Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1901-10-05
Fighting Bob Also Neglected to
Tell Schley Secret Signal.
HIS STORY OF The BATTLE
la. he Organ, Texss, Iowa and
Br ky We're Bunshed log"ther-A
c..s Of "!.cok-ou." All Around,
Evans Saws.

battleship Iowa during the Santiago
campaign, was a witness before the
Schley naval court of inquiry yester-
day. His testimony covered the entire
period from the time the Iowa left the
port of Key West on the goth of May,
1898, until the 9Th of July, when Adj
miral Evans testified he had a CONVEX
sation with Admiral Schley concerning
the battle of the Sd. He described In
detail the principal battle off Santiago,
and also gave particulars concerning
the bombardment of the Colon on the
31st of May.
Other witnesses of the day were Cap
tain Theodore F. Jewell, who was COM
mander of the cruiser Minneapolis dur
ing the Spanish war, and Commander
James M. Miller, who was in command
of the collier Merrimac until that yes
sci was turned over to Lieutenant Hob
son to be sunk in the mouth of the
harbor at Santiago. Admiral Evans
had not concluded his testimony when
the court adjourned for the day.
Admiral Evans said that before leav-
ing Key West on May 20 to join the
flying squadron at Cienfuegos Captain
Chadwick had communicated to him
the secret code arranged by Captain
McCalla He had not, however, re-
ported this code to Admiral Schley
upon his arrival, supposing that the
admiral knew about the code.
The judge advocate asked the wit
ness concerning statement by lieu
tenant of the Spanish navy printed by
the navy department to the effect that
at dark the American ships withdrew
to the southwark, disappearing. The
introduction of this book was objected
to, and Admiral Dewey said: THE
witness has already told what distance
was maintained by the fleet. We don't
care for that KIND of information. Adj
miral Evans was there and can answer
for himself We want facts; not news
paper articles"
Admiral Evans said he had not gone
in nearer to the Colon on the occasion
of the bombardment of that vessel be-
cause he was Gin formation following
flagship"
Describing the battle of Santiago,
Admiral Evans said: when Cervera's
fleet came out of Santiago harbor the
Iowa was at the center, with the Brook
Ign to the left and the Texas between"
1.-THE only vessel between the Iowa
and the Brooklyn was the Texas. l saw
the Brooklyn when the fight began.
When | reached the bridge of the Iowa
the Brooklyn was still off to the west
That was just as the fight began. /
saw her again possibly five minutes af-
forwards, when she was steaming west
ward very fast, firing her port battery,
headed northwest towards the head of
the Spanish column. / did not see the
Brooklyn again until my attention was
directed to her by the navigator call
ing to me-. Look out, captain, for the
Texas | went on the port bridge,
where the navigator was standing, and
/ said, Where the devil is the Texas?'
The navigator said, Here she is, sir, in
the smoke | said to myself, Captain
Philip will look after the Texas
walked over to the port side of sthe
bridge and saw the Brooklyn's smoke
stack and military masts She was ly-
ing directly across the bows of the
Texas. The Texas was apparently
backing and dangerously close to the
Iowa. The Brooklyn seemed to be 100
yards directly in front OF the Texas. |
eased the helm of the Iowa a little.
ported her helm little, and just at
that moment the Oregon came through
my lee and passed between me and the
Texas, and the three boats were
punched together.
"At that time the Brooklyn was
shut out in the smoke, and | saw no
more of her until the Colon has passed
well to the westward of me, when some
one ON the bridge said: The Brooklyn
is knocked out | went ON the bridge
to see what had happened, and she was
then about a mile and half forward
of the port beam of the Iowa with the
Colon seven or eight miles ahead and
on nef sldrDOaru DOW. from Indt tlile
on the firing was light, and | could see
the Brooklyn occasionally The Brook
Ign was on her starboard bow on the
port quarter of the Colon. Well astern
of her was the Oregon, with the Vixen
off shore of the Brooklyn. The Iowa at
the time was directly in the wake OF
the Colon with the Vixen a little on
her starboard bow"
AT the morning session Captain
Theodore F. Jewell, who commanded
the cruiser Minneapolis in the West
Indian campaign, and Commander
James M. Miller, who was in commend
of the collier Merrimack, which sub
sequently was sunk by Hobson TO block
the entrance to Santiago harbor, gave