Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-10-04
LIEUT.. JAMES ]. DOYLE
DESCRIBES SANTIAGO
BATTLE As He SAW II.
HE WAS An OFFICER on HOARD
THE BROOKLYN AND NEAR
SCHLEY.
THE REASON FOR THE LOOP.
INDICATIONS WE'RE FOR A GEN.
HRAL MiN-UP OF SHIPS
At FIRST.


the usual preliminary proceedings in
the Schley court of inquiry to-day
Lieut.. James j. Doyle, formely of the
flagship Brooklyn was recalled for the
purpose OF continuing his testimony.
Mr.. Rayner asked whether the
Brooklyn had engaged in any bonn
bardments during the month of June,
1898.
Replying Lieut.. Doyle said that at
the bombardment which had taken
place June 9th the zocopa battery had
replied at first very spritedly, but that
it soon Went out of business
Mr.. Rayner then asked Lieut.. Doyle
how often he had seen Commodore
Schley under fire during the Santiago
campaign. ~
Every time we were under fire." he
replied, during those commandments
and in the battle of July 3rd."
What was his conduct? refer you
to the first specification of the precept.
events of the Santiago campaign and
what was his conduct and bearing at
any time either during the lombard
ments or during the battle of July 3rd
when
His Ship Was Under Fret"
! 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 immediate
ly previous and after | did have an OPP
! portunity to do So He always struck
me as being just about as we'll possess
ed as 1t was possible for anybody to be
under those circumstances"
/ Mr.. Rayner then asked the witness
whether on July End, 1893, he had OBJ
served smoke coming from Santiago
harbor over Zocopa hill. His purpose
was to prove that 1t was believed at
that time that the Spaniards were pre-
! pairing to withdraw from the harbor
and that Commodore Schley had com
municated the facts to the squadron.
fhe reply was. Smoke was observ-
ed rising in the harbor on July 2nd
and my impression now is and always
has been since that night that that in
formation was conveyed to the COM
mander- in-chief"
The witness was then requested to
give brief account OF the part taken
by the Brooklyn In the battle OF July
3, which he did.
After stating the prelminaries Lieut..
Doyle related his observations Of the
battle In the following language:
Il fired the left gun first, and HallI-
gan shortly afterward fired the right
one Then we began to load the guns
again. It was necessary then after
loading the guns a second time
To Turn the Turret
directly ahead az our ship was appar-
emily shutting the enemy out by turn
ing with a starboard holm. Immedi-
atesg after firing that left gun the sec
ond time, the order was to man the
starboard battery. l got out OF the
turret through the roof, that being the
most convenient way Of getting out and
crossed over to the stsrboard turrst.
As was going in to the starboard tur-
ret 1 had an opportunity to see the
spanish ships They were then a lit
tie on our starboard bow. As soon as
| had charge of the controller, which
up to this time had been In charge Of
Mr.. Woodward, ! swung the tuIreI
around on to the starboard bow. In
the meaitime some of our forward guns
had fired. The volume OF smoke was
so great that it must have come from
one of the 8-inch guns of the forward
turret, so ], was entirely shut out from
seeing the enemy. While the guns
were in this position, Mr.. Mason, our
executive officer, passed down the star
board gangway, calling: Sharp on the
starboard quarter The interval Of
time from the time the guns were on
the starboard bow or starboard quarter,
| think must have been two minutes.
! swung the guns around to the star
board quarter and then
We Picked Up the Enemy.
The range at which fired, to the best
of my memory, was about 1000 yards,
and from then on it was a constant
fire, training the guns until we finally
got them on the starboard beam. The
range increased up to 1000 yards, ana
during the run after being parallel
with the Spanish ships the range
varied from about 1900 to 1900. I
think when the Viscaya went in shore
the range was then about 1900 yards.
Just Immediately before she turned in
she made sheer with her starboard
helm. apparently coming toward US,
and then Immediately put helm around
the other way and went in shore. From
then on It was chase after the Colon