Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1902-02-26
The President Says That in His opin,
ion the Battle Of Santiago Was
Captains Fight.
NO INJUSTICE TO THE ApMIRALs
In Statement Regarding SshIey's Ap
peal Roosevelt Says Admiral
Was Given Enough Credit.

Washington. Feb. l9.-The presi
dent today made the following state
ment public:
White House, Feb. is, 1907
have received the appeal OF Admira
Schley and the answer thereto from
the navy department. / have exam
ined both with the utmost care. al
well as the preceding appeal to tn,
secretary of the navy. have reat
through all the testimony taken be
fore the court and the statement o
the counsel for Admirals Sampson an,
Schley, have examined all the officia
reports OF every kind In reference tc
the Santiago naval campaign. copies
o, the log books and signal books and
testimony before the court OF claims
and have also personally had before
me four surviving captains OF the fiv,
ships, aside from those of the two
admirals whic were actively engaged
at Santiago.
1t appears that the court of in.
quiry was unanimous in its findings
o. fact and unanimous in its express
lens OF opinion on most of It's findings
of fact. No appeal is made to me
from the verdict of the court on these
points where 1t was unanimous.
have, however. gone carefully over the
evidence on these points also. I am
satisfied that on the whole the court
did substantial justice. II should
have specifically condemned the fail.
ure to enforce an efficient navy block.
ade at Santiago while Admiral Schley
was in command. On the other hand
| feel that there Is reasonable doubt
wheter he did not move his squadron
with sufficient expedition from port
tc port. The court is a unit in con-
demning Admiral Schley's action on
the point where II seems to me he
most gravely erred. when he aband.
oned the blockade; and his disobed.
fence Of order and misstatement OF
facts in relation thereto.
1T should be remembered, however
that the majority of these actions
which the court censures occurred
five weeks or more before the fight
itself, and 1t certainly seems that !
Admiral Schley's actions were cen
surable he should not have been left
as second In command under Admiral
Sampson. His offenses were in effect
condoned when he was not called tc
account for them. Admiral Sampson
after the fight. in official letters to
the department, alluded to Admiral
Sohleys 'reprehensible conduct six
weeks previously. II Admiral Schley
was guilty OF reprehensible condrct
OF the kind which called for such no
tice from Admiral Sampson, then Ad.
miral Sampson ought not to have left
him as senior officer OF the blockade
and OF the squadron on the third of
July, when he (SampsonJ steamed
away on his proper errand OF com.
nunication with General Shafter. We
can. therefore. for our present pur.
pose, dismiss the consideration of so
much Of the appeal as relates to any.
thing except the battle.
"As regards this. the point raised
in the appeal is between Admiral
Sampson and Admiral Schley as to
which was In command, and as to
which was entitled to credit, II either
OF them was really entitled to any un.
usual and pre-eminent credit by any
special exhibition OF genius, skill and
courage. The court should have con.
sidered both OF these questions, but
az matter OF fact IL unanimously
excluded evidence offered upon them.
and through its president announced
its refusal to hear Admiral Simpsons
side at all. and in view OF such ex.
clusion the majority OF the court act
ed with entire proDriety in not ex-
pressing any opinion on these points.
The matter has. however, been raised
by the president OF the court. More
over. II is the point upon which Ad-
miral Schley in his appeal laid most
stress. and which he especially asks
me to consider. have, therefore
carefully investigated this matter also.
and have informed myself upon It
from the best sources OF information
AT my command.
"The appeal OF Admiral Schley to
me is not as to this. The chief point
he raises is really an appeal from the
decision Of the court OF inquiry. Five.
sixths OF the appeal is devoted to this
question OF command and credit. and
that is a matter which the court OF
IL quiry did not consider. It is in ef.
feet an appeal from the action OF
President Mckinley three years ago,
when he sent in the recommendations
for promotion for the various officers
connected with the Santiago squadron.
basing these recommendation upon