Battle of Santiago Harbor, 1898

With my recent return to the Spanish-American War project and Monty's excellent recommendation of Dan Carlin's American Peril (Podcast), I pulled old photos from the wargaming vault and set about reconstructing the naval Battle of Santiago.

The following chronicles the first outing for my 1/1200 Houston Ships collection.  If I recall, the rules used were Shipbase and was completely computer moderated by the American fleet commander.  In addition to being outclassed by the larger U.S. ships, the Spanish fleet was hampered by poor powder and suspect gunnery.  Shipbase modeled all of those inefficiencies into the game. 

With the safety of Santiago Harbor in jeopardy after the Spanish defeats at San Juan Hill and El Caney, Admiral Cervera was given the order to steam-up and make a run for open water.  Unfortunately for Cervera, the American fleet was blockading Cervera's fleet and awaited just outside the mouth of the harbor.  Escape was unlikely.  Cervera prepared his Will and letters to family and sent them ashore.

Spanish fleet exits Santiago Harbor.

American fleet lies in wait.
USS New York and Indiana have yet to join the blockade

USS Brooklyn prepares to open fire as the Spanish emerge.

Destroyers Furor and Ericsson mix it up
after Gloucester takes a torpedo.
USS New York attempts to catch up to the battle.

Spanish run for open for open water

As Cervera's fleet exits the harbor,
Oquendo is hit and begins to burn

Oquendo burns as Cervera races along the coast

USS Texas takes damage from Spanish gunfire and turns
around under the protection of Iowa.
Oquendo is stopped dead in the water
while Vizcaya takes major damage.
USS Brooklyn suffers torpedo damage from the
destroyer Pluton.
Cristobal Colon suffers damage.

In  a matter of minutes the short running gun battle is over.
All Spanish capital ships have been either disabled or sunk.
To reduce loss of life, Cervera had his ships run aground.