The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-10-04
Lieut.. Doyle Had Opportunity to
Observe SchIey's Conduct Inn
mediateIy Before and After the
Engagement
THOUGHT NO ONE COULD
SHOW MORE GOODNESS
Capt. Dawson Was Much Sur
prised When He Saw the
Brooklyn Change Her Course
and Supposed That the Ship
Must Have Become Disabled

| Doyle. formerly of Commodore SchleyS
| flagship, the Brooklyn, had completed
his testimony before the Schley court
of inquiry today, Capt. William C.
Dawson of the marine corps was called
and was followed by Lieut.. Charles w.
Dyson of the bureau of steam engi-
neering of the navy department.
! Capt. Dawson was signal officer on
board the battleship Indiana during
| the naval engagement off Santiago,
! and he gave an account from reeollec-
| ton of the behavior of the 70 ious
ships eof the American fleet curing
| that battle. He said the Brooklyn had
| gone about 1900 yards to the south
ward before joining in the pursuit OF
| Cervera's ships.
| Lieut.. Dyson was introduced to tes-
| tify concerning the coal supply of the
| flying squadron, but the court adj
| journed for the day before he could be
| heard to any extent.
| Capt Sigsbee was the first of yes
terday's witnesses to appea rfor the
purpose>of correcting his testimony.
I Capt. Sigsbee stated that he had
made another search last night, for
the dispatch from the navy depart
ment under the terms of which he
sought to connect with the flying
squadron off Santiago, and that he had
written at the time in which he had
said: Until we sighted the vessels on
the 29th, we knew nothing positive as
to their whereabouts"
Lieut.. Doyle then resumed his testi-
mony, begun yesterday. He was ex-
amined by Mr.. Raynor. He continued
In reply to questions to give narra-
| tive of the campaign. Mr.. Raynor
asked Lieut. Doyle how often he had
seen Commodore Schley under fire dur
ing the Santiago campaign.
Every time we were under fire"
he replied, during those lombard
ments and in the battle of July g."
what was his conduct? l refer you
to the first specification of the precept.
His conduct in connection with the
events of the Santiago campaign, and
what was his conduct and bearing at
any time during the bombardments or
during the battle of July when his
shin was under fireH
81 did not have an opportunity, as
| the commodore was always near about
| the coming tower, to observe his con-
duct during the battle; but immedi-
| ately previous and after I did have
an opportunity to do so. He always
struck me as being just about as well
possessed as it was possible for any
| body to be under the circumstances. :"
Capt. William c.. Dawson of the
United States Marine Corps was the
next witness. He said he noticed the
Brooklyn when she turned to the
southwark. He had supposed the ship
was injured and had gone out of ac-
ton. He thought she went 1000 yards
| or more to the south
Capt. Dawson said that during the
battle he had had a place on the flying
| bridge, beside Capt. Taylor.
Continuing his narrative, he said:
AT the beginning all the ships turned
in toward the Spanish fleet which was
| emerging from the harbor. The Span
| ish vessels came out in a southwesterly
| direction and ported helm, continuing
| to the westward practically parallel to
| the coastline. Our ships then not hav-
| ing as great speed as the enemys, be-
gan to fall behind, so that Indiana.
Oregon, Iowa and Texas starboarded
helm and made all the speed they
could in a parallel course with the
Spanish.
IT did not see the exact movement of
the Brooklyn. The first / noticed her
was 20 or 25 minutes after the action
began, when / turned my eyes to the
westward and saw the Brooklyn stand
ing apparently due southwark directly
at right angles to the course we and
the other American ships were steer
ing. This struck me so forcibly be-
cause the Otnef SnlpS were IN the col
umn and steaming westward The
Brooklyn was in close proximity to
several Oh ers of our ships. They APP
peared to be punched, but the Brook
lyn was steaming southwark and firing
with her stern guns, while some of the
others, 1 could not distinguish which,
were close to her, The spectacle was
so remarkable that / reported the fact
to the commanding officer Of our SHIP.
saying that / feared the Brooklyn was
injured and was going out
She. however, changed her course and
went west on a line well outside that Of
the other ships. / think the Oregon was
then i'm the lead, either the Oregon or the
Texas. with the Iowa next and the In
diana in the rear.
The Brooklyn steered a course parallel
about a mile and a half to the south
ward. skirting along the column formed
by the fleet.
BY that time the chase was well under
way and the relative positions Of the yes
sells were not changed
When Capt Dawson was excused Lieut.
c. w. Dyson Of the bureau Of steam en-
cheering, navy department. was intro
duced to present a tabulated statement
showing the amount Of coal on board the
vessels Of the flying squadron from May
IL TO June l. 1885 as compiled from the
| a.ff 1, ,-s..4