The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-02-21

ship and close in which was simply
carving 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 portion OF
the fight at the mouth of the harbof
and until he had made his loop and
the Spanish ships were fleeing to the
westward, not another American ship
noticed a signal from ham. When
the western pursuit began the Oregon,
and the Oregon only, noticed and re-
peated one of his signals OF command.
The captain of the oregon then re-
garded him as in command, 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.
Gin short, the question as to which
of the two men, Admiral Sampson or
Admiral Schley, was at the time in
command, is of merely nominal char
acter. Technically Sampson COM
manded the fleet, and Schley, as usual,
the western division. The actual fact,
the important fact, Is that after the
battle was joined not helm was shift
ed, not a gun was fired, not a pound
of steam was put on in the engine
room aboard any ship actively engag-
ed, in obedience to the orders of either
Sampson or Schley, save on their own
two vessels. It was captains fight.
Therefore, the credit to which each
of the two is entitled rests on matters
apart from the claim O. nominal com
mand over the squadron; for so faI
as the actual fight was concerned mel
ther one nor the other in fact exer
cised any command. Sampson was
hardly more than
Technically In the Fight.
His real claim for credit rests upon
his work as commander-in-chief; upor
| the excellence of the blockade; upor
| the preparedness Of the squadron
upon the arrangement OF the ships
head-on in a semicircle around the
harbor; and the standing orders in &C
| cordance with which they Instant!
moved to the attack of the Spaniard'
when the latter appeared. For al
these things the credit is his.
Admiral Schley is rightly entitled
AS is Captain Cook-to the credit o
what the Brooklyn did in the fight
On the whole, she did we'll; but agre
with the unanimous finding of tn
three admirals who composed tn
court of inquiry as to the loop l
seriously married the Brooklyn's Other
wise excellent record, being, in fact
the one grave mistake made by an
American ship that day. Had tn
Brooklyn turned to the westward, tina
Is, in the same direction that the Spar
ish ships were going, instead of in tn
contrary direction, she would undoub
eddy have been more dangerous fo
them as we'll as for her. This kind {
danger must not be too nicely weigh
} ed by those whose trade it is to dar
greatly for the honor of the fla.
Moreover, the danger was certainl
: not as great as that which in the sci
: same moment, menaced Wainwright
} fragile craft as he drove forwar
against the foe. 1t was not, in m
Judgment, as great as the danger
} which the Texas was exposed by tt
3 turn as actually made. It certain
4 caused both the Brooklyn and the TIE
l as materially to lose position cor
t pared to the fleeing Spanish vessel
D But after the loop mad once been take
4 Admiral Schley handled the Brookly
0 manfully and we'll. She and the Or
t gon were thenceforth the headmost
/ the American vessels - though tt
t Iowa certainly and seemingly the TIE
: as also, did as much in
+ Hammering to a Standstill
!. the Viscaya, Oquendo and Teres
= while the Indiana did all her caste
2 position and crippled machinery pr
mitted. In the chase OF the Colon t
Brooklyn and Oregon share the cree
between them.
Al "Under such circumstances 1t seer
~ to me that the recommendations
= President Mckinley were eminent
proper, and that so far as Admire
% Sampson and Schley were concern
p It would have been unjust for him
j have made other recommendations.
PERSONALLY, I feel that in view
Captain Clark's long voyage in t
10 Oregon and the condition in which
n brought her to the scene Of service
1t well as the way in which he actua
If managed her before and during t
TT fight, it would have been well to ha
se given him the same advancement til
it was given Wainwright. But waivi
r this, it is evident that Wainwright "
81 entitled to receive more than any
IT the other commanders: and that it "
In Just to Admiral Sampson that
ty should receive greater advance
r. numbers than Admiral Schley-th'
IN was nothing done in the battle IL
W. warranted any unusual reward for
of Their. In short, as regards Admir-
ut Sampson and Schiey, find that Pre-
D. dnet Mckinley did substantial JUST
g. and that there would be no wars
We for reversing his action.
is Both Admiral Sampson and !
,lf miral Schley are now on the refill
n list. In concluding their report
members of the court Of inquiry, !
to mirals Dewey, Benham and Rams
MT unite in stating that they recomme
he that no further action be had In
re- matter. With this recommendation
lis most heartily concur. There is no
at cuse whatever from either side for
In further agitation of this unhappy c
,ct troyersy. To keep 1t alive wo
mt merely do damage to the navy
he 70 ths country"