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N May 19, 1898, the Spanish Admiral, Pascual Cervera y

Topete, had entered the harbor of Santiago, on the south side of the Island of Cuba, with the fast armored cruisers Infanta Maria Teresa, Vizcaya, Almirante Oquendo and Cristobal Colon, together with the sea-going torpedo boats Furor and Pluton.

On Sunday morning, July 3, 1898, the American fleet, commanded by Rear-Admiral W. T. Sampson, was blockading the harbor of Santiago. The entrance to the harbor was defended by numerous batteries, none of sufficient strength to endanger the blockading fleet, but together strong enough to protect the lines of electric and observation mines with which the narrow channel was known to be planted.

The disposition of the blockading fleet was as follows: beginning at the eastern end of the line was the auxiliary gunboat Gloucester, off Aguadores, close into the land and about three miles from the Morro fort; next to the Gloucester the flag-ship New York; then the battleship Indiana; then the battleship Oregon; next to her the battleship Iowa; next to her the second-class battleship Texas; next to her the armored cruiser Brooklyn, flying the broad pennant of Commodore Schley; and on the western end of the line, the auxiliary gunboat Vixen, close into the land.

The fleet was arranged in an irregular half circle with the western part of the curve flattened out, owing to the lay of the land in that direction, and all distant about three miles from the Morro-the fort at the eastern entrance to the harbor. This was the usual position of the American fleet from daylight until dark.

The orders from the flag officer commanding, Admiral Sampson, were as follows: "The vessels will blockade Santiago de Cuba closely, keeping about six miles from the Morro in the daytime and closing in at night, the lighter vessels well inshore. The first squadron will blockade on the east side of the port and the second squadron on the west side. If the enemy tries to escape, the ships must close in and engage as soon as possible and endeavor to sink his vessels or force them to run ashore in the channel."

The distance from the Morro was afterwards decreased to three miles in the daytime and less at night.

Sunday, July 3, was one of those beautiful clear days sometimes seen in the tropics, without a cloud in the sky and when objects can be distinguished at a long distance. The flag-ship New York had started to Siboney, at about 9 A. M., flying the signal: "Disregard the movements of the Commander-in-Chief”—Admiral Sampson had been invited to a conference and was on his way to meet General Shafter.

At about 9:35 the Spanish fleet was discovered coming out. The Iowa, from her position, could see farther into the harbor than any other ship and was therefore the first to discover them. Before the leading vessel, the Maria Teresa, bearing the flag of Admiral Cervera, had made the turn into the channel in front of the Punta Gorda battery, the Towa flew the signal: “Enemy's ships coming out;" at the same time she fired a shotted gun to call attention to the signal. This was the first gun of the engagement.

The above signal was immediately repeated, and almost at the same moment, by the Oregon, a few seconds later by the Texas and then by the Brooklyn.

Lieut. Schuetze, navigator of the Iowa, and Lieut. F. K. Hill were on the bridge when the latter discovered the Maria Teresa as her bow showed around the end of Cayo Smith. Lieut. Hill immediately jumped to a six-pounder on the bridge, gave the gun extreme elevation and as the signal was run up, fired in the direction of the enemy's ships. The sig nal had been bent on the night before and was, therefore, all ready.

At this moment the ships of the American fleet were in the

following positions:-The New York about four miles to the eastward of her usual position, turning with helm hard aport-the Admiral's flag in plain sight from the Iowa; the Gloucester close inshore off Aguadores; the Indiana in or near the position usually occupied by the New York, heading for the Morro and going at full speed; the Oregon heading for the entrance at full speed; the Iowa heading a little to the westward of the entrance, going at full speed; the Texas heading about East across the course of the Iowa; the Brooklyn heading about North by West and the Vixen heading South and coming out fast from under the land.

Almost immediately upon the discovery of the Maria Teresa, the Oregon and Iowa opened fire on her at a range of 6,000 yards. The Texas and Brooklyn also opened with their port batteries. As the Maria Teresa, followed by the Vizcaya, Colon and Oquendo, in the order named, cleared the point and stood to the westward, the Indiana, which was approaching the Morro from the eastward, was exposed to their fire and became hotly engaged.

When the last Spanish vessel, the Oquendo, cleared the point, the action was general on both sides and the fire very heavy. The shore batteries had all opened on the American fleet as soon as the first shots were fired at the Maria Teresa and, as they received no answer from the Americans, they continued to fire at will, but it could not be observed that any damage resulted from their efforts.

