▁fleet , ▁completely ▁destroy ing ▁every ▁Spanish ▁vessel ▁in ▁a ▁running ▁sea ▁battle ▁last ing ▁five ▁hours . ▁The ▁next ▁day , ▁R ear ▁Admir al ▁Sam pson ▁sent ▁his ▁famous ▁message : ▁" The ▁Fle et ▁under ▁my ▁command ▁offers ▁the ▁nation ▁as ▁a ▁Four th ▁of ▁July ▁present , ▁the ▁whole ▁of ▁Cer vera ' s ▁Fle et ". ▁ ▁Sam pson ' s ▁message ▁omitted ▁any ▁mention ▁of ▁Sch ley ' s ▁leadership ▁in ▁the ▁battle , ▁leading ▁to ▁a ▁controvers y ▁as ▁to ▁who ▁was ▁responsible ▁for ▁the ▁victory . ▁While ▁Sam pson ▁also ▁arg u ably ▁played ▁a ▁significant ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁victory , ▁having ▁laid ▁down ▁the ▁strateg ic ▁framework ▁and ▁determ ining ▁the ▁favor able ▁positions ▁of ▁his ▁own ▁forces , ▁it ▁was ▁of ▁course ▁Sch ley ▁who ▁had ▁actually ▁commanded ▁the ▁fleet ▁during ▁the ▁battle . ▁Sch ley ▁appe aled ▁for ▁a ▁court ▁of ▁inqu iry , ▁which ▁he ▁got ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 1 . ▁In ▁the ▁Navy , ▁the ▁quar rel ▁was ▁so ▁divis ive ▁that ▁the ▁rank - and - file ▁identified ▁themselves ▁as ▁either ▁a ▁" Sch ley ▁man " ▁or ▁a ▁" Sam pson ▁man ." ▁The ▁court ▁of ▁inqu iry ▁heard ▁testim ony ▁in ▁support ▁of ▁Sch ley ▁by ▁his ▁own ▁men ▁and , ▁despite ▁some ▁criticism ▁of ▁Sch ley , ▁ex on er ated ▁the ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁F lying ▁Squadron . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Santiago ▁Bay , ▁Sam pson ▁was ▁appointed ▁Cub an ▁Commission