The Washington herald., 1911-10-03
SCHLEY'S NAVAL CAREER
ONE FULL OF INTEREST
Admiral Was Born in Maryland in 1S39 Entered
Annapolis in 1856, and Saw Much Service.

chronometer watch suitably inscribed; the
Massachusetts Humane Society also pre-
sented him a gold medal He was
thanked by the various boards of trade
in the several cities of the United States.
On his return to the United States, in
the fall of 1884. he was received by the
city of Portsmouth, n. H, with impos-
ing civil and military demonstrations, and
was given the freedom of the city.
Commodore Schley was married Septem-
ber 10. 1853 to Rebecca Franklin, Of An
napolis, Md.
The commodore's daughter, Maria Vir-
ginia, officiated at the christening OF the
United States steel gunboat Petrol, built
and launched October l3, 1889 at Balti-
more.
In February, 1895 he was advanced to
commodore. Previous to the outbreak of
the Spanish-American war he was Or
dered to the Brooklyn. and given COM
.mand of the flying squadron"
y May 10 he was ordered by Sampson to
blockade Cienfuegos, where It was thought
the fleet of Admiral, Cervera might have
secreted itself. Another order from
Sampson, May 30 says: "Schley should
hold his feet of Cienfuegos. II the
Spanish ships have put into Santiago
they must come either to Havana or
to Cienfuegos. to deliver the munitions
of war. which they are said to bring
for use in Cuba. l am, therefore, of the
opinion that the best chance to capture
these ships will be to hold the two points,
Havana and Cienfuegos, with all the
force we can muster"
Defeat of Ceryera.
The Joint command of the blockading
fleet OF Santiago by Admiral Schley and
Admiral Sampson led to the bitter Schley-
Sampson controversy over the destruc-
ton of Cervera's fleet
Admiral Schley was in command of
what was known as the flying squadron.
of which the Brooklyn was the flagship.
This fleet came around the west end Of
Cuba and appeared off Santiago. after
Admiral Cervera was safely inside the
harbor. little later, the squadron un-
der command of Admiral Sampson. and
headed by the New York, came around
the east end of Cuba and Joined the
blockade.
1t was generally understood that the
Spanish fleet was in the harbor, but II
was long time before this was definite
" decided with the aid of scouts on
shore The Spanish feet got up stream
the evening Of July 2. and the morning
Of July 3 broke out of the harbor. There !
was a running fight, lasting till we'll into
the afternoon.
The most of the Spanish fleet was de-
stroyed Immediately. but the Christopher |
Colon continued nearly fifty miles to the !
west, where she was beached before sur |
rendering.
When the Spanish fleet first appeared |
the Brooklyn executed the famous loop
whereby she lost the time occupied in
turning before she again got into the
fight.
At that she was the closest one of the |
American vessels to the Spaniards. and
lost a single man killed by a Spanish !
shell, the sole American casualty during |
the engagement.
Inquiry Into Acts.
At the close of the war Admiral Schley |
was detained in Washington and many
months were occupied in the court of in |
quiry to determine whether his action in
the battle of Santiago had been proper
and courageous
The inquiry vindicated him completely |
from anysimputation of cowardice or i'm |
proper conduct. But for years afterward
there was considerable Ill feeling in the |
navy over lI.r respective merits of the
two commanders of the Santiago block |
aiding fleet.
Admiral Chadwick. commander of the |
New York, Admiral Simpsons flagship !
in book he has just printed giving a |
history of the Spanish-American war, |
comments on the part the Brooklyn play |
ed in the battle OF Santiago. and vindi- |
Gated Schley's strategy.
Admiral Schley was a member of the |
Arctic Club that collected the relief fund |
for DIR. Frederick Cook. He was much in
terested in the fate of that explorer when |
track of him had been lost for over
year, and. as a member of the Arctic
Club did all he could to get relief to DR..
Cook before he returned of his own ac-
cord to civilization.