The time evolution of classical van der Waals spins in the presence of a heat bath consisting of a chain of one-dimensional classical harmonic oscillators, with the coupling term $ - S_z^2 \sum c_k x_k$, was studied. The exact harmonic oscillator bath variables, the averages of the total spin components, were obtained, and the relaxation behaviors of the total spin components in the system were examined. The bath variables averages of the x- and the y-components of the total spin showed no amplitude relaxation, but an interesting phase-angle relaxation was observed. The phase angles of the x- and the y-components of the total spin showed a transient, damped, oscillating behavior before settling to a steady increase with time; however, the z-component of the total spin remained constant.