
bardment ofte Colon on May 81 saying that on the
forenoon OF that day Commodore Schley had sig |
nailed to transfer the flag to the Massachusetts,;
that he was going in to engage the Colon. De-
scribing the engagement the witness said:
"About five minutes to one I saw the first shot |
from the Massachusetts, fall short long distance.
and, supposing she was firing at 1000 yards,
gave the range to my guns 5000 yards. I caw
these shots fall short and increased the range to
1000 yards. After the Massachusetts, had passed |
the entrance to the harbor she turned with port
Iowa following. On the run back across the lar.
Dor fired again at 10000 yards The shots still |
|ell short and, as the Massachusetts and New Or.
leans slowed down and stopped after they got |
range to II 900 yards and fired two shots from |
he forward twelve.inch turret. The first one was
fred by Lieutenant Vandeuser at 900 yards.
81 saw that it fell short. Lieutenant Hill had |
The other gun i'll that turrct ] gave him the |
range at 500 yards and he fired, and that shot |
struck very near the stern Of the Colon. Both |
welve-inch guns were disabled at the fire from |
that extreme elevation. After that We stood a |
nile and half, possibly two miles to our block. |
ading station again. That was all l saw done to |
njurc the Colon.'
The Blockade at Santiago.
The witness was then asked about the blockade |
,f Santiago under Commodore Schley. lie said |
he squadron stood seven 60 eight miles out dur |
With the Vixen and Marblehead on the inside.
The judge advocate asked the witness concerning |
| statement by lieutenant of the Spanish navy.
printed by the navy department. to the effect |
hat at dark the American ships Withdrew to the
disappearing. The introduction Of this
book was objected to and Admiral Dewey said:
The witness has already told what distance was
maintained by the feet, We don't care for that
lind of information. Admiral Evans was there
md can answer, for himself. We want facts, not
newspaper articles"
Describing the battle of Santiago. Admira!
Evans said: "When Ccrveras fleet came out OF
'antiago harbcr the Iowa was at the center, with
he Brooklyn to the left and the Texas between"
"Did You have an opportunity Of observing the
movements Of the Brooklyn on this occasion?"
"You mean during the battc?"
81 mean the beginning of the battle"
81 saw the Brooklyn when the fight began.
When l reached the bridge of the Iowa the Brook.
nH bn /
ay, northwest. That was Just as the fight be-
'un. saw her again. possibly five minutes after
yard, when she was steaming westward very fast.
lring her port battery headed northwest toward
he head OF the Spanish column. ! did not see
he Brooklyn again until my attention was direct
ID to her by the navigator calling to me-: Look
ridge, where the navigator was standing, and
aid: Where the devil is the Teyas?' The navi.
'ator said Here she is, sir. III the smoke !
aid to myself, Captain, Philip will look after
he navigator called out again: Look out, cap
ain. you will run into the Texas ! walked over
o the port side of the bridge and saw the Brook
yn's smoke stack and military masts She was
wing directly across the bows OF the Texas. The
'eXas was apparently backing and dangerously
lose to the Iowa. The Brooklyn seemed 10 be
eased the helm Of the Iowa a little ported her
elm a little, and lust at that moment the Ore.
on came through my lee and passed between me
nd the Texas and the three boats were bunehed
ogether. At that time the Brooklyn was shut
mt in the smoke and saw no more OF her until
he Colon had passed well to the westward Of
Nc, when some one ON the bridge said: The
'rooklyn Is knocked out I went on the bridge
o see what had happened and she was then about
mile and half forward of the port beam Of
he Iowa. with the Colon seven or eight miles
head and on her starboard bow. From that time
n the firing was light and ! could see the Brook
,n occasionally. The Colon was on her star
oard bow. On the port quarter OF the Colon,
'ell astern Of her was the Oregon and astern OF
nd off IN tba Sntttby In L..
vn, with the Vixen of shore Of the Brooklyn.
he Iowa at the time was directly In the wake Of