1:15
Cervera 's fleet was still `` bottled up '' in Santiago harbor , and the American fleet held the cork so effectively that even a torpedo boat could not get out . After preparing the ship for the usual Sunday inspection , and arraying ourselves in clean whites , polished shoes , and stockings , we thought we had done all the work that would be required of us for the day . But when the gig returned , bringing the skipper from the flagship , we learned that we were to get under way right after dinner , and steam to the westward . After `` turn to '' was sounded at 1:15 o'clock , we noted a long string of signal flags flying from the signal yard , which we found requested permission from the flagship to proceed at once . As the affirmative pennant on the `` New York '' slowly rose to its place on the foremast , the `` Yankee 's '' jingle bell sounded , and the ship began to gather headway . At `` afternoon quarters '' -- 1:30 -- a drill , new to us , was taught ; called by the officers `` physical drill , '' and by the men `` rubber-necking . '' We hardly felt the need of exercise .