﻿[2] This covers the battle of Santiago de Cuba 1898.
[2] The USA been blockading the port for over a 
[2] month. The US land forces are now closing on 
[2] the city and there is now limited opportunity for 
[2] Admiral Pascual Cervera y Topete and his fleet to 
[2] break out.
[0] Admiral Sampson and two ships of his 
[0] command, his flagship, the armored cruiser New 
[0] York, and the torpedo boat USS Ericsson have 
[0] left their positions for a trip to Siboney and a 
[0] meeting with Major General William Rufus 
[0] Shafter of the US Army. This opened a gap in 
[0] the western portion of the American blockade 
[0] line, which leaves a window for Cervera. 
[0] Sampson's New York was one of only two ships 
[0] in the squadron fast enough to catch Cervera if 
[0] he managed to break through the blockade. 
[0] Further, the battleship Massachusetts and the 
[0] cruisers USS Newark and New Orleans had left 
[0] that morning to coal at Guantanamo Bay.
[0] With the departure of Admiral Sampson, who 
[0] had signaled, "Disregard movements of 
[0] flagship," immediate command devolved to 
[0] Commodore Schley in armored cruiser Brooklyn, 
[0] which now became the de facto flagship of the 
[0] blockade.
[1] US land forces are driving on Santiago de 
[1] Cuba, and by the end of June 1898, you find 
[1] yourself unable to remain safely in the harbor, 
[1] and Governor-General Ramón Blanco y Erenas 
[1] wants a sortie: "it is better for the honor of our 
[1] arms that the squadron perish in battle.
[1] 
[1] The breakout is planned for 09:00 on July 3. 
[1] This seems the most logical time: the Americans 
[1] are likely to be at religious services, and waiting 
[1] until night will only make the escape even more 
[1] treacherous. By noon on July 2, the fleet had a 
[1] full head of steam and had fallen into position for 
[1] the breakout
