Cervera's address framed the sortie as an act of duty after his strategic objections had failed, with crews wearing dress uniform for what he expected to be a fatal national ceremony. The narrow channel forced the Spanish ships out in sequence into concentrated American fire, while poor coal and incomplete armament reduced their chance of escape. Brooklyn's controversial turn, Oregon's speed, and the battleships' pursuit transformed the breakout into a westward chase along the Cuban coast. Cervera used Infanta María Teresa to cover the ships behind him, then beached the burning cruiser and surrendered with the survivors.
Chapter · 1:55:43-2:09:30
Cervera's doomed breakout at Santiago de Cuba
Ordered out despite overwhelming odds, Cervera led his cruisers through the harbor mouth into concentrated American fire and tried to cover the escape of the ships behind him.