Who deserves command credit for Santiago?

William Sampson retained operational command and had prepared the American squadron, but he had left for meetings when the Battle of Santiago began. Winfield Scott Schley therefore exercised tactical command over the ships actually engaged. Alfred Thayer Mahan argued that Sampson deserved the credit because he had trained and organized the force, a standard comparable to crediting St Vincent rather than Nelson for Trafalgar. That standard is inconsistent if Montojo and Cervera are blamed as battle commanders for fleets left unready by institutions and predecessors. The dispute separates operational preparation from tactical responsibility and shows how later writers construct command reputations.