Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-02-20
CAPTAINS WON.
Continued from page ~

of these questions. but as a matter of
fact it unanimously excluded evidence
offered upon them. The matter has
however, been raised by the president
of the court. Moreover il is the noint
upon which Admiral Schley in his an
peal lays most stress, and which he
especially asks me TO consider. / have
therefore carefully investigated this
matter also, and have informed my
self upon IL from the best sources of
information at my command.
The appeal of Admiral Schley to me
is in effect 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 the recommendations upon his
estimate Of the credit to which the of
ficers We're respectively entitled.a-
From the statements of the captains
engaged, from the official reports, and
from the testimony before the court of
inquiry. the fight can be plotted with
absolute certainty in its important out
lines, though there is conflict as to
minor points. When the four Spanish
cruisers came out of the harbor, the
New York had left her position in the
lblockading line As minutes before. She
had hoisted the signal Disregard the
movements of the commander-in-
chief" but had not hoisted the signal
to the second in command to take
charge. AS soon as the engagement
began, the New York turned and
steamed back. hosting a signal to close
lob, I,nv 81. n
ron saw. She was in plain sight and
not very much farther from the east
ernmost blockading ships than the lat
ter were from the Brooklyn, which was
the westernmost of the line. AS soon
as the Spanish ships appeared the five
| big American blockaders started to-
ward them in accordance with the
standing orders of Admiral Sampson.
After this first move each acted purely
on his own initiative.
Admiral SIMPSONS ship. the New
York. was seer at the outset of the
fight from all the other ships except the
Brooklyn. Four Of these five ships cap
tains have testified that they regarded
| him as present and in command. He
signaled "CloSe in" as soon as the first
Spanish ship appeared, but his signal
was not seen by any American vessel
He was actually under fire from the
forts. and himself fired a couple OF
shots. at the close of the action with the
torpedo boats, in addition to signaling
the Indiana just at the close of the ac-
ton. But during the action not single
order from him was received by any OF
| the ships that We're, actively engaged.
Admiral Schley at the outset of the
action hoisted the two signals of Clear
ship" and "Close in" which was simply
carrying out the standing orders of Ad-
miral Sampson. Until after the close
of the first portion 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 sig
nal from him. When the western pur-
suit had begun the Oregon and the Ore
gon only, noticed and repeated one of
his signals of command. The captain
of the Oregon then regarded him as In
command but did not execute any
movement or any action whatsoever. in
accordance with any order from him.
In short the question as to which of
the two men, Admiral Sampson or Admit
raj Schley, was in command, is of merely
nominal character. Technically, Sampson