Skip to main content
Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

Rear Admiral William T. Sampson, Commander, North Atlantic Fleet, to Captain Caspar F. Goodrich

U. S. Flagship New York, 1st Rate,

Guantanamo Bay, Cuba,

August 8, 1898.

S I R :--

     With the “NEWARK” under your command, assisted by the “SUWANEE”, “OSCEOLA”, “WOMPATUCK” and “ALVARADO”, you will convoy the U.S.S.RESOLUTE, carrying the Marine Battalion, to the Isle of Pines, and land them at a point selected by Captain Goodrich and Colonel Huntington.1

     2.   You will then return off the port of Cienfuegos, where you will blockade until relieved by another vessel, or until it becomes necessary for you to return to Guantanamo for a supply of coal.

     3.   One of the small vessels will keep in touch with the Marine Camp to render assistance necessary.2

Very respectfully,

WTSampson                   

RearAdmiral, U.S.Navy            

Commander in Chief, U.S.Naval Force,      

North Atlantic Station.             

Source Note: TDS, DNA, AFNRC, M625, roll 237. Addressed below close: “The Commanding Officer, U. S. S. N E W A R K ,/Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.” Document reference: “No. 2.”

Footnote 1: Lt. Col. Robert W. Huntington, United States Marine Corps.

Footnote 2: The Marines were never landed on Isle of Pines because Goodrich instead attempted to force the surrender of Manzanillo and the war ended before the Marines reached the Island. See: Huntington to Col. Charles Heywood, Commandant of the Marine Corp., 26 August 1898.

Related Content