Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1901-10-19
COOK ORDERED THE LOOP
FIagship's Commander Says Move
ment Was Successful.
DECLARES SCHLEY WAS BRAVE
Tells Of tie Bale Il Ssni 60 6 md The
Chase Of he Spanish vesse, -The
0regou's Sailing Appesron

the Schley court CT inquiry Judge Ad-
vocate Lemly coach led presentation
Of testimony for the government and
the first Of Admiral Schley's witnesses
was introduced. Captain Francis A.
Cook, who commanded Admiral (then
COMMODORE Schley's flagship. the
Brooklyn, during the Santiago cam.
paign, and who acted, though InofH-
cially, In the capacity of chief OF staff
for the commodore, was on the wit
ness stand the greater part Of the day
He was followed by Lieutenant
Commander William r. Fullam, who
was senior watch officer on the New
Orleans during the Spanish war, and
former Lieutenant Joseph Beale, who
as an officer on the Harvard translated
the cipher dispatches between Com
modore Schley and the navy depart
ment carried by that vessel.
Among these dispatches was that
sent by Commodore Schley, May %,
expressing his regret at not being able
to obtain the orders of the department
and explaining the reason why he
could not do so. There are some YER
bal discrepancies between the original
draft of this dispatch and the official
pront of it, and these Mr.. Beale ex-
plained
Lieutenant Beale was the last of the
government witnesses although Cap
tain Lemly explained that he would
reserve the right to call otners IL oc-
casion should demand that he do so.
He had no sooner retired than the
first witness for Admiral Schley was
called This proved to be the Cuban
pilot, Edwardo Nunez, who told Schley
on May 26, 1898, that he did not be-
lieve the Spanish fleet under Cervera
was in the harbor at Santiago.
Captain Cook On the Stand.
Captain Cooks testimony was a re-
view of the entire campaign after Ger
yeras fleet, beginning with the depart
ure of the Flying Squadron from Key
West on May 10, and concluding with
the battle off Santiago July 3.
He said that at first it had been
believed by both Sampson and Schley
that the Spanish fleet was in the har-
Dor at Cienfuegos and that no notifi-
cation to the contrary had been con-
veyed to Commodore Schley until the
arrival of Captain McCalla on May "a;
that it was Commodore Schley's ex-
pectation to meet the Spaniards in the
open sea and his constant care was to
have coal enough for such emergency.
He said that Schley first intima-
ton that the Spanish feet was not at
Cienfuegos was learned from McCalla
during a consultation. Schley said to
McCalla: 1--WE have seen three pecu-
liar lights, one ahead Of the other,
here, but we cannot make out what
they are. and I believe it is something
in connection with the Spanish fleet"
Captain McCalla gave a start, threw
up his hands and said, That is the
signal from the insurgent camp. They
want to communicate with you," he
added, "Well, l can go there and find
out at once" The commodore told
him to go, to get off as soon as pos
soble.
Oregon's Startling Appearance.
In his story of the battle of July 8,
Captain Cook said that it was he who
gave the order Tor the Brooklyn's loop
at the battle off Santiago, and that
he considered the movement eminently
successful. He said that when the
loop was made the thought of coll
lision with the Texas never entered
his head. The Brooklyn, he said, turn
ed perfectly clear of the Texas.
"Then," he continued. I'VE had the
Viscaya on our starboard bow and
about abeam was the Oquendo and
it was the Teresa, but soon discover
ed this vessel was dropping out and
heading for the beach. That was about
the hottest time of the action. 1t was
critical time, There was not any
time for indecision and / do not think
there was any. have always felt in
my mind, in studying the positions,
that the chances would have been for
a disaster had we shifted helm at such
a time. However we got around and
we had those three vessels.
Schley Brave officer.
81 looked and could see nothing but
smoke astern and vessels seemed en-
veloped in this smoke. l could not I'M
derstand it. l could not understand
exactly how we got there. They were
all three firing on the Brooklyn, when
almost Immediately, faster than l could
tell it, l saw large white bone in the
water, and through the smoke | saw
the bow of a vessel. | exclaimed at
the time, What is that?' The navi-
gator, who was near me, said 1t was
the Massachusetts, or something 10
that effect. l said she was away, and
he then said, That Is the Oregon |
felt perfectly assured from that mo-
ment She came up very rapidly. She
was making more speed than we were
at that time. She had all her boilers
On had qhiffed boilerS that morning