Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-10-26
OREGON OFFICERS STORY
Navigator Nicholson Tells Of Battle
of Santiago as He Saw It.
Other Testimony,

Washington, Oct. 21.-While Ensign
Schley court Of inquiry, for the purpose
of correcting his former testimony, he
was Intercepted by Lemly concerning
a conversation between Sigsbee and
schley, overheard by witness. when
6igsbee came aboard the Brooklyn off
Santiago May rs.
Lemly asked: MAY not Sigsbee have
said, / have been here about a week
and have not seen anything of them
or words to that effect, meaning the
Spanish feet?"
mo, sir. AS / remember 1t, he said:
They could not be here unless l knew
It,"
Lieutenant Commander Nicholson,
navigator OF the Oregon, was then
called and recited the story of the bat
tie Of July 3, which he had observed
from the deck of the Oregon. He said
there was no question that the Wis.,
caya, during the fight, pulled out OF the
general Spanish line to the southwark,
headed towards the Brooklyn FOR some
time, and then Strengthened out and
ran ashore. He recalled some signals
from the Brooklyn on the day OF the
battle, among others one at the begin
ming Of the battle, to close up; another
at the close of the engagement, saying,
We'll done, Oregon"
"As for the first signal he said, I'VE
were already closing In, and 1t did not
influence US"
Witness could not say positively he
had seen the Brooklyn make the turn,
but had seen her change position. He
had never seen the Brooklyn and Texas
when they were closer together than a
mile or a mile and a half. He did not
remember any signal from the Brook
Ign to the Oregon TO use her 13-inch
guns on the Colon.
The court asked questions of Nichol-
son, as follows:
WAS the Oregon In her proper
blockading position when the Spanish
ships started out? ?"
practically, yes"
What was her course with reference
to Morro?"
About four miles distant, a little
eastward to south of It."
What was the distance between the
hlockading positions OF the Oregon and
Brooklyn"
From three to four miles in. the day
time. They were carer together at
night"
What was the relative position Of
the American ships when the Spanish
vessels came out?"
The lowe vas due south of the
Texas on her port and the Brooklyn
farther off to the westward; the Ore
con to the right, the Iowa and Indiana
IN shore to the eastward, with the New
York in the distance. i remember i'm
mediately looking for the flagship and
saw her off seven or eight miles toward
Sibony."
did the Oregon at any time pass
between the Brooklyn and the Spanish
5hips?"
,Nra 49, 90. oeeo.;-
tive resistance. She did as the Span
1sh velles turned to go ashore"
when the Oregon changed her dircc-
ton toward the Brooklyn had the
Brooklyn completed her turn?"
II am under the impression that sine
Fad; she must have one So"
What was the position of the Ore
lon when she turned with the std,-
board helm during the BATTLE Of San
tiago?"
She was lying still in the water; we
turned to hold off the Spanish fleet.
We overlook all but the Color very
quickly. The Oregon a used her b.
inch guns early In the action, bur
stopped during the chase of the Coon.
As tina vessel vas too far away to use
them and 1t would have been a waste
Of ammunition
He thought the Oregon nearer the
enemy during the chase han the
Brooklyn, but the distances varied
somewhat. At one time the Brook ~:
bad apparently turned to head off tire
turn of the Colon towards Cape Cruz.
During the early part of the engage
ment he had seen none of the Span sh
vessels turning a any of lie
American ships and =
no we'll developed movement in hat d.
r~ection, yet the smoke was dense and
he could not be certain Of all the d.
tails.