“5. The men of our ships in front of the port were at Sunday ‘quarters for inspection.’ The signal was given simultaneously from several vessels, ‘Enemy’s ships escaping,’ and general quarters were sounded. The men cheered as they sprang to their guns, and fire was opened, probably within eight minutes, by the vessels whose guns commanded the entrance. “The _New York_ turned about and steamed for the escaping fleet, flying the signal, ‘Close in toward harbour entrance and attack vessels,’ and gradually increasing speed until toward the end of the chase she was making sixteen and one-half knots, and was rapidly closing on the _Cristobal Colon_. [Illustration: U. S. S. OREGON.] “She was not, at any time, within the range of the heavy Spanish ships, and her only part in the firing was to receive the undivided fire from the forts in passing the harbour entrance, and to fire a few shots at one of the destroyers, thought at the moment to be attempting to escape from the _Gloucester_. “6. The Spanish vessels, upon clearing the harbour, turned to the westward in column, increasing their speed to the full power of their engines. The heavy blockading vessels, which had closed in toward the Morro, at the instant of the enemy’s appearance, and at their best speed, delivered a rapid fire, well sustained and destructive, which speedily overwhelmed and silenced the Spanish fire. “The initial speed of the Spaniards carried them rapidly past the blockading vessels, and the battle developed into a chase in which the _Brooklyn_ and _Texas_ had at the start the advantage of position. The _Brooklyn_ maintained this lead. “The _Oregon_, steaming with amazing speed from the commencement of the action, took first place. The _Iowa_ and the _Indiana_ having done good work, and not having the speed of the other ships, were directed by me, in succession, at about the time the _Vizcaya_ was beached, to drop out of the chase and resume blockading stations. These vessels rescued many prisoners. The _Vixen_, finding that the rush of the Spanish ships would put her between two fires, ran outside of our own column and remained there during the battle and chase. “7. The skilful handling and gallant firing of the _Gloucester_ excited the admiration of every one who witnessed it, and merits the commendation of the Navy Department. She is a fast and entirely unprotected auxiliary vessel,—the yacht _Corsair_,—and has a good battery of light rapid-fire guns. “She was lying about two miles from the harbour entrance to the southward and eastward, and immediately steamed in, opening fire upon the large ships. “Anticipating the appearance of the _Pluton_ and _Furor_, the _Gloucester_ was slowed, thereby gaining more rapidly a high pressure of steam, and when the destroyers came out she steamed for them at full speed and was able to close at short range, where her fire was accurate, deadly, and of great volume.