1-217490 Barry, Quintin DISPUTED VICTORY: Schley, Sampson and the Spanish-American War of 1898 An account of the naval campaign of Santiago de Cuba during the Spanish-American War of 1898 and the subsequent public controversy and Court of Inquiry. Includes 16 pages of b/w plates and six b/w maps.

In 1898, the United States went to war with Spain over the future of Cuba. The American navy had, in the preceding decade, been revived after years of neglect, and was much stronger than anything that the Spanish could bring against it. In the Philippines, Admiral George Dewey easily destroyed a weak Spanish squadron. A military invasion of Cuba was supported by the rest of the US Navy, under the command of Admiral William T Sampson. An important part of this force was the Flying Squadron, led by Commodore Winfield Scott Schley.

Meanwhile a Spanish squadron under Admiral Pascual Cervera sailed from Europe to the Caribbean and, after disappearing for some days, reached the port of Santiago de Cuba. Schley was the first on the scene; his movements were later to be severely criticized. When Sampson arrived with the rest of the fleet, a blockade of the port was instituted. In the end, Cervera was obliged to make an attempt to break out, but his squadron of four cruisers was overwhelmed and destroyed. During the battle on Sunday July 3, Schley was in effective command, as Sampson had gone ashore to confer with the army commander.

Although the Americans had won another easy victory, a bitter dispute arose between the respective supporters of Schley and Sampson as to who was entitled to the credit. Fanned by the popular press, the issue split the US Navy to the point where its morale was seriously affected. Matters came to a head with the publication of a book violently attacking Schley's conduct. He demanded a Court of Inquiry; this sat for 40 days at the Washington Navy Yard, presided over by Admiral Dewey. It was one of the great trials of American history, as the lawyers refought the campaign in minute detail.

In the end, the verdict went against Schley, though this was offset by a minority opinion from Dewey that he had indeed been in command and deserved the credit for the victory. This book explores the rights and wrongs of the conduct of those principally involved in a battle that marked the dawn of the American empire, and closely examines the dramatic proceedings of the Court of Inquiry. 1 vol, 256 pgs 2018 UK, HELION AND COMPNAY
NEW-hardback, available late June 2018 ......$50.00 with a discount of 15%

1-236130 Houghton, John THE SPANISH NAVY IN THE WAR OF 1898 Examines the state of the Spanish Navy at the start of the Spanish-American War of 1898, before looking at its performance in the various theaters of the conflict against the US. Includes a number of detailed tables comparing and contrasting the two fleets. Detailed lists of the ships and their particulars, along with a list of the civilian ships impressed into wartime service by both combatants.

At the outbreak of the conflict, the Spanish Navy was going through a long term program of renewal and expansion, which was part of a wider plan to develop an industrial base to support such developments within Spain. Contains many illustrations and photographs that illustrate the Navy of this time. 1 vol, 288 pgs 2023 UK, HELION AND COMPANY
NEW-pb, available mid March 2023 ......$60.00 with a discount of 15% rct

2-68490 Linn, Brian McAllister PHILIPPINE WAR, THE:1889-1902 The only modern detailed treatment of military operations in the Philippines, 20+ b/w photos, 9b/w maps, chapter notes, biblio, index. 1 vol, 427 pgs 2002 LAWRENCE, UNIV OF KANSAS
NEW-pb ......$28.00

1-COM1108 Newberf, Stephen Dawn Of Empire - Spanish-American War of 1898 in the Atlantic Ocean Dawn of Empire is an uncomplicated game centered on the naval aspects of the Spanish-American War of 1898 in the Atlantic Ocean. The game depicts this conflict at a strategic level, with most operational and tactical details represented by fast and easy-to-play systems, rather than intricate mechanisms. The intent of the game is to provide a broad overview of the historical events while being fun to play.

It all really started in February of 1895 when Spain unilaterally suspended constitutional guarantees to Cuba and its population. This lead to open revolt on the island and serious retaliatory measures by the Spanish administration of Captain General Weyler, including concentration camps for non-combatants. This was too much for the American press, and as a result, the American public, and eventually U.S. pressure led to Weyler's removal, but not to a decrease in tensions between the US and Spain. And then, the Maine happened. On 15 February, 1898, well into the darkness of the night, the USS Maine, anchored in Havana Harbour to visible enforcement of U.S. interests on the island, blew up. 268 U,S. naval personnel were killed, about 2/3rd of the crew of the vessel. The American press exploded also. Headlines shouted 'Spanish Treachery' and William Randolph Hearts newspapers stirred the pot of American anger vigorously. By late March a Naval Court Of Inquiry set down a judgment that the Maine was destroyed by an external explosion, pointing the finger by implication at the Spanish. Before the end of the following month, the United States would declare war on Spain.

The object of the game for the United States player is to control the sea areas around the US Atlantic coast and Caribbean Sea to prevent Spanish combatants from supporting their island holdings and to destroy the naval forces of Spain. The object of the game for the Spanish player is to disrupt United States sea control, retain sea control around the Spanish coastline for as long as possible, and destroy United States naval forces. Both players must deploy their naval resources into the sea areas on the map to earn victory points at the end of each turn for areas under their control, blockaded, and for opposing units destroyed.

Product information

Complexity: 4 out of 10
Solitaire Suitability: 4 out of 10
Time Scale: 11 days per turn
Map Scale: variable (area movement maps)
Unit Scale: individual warships
Players: 1-2
Playing Time: 2-3 hours
1 vol, 1 pgs 2020 US, COMPASS GAMES
NEW-box, available late May 2020 ......$55.00 with a discount of 15% rct

1-PWAR102 Romero, Javier PAPER WARS ISSUE 102: Santiago Campaign, 1898 Wargame This is a two-player (solitaire adaptable) simulation of the land campaign for Santiago de Cuba, which ended with the surrender of the Spanish forces after the hard-fought battles of San Juan Hill and El Caney. The map runs from Daiquiri and Siboney to west of Santiago at one mile per hex. Units of maneuver are primarily regiments and battalions, and the 15 game turns each represent one day. Low complexity. 1 vol, 64 pgs 2023 US, COMPASS GAMES
NEW-softcover with game ......$47.00 with a discount of 15% inc