Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1901-10-24
SANTA FE, N M, THURSDAY OCTOBER d. 1901.
THE BATTLE
OFF SANTIAGO
Captain CLARK Of the Oregon Gives Vivid
Description ofSeveral Incidents ofThat
Naval Conflict.
A CONVERSATION IN THE
CABIN OF THE NEW YORK.

| Washington, Oct 24.-Every seat IL
the large room where the Schley cour
of inquiry is sitting was occupied to-
day. The announcement of the ap-
preaching close of the case and the
possibility that Admiral Schley would
take the witness stand had the effect
of increasing public interest
After Rear Admiral Barker and Cap
tain M. c. Borden of the marines, had
testified to incidents in the Cuban
campaign. Captain Chas. F. Clark
whose record on the Oregon is the
boast of every American citizen, was
called as the third witness Of the day,
and the last witness in Schleys be-
half to- be heard before the admiral
himself should come on.
Captain Clark described the chase
after the Spanish ships on July 3, and
said he was afraid at one time that
the Oregon would have to sustain the
concentrated fire of several ships. Just
then the smoke lifted and he discover
ward our port beam.' he said, 'and
broadside to the enemy's fleet. The
two vessels retained their relative po-
sitions approximately to the end of the
battle, the Brooklyn steaming near
straight ahead, I should judge, and
engaging any and all the Spanish
ships, the Oregon endeavoring to come
to close action with the sternmost one
and when she was driven out of ac-
ton we kept on after the next one."
Clark described the conversation that
occurred in the cabin of the New York
after the battle of July 8, between
Sampson, Schley, and himself. A
strange vessel had been sighted, and
believed to be Spanish warship.
Sampson told the witness he would
have to go after her and the witness,
thinking the stranger was Spanish
man of war, suggested that the Brook
lyn accompany the Oregon. Then,
thinking he had been too forward in
making suggestions to the admiral
and commodore, he turned to Schley
and said: ''We knocked out several
vessels this morning and can knock
out another, can't we?"
Certainly we can, come on" said
Schley. Witness said the commodore
was cheerful, and seemed to have ap-
proved his suggestion that the Brook
lyn accompany the Oregon.
Can you tell how many ships the
Brooklyn engaged whenv~th smoke
lifted and you saw her on a westward
course?' Clark was asked.
"She must have been engaged with
all four
lyn?"
mo, sir. never saw the Brooklyn
until I came out Of the smoke"
Captain Clark was excused and Rear
Admiral Schley called at 2:06 p. m. He
was requested by Rayner to relate his
conduct in the campaign in a narrative
form. He began by relating the par
ticulars of his taking command of the
flying squadron at Hampton Roads,
where, he said, "the general plan of
the campaign was thrashed out"
He had, he said, explained to his
COIIlIldHueTS, III ScIleTdl way, IL was
his idea "to attack the head and lead
ing ship of the enemy attacking us
and concentrate our fire upon her"
IT think the plan was vindicated by
the result of the battle some six weeks
or two months later" he said.
He related the details Of the cruise to
Key West and his meeting there with
Admiral Sampson. "The admiral was
very much worried" he said, land
necessarily so, because his responsible
ity had been great"
Schley said in the course Of his tes-
timony:
II think Lieutenant Wood did me
an injustice when he spoke of my
speaking disrespectfully of Admiral
Sampson. used no such terms. There
was no reason why should have done
SO. invariably spoke Of him as Ad-
miral Sampson, and do not recall one
word of conversation which Wood re-
cites, not one word, and I recollect a
good many things very WELL"