Still the orders read, 'Come on.' From our consul I learned that
Cervera's fleet was at Martinique, just to the north of us. This fleet
had been extolled for speed and fighting qualities. I am not a rash
man. I was not looking for that fleet. The situation seemed critical.
Sailing just before dark, I headed northwest, apparently into the
heart of the Caribbean Sea. This information, I have no doubt, was
promptly communicated to Admiral Cervera. But as soon as the darkness
of a moonless night had thoroughly set in, I changed the course to due
south; and ran below Barbadoes and thence far to the eastward before
I took the Oregon to the northward. We thus passed far to sea east of
Martinique, and eventually turned into the north Atlantic beyond St.
Thomas. I carefully avoided the Windward Channel and the shallow
waters of the Bahamas.

"I didn't know where the Department wanted to use me. I was in the
dark as to the location of the two fleets. I knew one had been at
Hampton Roads and another at Key West, and the charts told me that
Jupiter Inlet was in telegraphic reach of all points on the coast.
From that place I had coal enough to make the run to either of the two
fleets."

With scarcely a day's delay, the Oregon joined the North Atlantic
Squadron, in Cuban waters, and was one of the vessels under Commodore
Schley when that officer trapped the Spanish fleet in the harbor of
Santiago.

When we think of the officers and men on the decks of a warship, we
must not forget the force of men below the decks. The engineers,
firemen and stokers do as good work, and are entitled to as much
praise, as the fighting force above. In battle they are kept under the