The Spanish squadron was now standing to the westward in column, the distance between the ships being about 600 yards and the speed gradually increasing to about thirteen knots.

Three American battleships were closing in on them at full speed, keeping them on their starboard bows and using all guns that would bear in that direction. The Spanish were using their broadsides and firing with great rapidity but with little accuracy.

The armored cruiser Brooklyn, at this stage of the battle, put her helm to port and turned to the south, away from the enemy's fleet, and. thereby materially increased her distance from them. In performing the manoeuvre she caused the

Texas to slow down and stop to avoid collision. Before the latter could recover her speed she had fallen somewhat astern of the battleships. As the Brooklyn completed her turn and headed off to the westward she became hotly engaged with the Vizcaya, as was also the Texas, the latter having regained her position by an increase of speed.

The pace proved too hot for the Maria Teresa and the Oquendo, and at about ten o'clock both ships were seen to be in distress. Soon smoke began to show from their after hatches and through the shot holes in their sides and they turned and stood for the beach, first the Maria Teresa and then the Oquendo. At 10:25 the former, and a few minutes. later, the latter took the beach. Both were in flames fore and aft.

The Colon had in the meantime tried to carry out her part of Admiral Cervera's well-considered plan of escape. When all the ships were fully engaged and the smoke was the thickest, she ran inside the Spanish ships ahead of her and, at a speed of seventeen knots, made her dash for liberty. The Oregon immediately passed under the stern of the Iowa, across the bows of the Texas and stood after the Colon, in so doing closely engaging the Vizcaya. At this time the battleships Iowa and Indiana swung to the westward and the American fleet was in column at irregular distances. The cruiser Brooklyn, well off to the left, led the column and was broad off the port quarter of the Colon, about six miles away from her; the Oregon came next, well inside the Brooklyn but astern of her and a little on the port quarter of the Colon; next came the Texas on the port quarter of the Oregon and astern of her; next after the Texas came the Iowa, inside ship of all, heading for the Vizcaya, and last the Indiana, almost directly in the wake of the Iowa.

At 9:50, two thousand yards astern of the Spanish ships came the torpedo boats Pluton and Furor. The Indiana flew the signal: “Enemy's torpedo boats escaping," and opened on them with her secondary and rapid-fire batteries as they passed the Morro and hauled to the westward. The Iowa and Texas also opened a furious fire on them and a few moments later the Gloucester attacked them with great spirit.

At 10:30, the Furor blew up and sank in deep water, and the Pluton headed for the beach, where she ran on the rocks and was submerged except a small portion of her bows. The American fleet, having destroyed or disabled the two torpedo boats and two of the Spanish cruisers, stood on in column, as before described, in chase of the two remaining ships.

At 11 o'clock the Vizcaya turned for the beach, in flames, and was run ashore at Accerraderos, fifteen miles to the westward of the Morro, where she continued to burn until practically destroyed. At this time the battle of Santiago may be said to have ended.

The Indiana was sent back to guard the Santiago entrance and prevent the escape of the Spanish vessels known to be still in the harbor. The Iowa, assisted by the Hist and Ericsson, rescued the crew of the Vizcaya; the Harvard performed the same service for the Maria Teresa and Oquendo, assisted by the boats of the Indiana and Gloucester.

Shortly after the surrender of the Vizcaya, the flag-ship New York passed to the westward in chase after the Colon. The Brooklyn, Oregon, Texas and Vixen continued also in chase and at about 1 P. M. the Oregon opened fire with her forward thirteen-inch guns. The Brooklyn fired with her eight-inch guns at about the same time. The Oregon's first shot, at nine thousand yards, fell short, but the second at nine thousand eight hundred went over the Colon, and her captain, deeming further resistance to be useless, struck his colors at 1:15 P. M. and ran his ship on the beach at Rio Tarquino, about fifty miles to the westward of the Morro. After she had been surrendered her sea valves were treacherously opened and the vessel sank and rolled over on her side. No shot struck the Colon after she made her run past the other Spanish ships and her commander stated that she surrendered only because he found the Oregon could reach him and he feared the effect of her thirteen-inch shells.

When the flag-ship New York passed near the wreck of the Vizcaya, it was evident at a glance that the Iowa could be of no service in chasing the Colon. At the same time it was clear to all that the fast battleship Oregon, and the faster armored cruisers, New York and Brooklyn, were surely and