The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-01-14
TRUE STORY OF THE FAMOUS
ENGAGEMENT.
BY HISTORIAN GRAHAM
Incidents Heretofore Unpublished
Admiral SchIey Given Full
Credit.

Chicago, Jan. ia book entitled
ttSchley and Santiago is on the press
in this city. 1t will be bound within
10 days. The author is George E.
Graham, a war correspondent, who
was on the Brooklyn during the fight
with the Spanish fleet, and thus is
in a position to tell the story of San
tiago without fear or favor" The
book is said to have the unqualified
Endorsement of Rear Admiral Schely,
who read and corrected the proof
sheets. When President Roosevelt
was governor of New York he was
present when Mr.. Graham gave an
account of the battle to state officials
and members of the legislature and
said: 81 am sure you feel as pleased
at having listened to Mr.. Graham as
I do, for I have listened to the best
account l have ever heard or read of
the naval fighting during this war"
This book is the first and only COM
plete story of the WORK OF the flying
squadron, commanded by Schley. Mr..
Graham was assisted by his camera
which enabled him to add many in.
teresting situations, and the descrip-
ton he gives Of the movements of the
fleet and the battle is evidently sin
cere. It is free of virulent and per-
sonal attacks; the aim is to give a
truthful statement of every occur
renee. In connection with the arrival
of the New York Mr.. Graham says:
'tThe commodore reached over to
me, took my glasses and looked
searchingly to the east, saying slowly
as he did so: There is the Texas.
but don't see the New York And
then, as he kept the glasses up, in an
instant he had evidently found her,
for he remarked: Yes, there she is.
I can tell her by the smoke This
was at LAS O'Clock and the Colon had
gone ashore at 1:15, while Captain
Cook had received the surrender at
1:43. At. 2 o'clock, just as the New
York got where we considered her
within signal distance, Commodore
Schley ordered the signal raised: "A
glorious victory has been achieved.
Details later This signal replaced
the one which we had been flying for
nearly three-quarters of an hour, The
enemy has surrendered and which
the New York had not answered.
'svainly the signal officers on the
bridge watched the New York for
even the courtesy of an answering
pennant, showing that he understood
our signal. None was displayed and
then it apparently dawned upon Com
modore Schley's mind that SIMPSONS
flag captain on the New York was
probably intent upon ignoring him.
Picking up the megaphone, Commo-
dore Schley did the n thing that
day for which l have always criticised
him; lowering his dignity sufficiently
to plead with the commander of the
fleet that he might have the surrender
of the ship whose escape had been
frustrated by the Brooklyn and the
Oregon, thus making complete the
days victory.
8" I request the honor of the u
render of the Cristobal Colon he
said, in a clear, distinct voice; and
from the commander-in-chief's flag
ship came waited back the insolen1
answer from a cadet, WHAT I re
quest the honor of the surrender of
the Colon again called the commo
dore, and this time his voice trembled
slightly. We watched the bridge Of
the New York closely, waited ~intently
for an answer, but none came. And
that message, as had all the others
preceding it since the destruction OF
the Spanish fleet, which had been ad
dressed by Schley to the New York
remained unanswered.
Somebody raised a broom at oul
masthead on n of the pennant hal
yards. The crew of the Oregon fol
lowed suit and then gave three cheers
for Commodore Schley. On the Texas
the men all lined up on the forward
deck and at the request of somebody
aboard presume, of Philip himself
gave three cheers for Commodore
Schley. The little Vixen circled
around three or four times, the men
of her crew yelling themselves hoarse
for-the Brooklyn, for Schley and for
the victory. But from the New York
came never a sound of joy1ulness and
neve a cheer"