The Boys of '98

“As her purpose evidently was to put us within fire of the batteries, we took but little notice of her, lying still and occasionally sending in our largest shell at her to try the range.

“Soon afterward she dropped to the westward, and the torpedo-boat destroyer Terror, or it may have been her sister ship, the Furor, was sighted steaming along shore under the batteries.

“We watched her for awhile, and worked along with her, in order to separate her from the cruiser and keep her in trough if she came for us. She then circled to get up speed, and headed for us, firing straight as far as direction went, but her shots fell short.

“When within range of our guns, the signal ‘commence firing’ was made, and for several minutes we let fly our starboard battery at her at from fifty-five hundred to six thousand yards, the shells striking all around her.

“This stopped her. She turned her broadside to us and her fire soon ceased. She then headed inshore, to the southward and westward, going slow, and it was evident to all on board that she was crippled. Off the Morro she flashed some signals to the shore, and afterward a tug came out and towed her into the harbour.

“All this time the cruiser was firing at us, and some of her shots and those of the Terror fell pretty close. The cruiser followed the Terror back toward the port and soon afterward was joined by a gunboat, and the two steamed under the batteries to the eastward; but when the St. Paul, making an inshore turn, seemed to be going for them, they returned to the harbour, and we saw no more of them.”

June 23. The U. S. monitor Monadnock left San Francisco for Manila.

The U. S. dynamite cruiser Vesuvius again shells the Santiago fortifications.

June 24. The Spanish Cortes suspended by royal decree. The Chamber of Deputies adjourned without the customary cheers for the throne.

Major-General Lawton advancing on Santiago.

Action near Juragua.

June 25. Skirmish near Sevilla.

The American government protested a draft drawn by its consul at St. Thomas, D. W. I., under circumstances calculated to make an extremely dangerous precedent. The draft was made by Consul Van Horne for the purchase of twenty-seven hundred tons of coal, which arrived in St. Thomas in the Ardenrose about the twenty-eighth of May. The consul bought it for ten dollars a ton when the Spanish consul had offered twenty dollars a ton for it. Van Horne apparently did the proper thing and did not exceed instructions.

June 26. General Garcia with three thousand Cuban insurgents landed at Juragua by American transports.

The troops comprising the third expedition to Manila embarked at San Francisco.

The sloop Isabel arrived at Key West flying the Cuban flag. On her were Capt. Rafael Mora, Lieut. Felix de los Rios and four others of the Cuban army, carrying sealed dispatches from the Cuban government to Señor T. Estrada Palma, of the New York junta.

The U. S. dynamite cruiser Vesuvius shelled the fortifications at the entrance to Santiago harbour.

The water-supply of Santiago cut off by the American forces.

A Spanish fleet entered the harbour of Port Said, Egypt, at the head of the Suez Canal, on the twenty-sixth. It was composed of:

Battle-ship Pelayo, Admiral Camara’s flag-ship.

Armoured cruiser Emperador Carlos V.

Auxiliary cruiser Patriota, equipped with twelve guns, and carrying troops and marines.

Auxiliary cruiser Buenos Ayres, equipped with ten guns, and carrying stores and a few troops.

Torpedo destroyer Audaz.

Armed merchantman Isla de Pany, equipped with two guns, and carrying stores and a few troops.

Auxiliary cruiser Rapido, equipped with twelve guns.

Steamship Colon, unarmed and with no troops.

Torpedo destroyer Proserpina.

Torpedo-boat destroyer Osada.

Transport Covadonga, carrying no guns.

Collier San Francisco.

June 27. The United States government, determined to delay, if possible, the progress of the fleet toward the Philippines, instructed its consul to protest to the English government against the coaling of the fleet at Port Said. In response to such protest the Egyptian government refused Admiral Camara’s request to buy coal, and also refused to allow him to hire a hundred and fifty native stokers.

The U. S. transport Yale, laden with troops, arrived at Daiquiri.

