The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-02-26
SUMTER. S. O.. WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY 90. 1902.

sIAdmiral Schley at the outset of
the action hoisted the two signals Of
clear ship and close in which we're
simply carrying out the standing
orders of Admiral Sampson as to what
should be done if the enemy's ships
attempted to break out of the harbor.
Until after the close of the first por
ton of the fight at the mouth of the
harbor and until after he had made
his loop and the Spanish ships were
fleeing to the westward not another
American ship noticed a signal from
him. When the western pursuit had
begun the Oregon and the Oregon only
noticed and repeated one Of his signals
Of command. The captain of the
Oregon then regarded him as in COM
mand but did not in any shape or way
execute any movement or any action
of any kind whatsoever in accordance
with any order from him.
In short the question as to which
of the tive men Admiral Sampson or
Admiral Schley was at the time IN
command is Of merely nominal charac-
ter. Technically Sampson commanded
the feet and Schley as usual the west
ern division. The actual fact, the i'm
portant fact, is that after the battle was
Joined not a helm was shifted not a
gun was fred not pound of steam was
put on in the engine room aboard OF
any ship actively engaged in obedience
to the order of either Sampson or
Schley save ON their own vessels. 1t
was a captains fight.
Therefore the credit to which each
of the two is entitled rests on matters
apart from the claim of nominal COM
mand over the squadron; for so far as
the actual fight was concerned neither
one or the other in fact exercised any
command. Sampson was hardly more
than technically in the fight. His real
claim for credit rests upon his work
as commander-in-chief; upon the ex-
cellence Of the blockade; upon the pre-
paredness of the squadron; upon the
arm of the ships head ON in semi
| circle around the harbor; and the
standing orders in accordance with
which they instantly moved to the at
tack of the Spaniards when the latter
appeared. For all these things the
credit is his.
admiral Schley is rightly entitled
as is Capt. Cook-to the credit Of
what the Brooklyn did in the fight.
On the whole she did well; but I agree
with the unanimous findings OF the
three admirals who composed the court
of inquiry as to the "loop." Itserious-
ly marred the Brooklyn's otherwise
excellent record being in fact the one
grave mistake made By any American
ship that day. Had the Brooklyn
turned to the westward that is in the
same direction that the Spanish ships
were going instead of IN the contrary
direction she would undoubtedly have
been in more dangerous proximity"
to them. But it would have been
more dangerous for them as we'll as
for her! This kind of danger must not
be toe nicely weighed by those whose
trade it is to dare greatly for the
honor of the flag. Morever the dan
ger as certainly not as great as that
which in the selfsame moment menaced
Wainwright's fragile craft as he drove
forward against the foe. It was not in
my judgment as great as the danger
to which the Texas was exposed by
the turn as actually made. It certain
ly caused both the Brooklyn and the
; Texas materially to lose position COM
| pared to the fleeing Spanish vessels
But after the loop had once been taken
Admiral Schley handled the Brooklyn
manfully and well. She and the Ore
gon we're thenceforth the headmost Of
the American vessels-though the
Iowa certainly and seemingly the
Texas also did as much in hammering
| to a, standstill the Viscaya, Oquendo
| and the Teresa; while the Indiana
did all her eastward position and Grip
pied machinery permitted. IL the
chase of the Colon the Brooklyn and
Oregon share the credit between them.
"Under such circumstances it seems
to me that the recommendations of
President Mckinley were eminently
proper and that SO far as Admirals
Sampson and Schley were concerned
it would have been unjust for him to
have made other recommendations.
Personally [ feel that IN view of Capt.
Clark's long voyageein the Oregon and
the condition in which he brought her
to the scene Of service as we'll as the
way in which he actually managed her
before and during the fight it would
have been well to have given him the
same advancement that was given
Wainwright But waving this, it is
evident that Wainwright was entitled
to receive more than any of the other
commanders; and that it was just to
Admiral Sampson that he should re-
ceive greater advance in numbers
than Admiral Schley-there was moth
ing done in the battle that warranted
any unusual reward for either. In
short, as regards Admirals Sampson
and Schley I find that President Nc
Kinley did substantial justice. and
that there would be no warrant for
reversing his action.
Both Admiral Sampson and Admi-
raj Schley are now On the retired list.
In concluding their report the mem
hers of the court of inquiry, Admirals
Dewey, Benham and Ramsay, unite
IN stating that they recommend that
no further action be had in the mat
ter With this recommendation l
most heartily concur. There is no