Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-02-20

commanded the fleet. and Schley. as usu-
al, the western division. The impor. ant
fact is that after the battle was Joined
not a helm was shifted, not gun was
fired, not a pound of steam was put or
in the engine room aboard any ship en-
gagged, in obedience to the order of either
two vessels.
SO far as the actual fight was concerned
neither one or the other i'm fact exerc sed
any command. Sampson was hardly
more than technically in the fight His
real claim for credit rests upon his WORK
as commander-in-ch chief; upon the excel
Ience of the blockade; upon the prepa ed
ness of the squadron; upon the ARA nee-
ment Of the ships; and the standing or.
ders in accordance with which they in
stantly moved to the a.l..N Of thI
Spaniards when the latter appeared. Fox
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 W io:a
she did well; bat | agree with the uI..ni-
nous finding or the court of inqu-rs a
to the loop. 1t seriously marred the
Brooklyn's otherwise excellent Zee ri.
being in fact the one grave mistake l. ade
by any American ship that day. Had
the Brooklyn turned in the same rec
ton that the Spanish ships were 60 ns.
instead of in the contrary direction, she
would undoubtedly have been in more
dangerous proximity" to them.
But it would have been more dan rer-
Gus for them as well as for her. This
kind of danger must not be too eafIly
weighed by those whose trade it is 10
dare greatly for the honor of the flag.
Moreover, the danger was certainly not
as great as that which. in the self-sims
moment. menaced Wainwright's fra ,ile
craft as he drove forward against the
foe. 1t was not in my judgment as grea,
as the danger to which the Texas was
exposed by the turn as actually m. dc.
1t certainly caused both the Brooklyn and
the Texas materially to lose position nj
pared to the fleeing Spanish vessels.
Admiral Schley handled the Brook vi
manfully and well She and the Or. gon
were thenceforth the headmost of the
American vessels-though the Iowa GER
tainly, and seemingly the Texas also. did
as much i'll hammering to a Standstill
the ViScaya. Oquendo and Teresa; while
the Indiana did all her eastward position
and crippled machinery permitted. In
the chase of the Colon the Brooklyn AMI
Oregon share the credit between them.
Under such circumstances it seems 10
me that the recommendations of Pres
dent Mckinley were emnently proper,
and that so far as Admirals Sampson AMI
Schley were concerned II would have been
unjust for him to have made other rec
concentrations. Personally. l feel that In
view of Captain Ciark's long voyage N
the Oregon and the condition In which
he brought her to the scene of service.
as well as the way In which he actually
managed her before and during the fisht,
it would have been well to have given
him the same advancement that was gis-
en- Wainwright But waving this. 1t is
evident that Wainwright was entitled 20
receive more than any of the other COM
manders; and that ii was just to Admi-
raj Sampson that he should receive Il
greater advance in numbers than Admiral
Schley-there was nothing done In the
battle that warranted any unusual re-
ward for either.
Both Admiral Sampson and Admiral
Schey are now on the retired list. In
concluding their reports the members of
the court of inquiry unite in recommend.
ing that no further action be had in the
matter. With this recommendation |
most heartily concur. There is no ex-
cuse whatever from either side for any
further agitation of this unhappy contro-
versy. To keep it alive would merely d }
damage to the navy and the country.