The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-02-04
THE ARGUMENT or THE "COaMtkTA-
TORS" MADE PUBLIC.
CHARGE OF SHiF TING GROUND
In His Appeal From What Were the
Points C~Ontended for and Tried
COmmentors Take UP the Testi-
mony and Official Reports of the
Admiral to show That his Conten-
tions Cannot be Sustained.

Inenl Oh Judge GENERA LEM
ly and Solicitor Hanna upon the appeal
Of Admiral Schley, as submitted to the
president by Secretary Long, begins
with the statement that Admiral Schley
and his counsel have shifted their
ground. They say the chief features OF
the case were The retrogade move
ment,' "disobedience of ORDERS ''in-
accurate and misleading official re-
ports" failure to destroy vessels of
the enemy lying within sight," and
injustice to a brother officer"
These matters are all grave. The first
that the finest aggregation of
American naval vessels under one COM
mand was, by Schley's direction, turned
about and headed for Key West, more
700 miles distant when within
twenty-five miles of Santiago, where
the enemy's ships were. The second
was that he simply, deliberately, and
knowingly disobeyed the secretary's Or
der overtaking him in his retrograde
movement. The third vas that Schley's
reason, officially given for the retro
gade movement and ~disobedience of or
ders-"that the flying squadron was
short of COAL" was not true. The
fourth was that for three days some of
the Spanish ships lay within reach of
the flying squadron, and no sufficient
effort was made to destroy them. The
fifth involves the point OF honor.
The commentators say: Upon all the
a hove named features believed hv lS tn
be the most important. if not the only
really important matters, into which
the court made inquiry, the conduct OF
Admiral Schley was condemned by that
most distinguished tribunal. Admiral
Dewey and Rear Admirals Ramsey and
Benham united in their findings and
all these several points
The commentators charge that Ad-
miral Schley now ignores all the grave
matters and bases his appeal upon rel
atiVely unimportant features of the
case.
The commentators say they recognize
the fact that Admiral Schley devoted by
far the larger part of his appeal TO the
question of command, and, consequent
ly, give that question a proportional
space in their comment. The declare
that the question is between Sampson
and Schley, both alike interested and
to investigate it fairly both should he
heard.
ut is admitted hat the precept was
broad enough to have permitted the
court to go into the question, but it is
recalled that although the judge advo-
cate expressed a willingness to enter it,
the court did not deem it necessary OF
proper to do so. The judge advocate,
they say might have shown that it was
Admiral SIMPSONS plan of night block
ade that forced Cervera to come out in
the day light, M Captain Clark ia
quoted to support that statement.
They quote Admiral Schley in his
testimony to the effect that the Ameri-
can ships acted on the original plan to
"Sink the enemy in the channel" and
that that plan failed because the enemy
succeeded really in passing the battle
line"
They ask why did the enemy succeed,
and declare 1.-The Brooklyn, having
abandoned her position on the left of
the line, thereby left an unguarded
opening along the western shore,
through which the Spanish fleet passed
The courts opinion is quoted to be TO
the effect that the Brooklyn lost dis
n in position by the"loop" and de-
layed the Texas.
To sustain the contention that Samp-
son was in command, the commenta-
tors quote from Schley's report of July
9Th 1898, as follows: 1.-The dense smoke
OF the combat shut even from my view
the Indiana and the Gloucester. but, as
these vessels were closer to your flag
ship, no doubt their part in the conflict
was under your immediate observa-
ton
They remark: Nobody has ever dis
puted Grants title to the victory at Ap-
pomattox. though then lying sick some
miles from the place of surreldrr--SO
far hat it was feared he could not be
reached within the period Of armistice.
Though Howard was senior officer pres
ent at the capture of Savannah and
Sherman absent on one Of Admiral
Dahlgren's ~gunboats. nobody has uues-
toned Sherman'S famous report to i.tn-
coln I beg to present you as a Christ
mas gift. the city Of Savannah"
AS showing Schley's own opiuion ot
passage from his dispatch of July 10,
1898. to the secretary Of the navy:
Feel some modification that the
newspaper accounts of July 9Th have
attributed the victory of July 4th al
most entirely to me. Victory was Sc
cured by the forces under the NINA
of the commander-in-chief of the North
Atlantic station. and to him the honor
is due"
ruienei' tney quote SSliey . iet'ef ~
December Is. 1901, to Secretary Long,
justifying the loop on the express
ground hat it was made Fin the .xecu-
ton of the standing order to close I'm
1t is asked but If he was then him
self in command. how happens thai he
was executing the orders of somanodv
else in command? Before
the court of inquiry. every prop rails
ed in support Of the contention that
Commodore Schley did anything to
achieve the victory by issuing orders
as commanding officer Of the American
fleet was removed. The plain truth was
for the first time revealed that Commc-
dore Schley did not exercise command
on that day over any ship, except, to
some extent, his own flagship, the
Brooklyn"
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