Camara's Flying Relief Column
Camara's Flying Relief Column: An organization of
Spain's most powerful warships, under the command of Admiral Manuel Camara, sent in an effort to defeat Commodore
George Dewey and outflank the American Pacific Squadron, lead by USS Olympia after the disastrous
Battle of Manila Bay. The column consisted of Spain's two most powerful vessels, the Pre-Dreadnought Battleship
Pelayo and the Armored Cruiser
Carlos V, along with numerous other modern cruisers and support vessels. The squadron was far more powerful than that commanded by Dewey.
Not far from their objective in the Philippines, the vessels of Camara's Flying Relief Column were delayed (probably intentionally) by British diplomats while attempting to cross through the Suez Canal. By the time Camara's column managed to find its way through the Suez, it was recalled quickly to Spain, after the destruction of Admiral Cervera's Squadron at the Battle of Santiago de Cuba.
See Also
Spanish-American War
References