Captain-General Ramón Blanco y Erenas, Governor of Cuba, to Rear Admiral Pascual Cervera y Topete
[Very urgent.—Key L.]
Havana, July 1, 1898—10.30 p. m.
In view of hostile progress in spite of heroic defense garrison, and in conformity with opinion Government, you will reembark crews,1 take advantage of first opportunity, and go out with the ships of your squadron, following route you deem best. You are authorized to leave behind any which on account of slow speed or circumstances have no chance of escaping. I will tell your excellency for your information only, not in the nature of instructions, that there are only three ships at Cienfuegos and nine here, none of them of great power.
Source Note Print: Squadron Operations, 118.
Footnote 1: Many of the seamen in Cervera’s squadron were manning the trenches defending Santiago de Cuba.
