The Boys of '98 Part 24

The American government protested a draft drawn by its consul at St.

Thomas, D. W. I., under circ.u.mstances 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.(29)

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 Senor T.

Estrada Palma, of the New York junta.

The U. S. dynamite cruiser _Vesuvius_ sh.e.l.led the fortifications at the entrance to Santiago harbour.(30)

The water-supply of Santiago cut off by the American forces.(31)

A Spanish fleet entered the harbour of Port Said, Egypt, at the head of the Suez Ca.n.a.l, 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.(32)

The President sent to Congress the following messages:

"_To the Congress of the United States_:-On the morning of the third of June, 1898, a.s.sistant 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 sh.o.r.e.

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:

[Ill.u.s.tration: ADMIRAL CAMARA.]

"'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 a.s.sistant 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 cla.s.s, 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 ash.o.r.e 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."