The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-03-06

L quote extracts from his magaZln'
article on the fight, written i'm med jate
ly after it occurred; closing with al
extract from his letter to the Secre
tary of the Navy February q, 1899:
PHILIPS VIEW OF THE BATTLE.
1T was the blockading squadron
that made the battle possible. The
battle was a direct consequence O
the blockade, aud upon the method
and effectiveness of the blockade wa,
very largely dependent the issue O.
the battle Under the order.
Of Admiral Sampson the blockade
was conducted witk.n, cuccess exem'
pliiied by the result"r When
the Spanish admiral at last made his
daah to escape we were ready-ready y
with our men. with our guns and
with our engines. 1t was
only few minutes after we had seen
the leader OF the advancing squadron
that it became apparent that Cervera's
plan was to run his ships in column
Westward in an effort to escape.
= Before he had fairly found him
self outside the MORO the entire
blockading squadron-Indiana, Ore
gon, Iowa, Brooklyn and Texas-was
pumping she'll into him at such a
rate as virtually to decide the issue
OF the battle in the first few moments
"All our ships had closed in
simultaneously. Then oc-
CURED the incident which caused
me for moment more alarm than
anything Cervera did that day
= Suddenly a Whit of breeze aud a
lull in the firing lifted the pail, and
there. bearing toward us and acros.
our bows, turning on her port helm,
with big waves curling over her bows
and great clouds OF black smoke pour
ing from her tunnels, was the Brook
ivn. She looked as big as half q
dozen Great Easterns. and seemed Sc
near that it took our breath away.
Back engines hard" went down the
tube to the astonished engineers, and
in twinkling the old ship was rae
ing against herself.
COLLISION WAS AvERTED.
The collision. which seemed i'm
minent, even if it was not. was avert
ed, and as the big cruiser glided past
all Of us on the bridge gave a sigh OF
relief. Had the Brooklyn struck II.
then it would probably have been the
end of the Texas and her half thous-
and men. At 10 minutes to
10 Uhe Spanish ships had appeared at
about 9:3O) the Iowa. Ore.
gon and Texas were pretty well
punched, holding a parallel course
Westward with the Spaniards. The
Indiana was also coming up, well in
side of all the others Of our squadron.
but little in the rear, owing to her
far Eastward position at starting.
About quarter past 10 the
Teresa, which had been in difficulties
from the moment she left the shelter
of the MORO, turned to seek a beach.
ing place. She was on fire and we
knew she was no longer power TO be
reckoned with. Five minutes later
our special enemy, the Oqucndo, also
turned in shore. The Wis
caya kept blazing away viciously
i but the pounding she got from oul
four ships, more particularly the Ore
gon. was too much for her. and ir
half an hour she too healed for th.
! beach. determined tt
push on with the Texas. I
gives me pleasure to write that, ole
ship that she is and not built To-
speed, the Texas held her own ant
even gained on the Colon in tha
chase. Admiral Sampso,
was commandcr-in-chie before, dur
ing, and after the action"
CAPTAIN CLARK'S STATEMENT.
Captain Clark's statement is as fol
lows:
The credit Cor the blockade whic
led up to the fight is, Of course. Ad
miral SIMPSONS. The position of th
ships on the morning OF the fight in
semi-circle head on the harbor, il
consequence of which we were able t
close in at once, was his. In closin
iu, that is, in making the first move
ments, we were obeying his instruc
tions; though, as matter of fact, W
would have closed in anyway. in
structions or no instructions. Whe
the Spanish ships came out of th
harbor the navigator Of my ship sa'
the New York to the Eastward, but
saw no signal of any kind from tn
New York during the action. nor wa
she near enough to signal directly t
me until after the Colon had surrer
dered.
The engagement may be said
: have been divided into three part.
: First, the fight proper, while tn
Spanish squadron was coming out {
J the harbor and until it was clear
the Diamond Shoals and definitel
+ headed Westward; second. the rur
! ming fight with the already damage
: vessels as they fed Westward, unit
the Teresa, Oquendo and Vizcays ra
ashore; and, third, the chase OF tt
Colon, during which there was pract
:, cally no fighting During the fir
stage did not see the Brooklyn or r,
ceive any signals from her. At tt
close of this stage the Oregon hs
passeded. the Iowa and Texas, an
q, when we burst out of the smoke
saw the four Spanish ships goir
9 West apparently uninjured. and fo
= lowed hard after. at the same tin
= observing the Brooklyn little ahes
. and offshore.
RECEIVED WEIGHT OF SPANISH FIR
> She was broadsids to the Spani.
o vessels and receiving the weight
Y their fire, and was returning it. II
}. Brooklyn aud the Oregon thereait
i occupied substantially these positio
e as regards each other, being abo
equidis,ant from the Spanish ships
J. was successiveiy ovsrtaken, exec
It when the Oregon attempted to clio
y with the Oquendo. The heavie
n fighting was at the harbor mouth al
,: while the enemy was breakil
J. through or passing our line. n
# long after the running fight began t
n Teresa and then the Oquendo turn
d and went ashore. the Vizcava CO