The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1901-10-31
BATTLE DESCRIBED.
Admiral Schley Tells of the Fa
nous Naval Engagement.

court of inquiry Friday Admiral Schley
continued the recital of his nara tive
regarding his conduct in the Spanish
war, which he had begun Thursday.
The courtroom was more crowded
than ever, many being turned away
unable to find even standing room.
As was the case on Thursday Admiral
Schley was thoroughly self-possessed,
and he again spoke clearly and dis
tinctly, so that his words were heard
throughout the hall.
objects to SchIey's Testimony.
Admiral Schley was proceeding to say
that a dispatch, Number 10, concerning
which Lieut.. Marsh had testified (the dis
patch containing positive information that
the Spanish fleet was in Santiago was not
received by him until June 10, when Judge
Advocate Lemy objected. After some
sparring the members of the court held
brief consultation without leaving the
court room, and Admiral Dewey announced
its decision as follows:
"The court is of the opinion that It is
eminently proper for the witness to make
the statement that the dispatch was dated
May q and not received until June 10, then
drop It, Just give the facts"
To this Admiral Schley responded that
this was all that he had intended to do,
Thirteen days had elapsed before he re-
ceived the dispatch.
Capt. COttOn's Statement Faulty.
Proceeding, Admiral Schley testified that
he believed Capt Cotton's statement re-
garding the offer of Lieut. Field TO go
ashore at Santiago to learn positively
whether the Spanish fleet was in Santiago
was somewhat faulty, and he detailed some
facts relating to Fields offer which fixed
his own impression of it in his mind. On
May 81, after the bombardment Of the
FN-fa "a L,
Mole st. Nicholas with a report to the de-
partment upon that subject
The Santiago Blockade.
Admiral Schley said that after locating
the feet in Santiago he formed the block
ede in the only way he believed such
small squadron could be utilized for such
duty. The ships were in column broaGside
on to the entrance of the harbOr, SO that
a simple turn of the wheel would bring
them in line if the enemy appeared. He
called the captains of the ships aboard and
explained his idea of the blockade to them
and also his general plan of attack. His
plan was to attack the head OF the column
first and confuse and cripple each in turn.
The picket boats were to be used as
torpedo boat destroyers. The ships were
TO maintain steam so as to be capable
of u knots. The fleet steamed back and
forth before the entrance OF the harbor.
Moro castle, he thought, was at no time
more than five miles away He judged
this by the distinctness with which he
could see the surf. In concluding his de
scription of the blockade that had been
maintained, the admiral said:
THAT it was sufficient is shown by the
fact that during its existence no vessel
entered or escaped from the harbor."
Reconnaissance of May 81.
Coming TO the reconnaissance of May 81,
Admiral Schley said:
ION the 3lst, while the Brooklyn and the
Marblehead and the Texas were coaling, l
transferred my flag to the Massachusetts
and determined that l would develop the
Notifications because of Information which
we had on board from the photographic
office-my impression now is 1t was rather
undetermined. think one stated that the
batteries were old and another stated that
Krupps were mounted The general be-
lief however, was that all of the southern
places were very heavily fortified. In
fact, we knew very little about the effect
OF higher powered artillery either on shore
or aboard ship, and feeling that 1 ought
TO know something about the Notifications
which defended that place, l determined
TO go in and take advantage OF what be-
Neved to be the longer range of our guns
and develop fully what these de lenses were
and incidentally, if we could get a shot into
the Colon, that was lying exposed some
what, to do It.
HiggInsOn Suggested Delay.
"When l boarded her it was near the din
ner hour and Capt. Higginson suggested
that we postpone until one o'clock the 60
ing in to develop these batteries. I as
scented to that. After the meal we went to
quarters and steamed in pretty nearly
head-on. There was not much opportunity
for anybody TO seek cover behind turret
unless he got behind the protecting plate
which was a guard to the entrance to the
rear. Some weight has been laid upon
the fact that we were in white clothes. l
would like to invite attention to the fact
that that was a matter which l controlled
entirely for my squadron, and it was about
the only suitable dress for that region"
Giving the names OF the persons who ac-
companied him when he went on board the
Massachusetts, the admiral said they were
Lieuts. Sears and Wells and Mr. George E.
Graham, the Associated Press correspond
ent, who, he said, had insisted upon accom-
panying him. Notwithstanding his pro-
tests.
Was Not Excited or Nervous.
Once on board he had, he said, engaged
in a conversation with Capt. (now ad-
miraO HiggiEson. Il was not excited"
he went on, nor nervous, for l need not
have undertaken the reconnaissance II l
had not desired to DO So ! had some re-
gard for those standing on the turrets,
thinking they were exposing themselves to
danger from shock which Was unnecessary
to them, though | was differently circum-
stanced, and l so expressed myself. Com
mander Potts Is entirely in error in saying
did not do, for l was not concerned about
myself"
Fire from Shore Batteries.
- Speaking Of the range Of 1900 yards, the
admiral said that Commander Potts had
himself reported on that range and that
he admiral Schley) had not known for
several days that the range had been
altered. The moment we began firing"
he went on, the shore batteries spond-
ed, some of them using smokeless powder.
There was quite a stream of projectiles,
and / was impressed with the idea that
they must be from. guns of six or eight-inch
Caliber. The shot from the SoCapa battery
evidently reached the fleet Some went
over our ships and one went beyond and
over the Vixen, which was half mile dis
tant.
1.-The strength Of the batteries being es-
tabllshed, it would have been military
folly to have risked the battleships further
to fire from these shore batteries under
my instructions. If we had lost one or two
Of our six or seven vessels the loss would
have been a very great disadvantage, and
= 1t might have invited attack with disas-
trous results. l thought It better policy
TO save the ships for wider and better use,
and subsequent events justified the dec-
Sion"
Younger Officers Mistaken.
After brief DEPRESSION the admiral re-
turned to the reconnaissance Of May 81.
That some Of the younger officers who tes-
titled regarding that occurrence were mis-
taken, he said, was proven by the fact
that there was to-day on the deck OF the
indiana a plate showing where an eight
inch shell from the land fortifications en-
tered July and wrecked her ward room.
aFau. - a. - NrF A~I NkaN