Manila and Santiago: The New Steel Navy in the Spanish-American War

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Manila & Santiago tells the history of the U.S. Navy's operations in the Spanish War of 1898. This was America's first two-ocean war, in which the decisive battles at Manila Bay and Santiago de Cuba were separated by two months and ten thousand miles. Our new steel navy came of age during this quick, modern little war. The battles were decided by colorful officers today largely forgotten -- by Shang Dewey in the Philippines and Fighting Bob Evans off southern Cuba. By Jack Philip conning the Texas and Constructor Hobson scuttling the Merrimac. By Clark of the Oregon pushing his battleship around South America. By Admiral Sampson and Commodore Schley, ending splendid careers in controversy. Beside these figures stood middle-aged lieutenants and overworked bluejackets, green naval militiamen and on-board correspondents, and the others who fought or witnessed the pivotal battles. Hovering over the conflict was a revered national spirit. The commanders of 1898 had come of age under sail with Admiral David Farragut in the Civil War. After enduring the Doldrums, the navy's embarrassing postwar decline, they drew on lessons learned from Farragut as they steamed to meet the Spaniards. Despite contrary opinions throughout the world, they expected not only to survive but to triumph. Manila & Santiago also offers several sympathetic portraits of Spanish officers, the Dons for whom American sailors held little personal enmity. It especially examines the plights of admirals Montojo and Cervera, doomed to sacrifice their forces for the pride of a dying empire. Table of Contents Author Note PART ONE: THIRTY-THREE YEARS (1865-98) 1. Fort Fisher 2. The Doldrums 3. The Commodore 4. The Maine 5. Inquiry PART TWO: MANILA 6. Hong Kong 7. Cruisers 8. "God of Victories" 9. Magistrate and Monk 10. "Perfect Line of Battle" PART THREE: SANTIAGO 11. "Fighting Bob" 12. Cervera 13. Battleships 14. The Crossing 15. Cienfuegos 16. The Merrimac 17. Blockade 18. "God and the Gunners" 19. "Big Enough for All" 20. Aftermath Epilogue Appendix A: Comparitive Squadron Strength, Manila Bay Appendix B: Comparitive Fleet Strength, Santiago de Cuba Notes Bibliography Index About the Author