There remained now of the Spanish ships only the Cristobal Colon, but she was their best and fastest vessel.  Forced by the situation to hug the Cuban coast, her only chance of escape was by superior and sustained speed.  When the Vizcaya went ashore the Colon was about six miles ahead of the Brooklyn and the Oregon, but her spurt was finished and the American ships were now gaining upon her.  Behind the Brooklyn and the Oregon came the Texas, Vixen and New York.  It was evident from the bridge of the New York that all the American ships were gradually overhauling the Colon, and that she had no chance of escape.

At 12:50 the Brooklyn and the Oregon opened fire and got her range, the Oregon’s heavy shell striking beyond her, and at 1:10 she gave up without firing another shot, hauled down her colors and ran ashore at Rio Torquino, forty-eight miles from Santiago.  Capt.  Cook of the Brooklyn went on board to receive the surrender.  While his boat was alongside I came up in the New York, received his report and placed the Oregon in charge of the wreck to save her, if possible, and directed the prisoners to be transferred to the Resolute, which had followed the chase.

Commodore Schley, whose chief of staff had gone on board to receive the surrender, had directed that all their personal effects should be retained by the officers.  This order I did not modify.  The Cristobal Colon was not injured by our firing, and probably is not much injured by beaching, though she ran ashore at high speed.  The beach was so steep that she came off by the working of the sea.  But her sea valves were opened and broken, treacherously, I am sure, after her surrender, and despite all efforts she sank.  When it became evident that she could not be kept afloat she was pushed by the New York bodily up on the beach, the New York’s stem being placed against her for this purpose—­the ship being handled by Capt.  Chadwick with admirable judgment—­and sank in shoal water and may be saved.  Had this not been done she would have gone down in deep water and would have been to a certainty a total loss.

I regard this complete and important victory over the Spanish forces as the successful finish of several weeks of arduous and close blockade, so stringent and effective during the night that the enemy was deterred from making the attempt to escape at night and deliberately elected to make the attempt in daylight.  That this was the case I was informed by the commanding officer of the Cristobal Colon.

It was ascertained with fair conclusiveness that the Merrimac, so gallantly taken into the channel on June 3, did not obstruct it.  I therefore maintained the blockade as follows: 

To the battleships was assigned the duty, in turn, of lighting the channel.  Moving up to the port at a distance of from one to two miles from the Morro—­dependent upon the condition of the atmosphere—­they threw a searchlight beam directly up the channel, and held it steadily there.  This lighted up the entire breadth of the channel for half a mile inside of the entrance so brilliantly that the movement of small boats could be detected.