The President sent to Congress the following messages:

“To the Congress of the United States: – On the morning of the third of June, 1898, Assistant Naval Constructor Richmond P. Hobson, U. S. N., with a volunteer crew of seven men, in charge of the partially dismantled collier Merrimac, entered the fortified harbour of Santiago, Cuba, for the purpose of sinking the collier in the narrowest portion of the channel and thus interposing a serious obstacle to the egress of the Spanish fleet, which had recently entered that harbour.

“This enterprise, demanding coolness, judgment and bravery amounting to heroism, was carried into successful execution in the face of a persistent fire from the hostile fleet as well as from the fortifications on shore. Rear-Admiral Sampson, commander-in-chief of our naval force in Cuban waters, in an official report addressed to the Secretary of the Navy, referring to Mr. Hobson’s gallant exploit, says:

“ ‘I decided to make the harbour entrance secure against the possibility of egress of the Spanish ships by obstructing the narrow part of the entrance, by sinking a collier at that point.

“ ‘Mr. Hobson, after several days consideration, presented a solution which he considered would ensure the immediate sinking of the ship when she had reached the desired point in the channel. The plan contemplated a crew of only seven men, and Mr. Hobson begged that it might be entrusted to him.

“ ‘I cannot myself too earnestly express my appreciation of the conduct of Mr. Hobson and his gallant crew. I venture to say that a more brave and daring thing has not been done since Cushing blew up the Albemarle.’

“The members of the crew who were with Mr. Hobson on the memorable occasion have already been rewarded for their services by advancement, which, under the provisions of law and regulation, the Secretary of the Navy was authorised to make; and the nomination to the Senate of Naval Cadet Powell, who, in a steam launch, followed the Merrimac on her perilous trip, for the purpose of rescuing her force after the sinking of that vessel, to be advanced in rank to the grade of ensign, has been prepared and will be submitted.

“Cushing, with whose gallant act in blowing up the Albemarle, during the civil war, Admiral Sampson compares Mr. Hobson’s sinking of the Merrimac, received the thanks of Congress upon recommendation of the President, by name, and was in consequence, under the provisions of Section 1,508 of the Revised Statutes, advanced one grade, such advancement embracing fifty-six numbers. The section cited applies, however, to line officers only, and Mr. Hobson, being a member of the staff of the navy, could not, under the provisions, be so advanced.

“In considering the question of suitably rewarding Assistant Naval Constructor Hobson for his valiant conduct on the occasion referred to, I have deemed it proper to address this message to you with the recommendation that he receive the thanks of Congress, and further that he be transferred to the line of the navy and promoted to such position therein as the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, may determine.

“Mr. Hobson’s transfer from the construction corps to the line is fully warranted, he having received the necessary technical training as a graduate of the naval academy, where he stood number one in his class, and such action is recommended partly in deference to what is understood to be his own desire, although, he being a prisoner now in the hands of the enemy, no direct communication on the subject has been received from him, and partly for the reason that the abilities displayed by him at Santiago are of such a character as to indicate especial fitness for the duties of the line.

    “William McKinley.
    “Executive Mansion, June 27.”

The second message was as follows:

“To the Congress of the United States: – On the eleventh day of May, 1898, there occurred a conflict in the bay of Cardenas, Cuba, in which the naval torpedo-boat Winslow was disabled, her commander wounded, and one of her officers and a part of her crew killed by the enemy’s fire.

“In the face of a most galling fire from the enemy’s guns the revenue cutter Hudson, commanded by First Lieut. Frank H. Newcomb, U. S. Revenue Cutter Service, rescued the disabled Winslow and her wounded crew. The commander of the Hudson kept his vessel in the very hottest fire of the action, although in constant danger of going ashore on account of the shallow water, until he finally got a line made fast to the Winslow, and towed that vessel out of range of the enemy’s guns, a deed of special gallantry.

“I recommend that, in recognition of the signal act of heroism of First Lieut. Frank H. Newcomb, U. S. Revenue Cutter Service, above set forth, the thanks of Congress be extended to him and to his officers and men of the Hudson, and that a gold medal of honour be presented to Lieutenant Newcomb, a silver medal of honour to each of his officers, and a bronze medal of honour to each member of his crew who served with him at Cardenas.

    (Signed) “William McKinley.”

The President also sent the following special nomination to Congress: