transferred to the naval retiring board as senior member. He rounded out his forty-seven years of service under the flag in all parts of the world in war and in peace by a final interval of duty as commander of the South Atlantic squadron, to which he was assigned on November 18, 1899, continuing in this capacity until his retirement, on October 9, 1901, upon attaining the age-limit fixed by law.
After the close of the Spanish- American war, friends of Admiral Schley and Admiral Sampson engaged in a controversy as to which of these officers was actually in command of the American fleet before Santiago in the engagement which resulted in the destruction of Cervera's squadron and the capture of its personnel. Admiral Sampson, while technically in command of the assembled naval forces, was temporarily absent (under order of the navy department) from the scene of battle on the day of conflict. The controversy, which was but a parallel of other famous disputes in the history of the United States navy, would probably have been allowed to run its course unnoticed by Schley had it not been for charges of irregularities made in a history of the United States navy in use as a text book at the United States naval academy. The accused officer felt that he could not permit the aspersions cast upon his official acts to pass unchallenged, and made a request for a court of inquiry, which convened on September 12, 1901. The majority report of the findings of this court was not wholly favorable to Admiral Schley in a few details; but to these, most vigorous exception was taken by Admiral Dewey, who was president of the court. The report served to free Admiral Schley from all charges of irregularity, and the congress of the United States forthwith prohibited the use of the offending Maclay history at the naval academy.
On September 10, 1862, Winfield Scott Schley was married to Anne Rebecca Franklin, daughter of George E. and Maria C. Franklin, of Annapolis, Maryland. To this union three children have been born, two sons and a daughter, all of whom are living in 1906. Admiral Schley is identified with the Protestant Episcopal denomination. He is the author of "The Rescue of Greely," published in 1885, and of "Forty-five Years Under the Flag," published in September, 1904. On June 22, 1899, he received the honorary degree of LL.D. from Georgetown university. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum of the United States; the Masonic fraternity; the United Service club of New York; the New York Yacht club; the Seawanaka Corinthian
