The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-09-30

oauuiaRo tiOne iWOulQ % unique as one
of the worlds great battles won with
out anybody being 10 command. If
defeat had occurred, the commander
of the Second Squadron would have
had to take his medicine Just the
same"
'The unshakable faots that the
Brooklyn was In the fight from start
to finish; that she was nearer to the
enemy from the beginning to the end
OF the action at every stage Of the
battle; that she was struck by thirty
OF the forty.two projeotiles which
struck the American vessels engaged;
that she inflicted quite 80 per cent.
Of the damage sustained by the ships
of the enemy, although she consti-
tuted but one-hfth of the attacking
American force; that she and Oregon
completed the battle by capturing the
Colon; that the only casualties on the
| American side occurred on board the
| Brooklyn-these facts are sufficient to
| fix an unalterable Judgment of the
| Issues"
And the finding Of Admiral Dewey,
president OF the Board of Inquiry,
who will be admitted to be a reason
ably good authority in naval matters:
Commodore Schley was the senior
officer of the squadron of Santiago
when the Spanish squadron attempt
ed to escape on the morning Of July g.,
1898. He was in absolute command,
and is entitled to the credit due such
commanding o.licer for the gloriou,
victory which resulted in the total
destruction OF the Spanish ships.''
In his pages Schley forbears from
direct condemnatury comment upon
the behavior OF Sampson. But the
facts speak for them>e elves. The dis
appointment of Sampson at being alb
sent when the supreme hour came
was as great as 1t was natural-but
lie was not great enough to rise above
it and do justice to more fortunate
conrade. He refused rec gnition Of
that comrades gallant and brilliant
services and allowed his friends,
in and out of Official circles, to enter
upon campaign OF detracton which
will forever stain the history of the
American Navy. The disappoint-
ment killed Sampson, bat the detrac-
tion the foul injustice to which he
has been subjected, has not embltter-
ed SchleY. lie krows that history,
rs the vast majority Of his fellow
country men have done, will place the
laurel wreath where 1t belongs, and
that his honest fame will shine all
the brighter as time clears away the
clouds with which envy has sought TO
obscure it.
'Forty-tiv Yeals Under the Flag
is a most readable book from the first
page to the last animated, cheerful
manly, tic book tf d healthy minded,
high-spirited and chivalrous sailor.
In penning these memoirs" he
says, In concluding, and his work
bears him out, There has been 70
wish to detract from the services Of
others, no desire to utter unkind, un-
dignitied or rude words Of those who
may have differed in their views, but
to set forth the facts and services of
a life that has been clean in it's devo.
tion to home and to country and stead
fast In its purposes from youth to its
meridian in giving the best years of
duty conscientiOusly done for all that
is near and dear to man-hOnOr, home,
country
And the Volume, which is destined
to make a compelling appeal to the
mind and heart of all fair Americans,
clio es thus:
Neither the lapse of time nor the
change Of circum stances has wrought
any change Of faith in the eM pressii II
from the heart penned in those first
moments after the gfoav, d title of
July 3, 1898:
am glad that l had ah oppor-
tunity to contribute in the ldast to a
victory that seems big enough for all
| OF uS.'n n