Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-10-28
from the Brooklyn on the day of the bat

might not see the Brooklyn and might see
us.
"I remember another signal One of my
compartments filled with water recol-
lect 1t because it perplexed me a little. l
was fearful that the Brooklyn might have
to haul out of action and run in shore and
l concluded that 1t was given to me as a
warning n case he did haul out that /
would be prepared to look out for the
chase alone and not pay any attention to
her and that she would look out for her
self
II also remember signal because did
not understand it at first-'The enemy's
ship appears to have been built in Italy
To which 1 told the signal officer to an
swer She will end on the coast of Cuba
Il also remember a signal 'Congratula-
lions over the grand victory and thanks
for your splendid assistance There were
other signals made, but these are the ones
l recollect that made an impression upon
me at the time. OF my own recollection,
1 cannot recall any of the others"
What distance was 1t that you were en-
gagged in the chase of the Colon after the
Viscaya ran ashore? How many miles do
you suppose the Oregon and the Brooklyn
ran in the chase of the Colon before she
surrendered?'
81 presume f1fty-fve miles"
Can you tell me with how many ships
smoke lifted and you saw her on her
westward course?"
She must have been engaged with all
four"
Did you see the turn of the BROOKLYN"
mo, sir, never saw the Brooklyn until
I came out of the smoke"
How did the Brooklyn's fire appear to
you at that timer
81 remember nothing about that. I re-
member seeing her. 1t made a deep i'm
preston upon me to find her there, and
l felt that we should support and sus-
tain each other. 1 felt that battleship
was needed and we were to be there to-
gether"
did you see the commodore on the day
of the battle of July 80"
Eyes, sir"
"Wnl you state where and when you
saw him?"
After the New York came up, after
the surrender of the Colon
WAS any conversation held between
you and the commodore on board the
New York;"
"A Spanish battleship was reported by
Captain Eaton, of the Resolute. She had
arrived off Santiago, and 1 think he said
he had been pursued by her. The admiral
did not seem to be impressed by that. He
seemed incredulOus, but l remarked that
it must be Camara's fleet; that they had
arrived there to form a junction with
Cervera's fleet, but they had arrived too
late. The admiral did not assent. Finally
he said: Well, Clark. You will have to go
after that ship and believing as I did
that there was a real Spanish vessel there
l said: 'Admiral.i in war. we ought to
overpower an enemy If possible. Why
could not the Brooklyn go along?' He
turned and said: Certainly, Schley, you
go also"
ct then felt that 1 had perhaps assumed
too much in speaking to an admiral and
suggesting that a commodore also accom-
pany me. turned to the commodore and
said:
Commodore, we have knocked out sew
eral Vessels this morning. We can knock
out another. cannot We" He said: Ger
tainly we can. Come on He started
over the side and started after him for
my boat on the other side. What i'm
pressed me was his CHEEKY manner of
of my having mentioned his
going and that he had no feeling against
me for having mentioned 1t as a senior,
and was rather approving in his man
ner."
Ibid you," he asked, ''see the Iowa dur
ing the earlier portion of the engage
ment?"
Yes" replied the witness. "I saw the |
Iowa standing in toward the entrance to |
the harbor and her position was httle%I
to westward of the Oregon. At first she |
seemed to be steaming faster than we |
were and 1 thought she was gaining |
ground and would get in ahead of us |
Then the smoke became so dense that l |
lost sight of her, but I could see the |
Spanish ships as they came out. Later ] |
saw her again so near that was fearful |
the two ships would collide. I instantly |
gave the order Hard to starboard,' and |
cleared her. I. never saw the Iowa again |
during the action"
Captain Clark was questioned regarding |
his statement in chief that the Brooklyn |
had at one time during the engagement |
he was engaged with four different yes |
sells, and confirmed his previous testimo-
ny saying that she was alongside all /
four of the enemy's ships. and in response
to a question from Mr.. Hanna as TO
whether there were not other American /
vessels engaged at the same time, ne re-
piled the oregon was firing as 1ast as
she could with her bow guns.
Captain Clark was then excused ana L
Rear Admiral Schley was called to the /
stand at 2:O6 p. m.
There was a fiutter of excitement when
the name of the rear admiral was called.
When he took the stand and after giving
his name and rank he was requested by
Mr. Rayner to relate his conduct OF the
in narrative form.
He began by relating the particulars Of
his taking command of the flying squad
ron at Hampton Roads, where he said
''the general plan Of campaign was
thrashed out" He said that the captains
Of his squadron had diversified views, and
he. resolved to take the helm himself. The
question of torpedOes in the feet was
early discussed, and he decided the man
ner in which they should be cared for.
he said:
ct put the squadron Immediately upon
war footing, established the matter of
oickets and patrols and also the masking
Of lights, which were under inspection
On several occasions to ascertain how eff
rective and complete 1t was.
cat first there was some fault found. |
Later. 1 am glad to say, the masking
was absolutely complete, so that it was
impossible, when the ships were under
vay in the column or line of battle, to
distinguish any one at more than ordi-
nary distance from it
He had, he said, explained it would be
impossible to arrange a general plan of
battle. but he had explained to his COM
nander that in a general way it was his
dea ''to attack the head and leading ship
IF the enemy attacking us and cOncen-
rate the fire upon her"
my reason for this" he continued,
was two-fold; the first being the moral
effect upon the enemy, and the second the
confusion il would create. The older
m /