Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-11
The Present Tro, b. There Recalls
the Virginins Affair.
A NAVAL OFFICERS "REMINISCENCES
How Near It Came to War With
Spain.
A BIG FLEET SENT DOWN


now that she was when the affair of the
virginius came so near plunging this
country into a war with SPAIN" reminis-
Gently remarked a naval officer to Star
reporter at the Navy Department today.
Indeed" he continued, 1.-The country has
never been SO near the verge of actual
war with a foreign foe since the invasion
of Mexico. Yes, / remember the affair
with Chile over the killing Of the sailors of
the Baltimore. That was a pretty close
brush, I'll admit, and the action taken by
President Harrison in concentrating the
navy and providing the sinews of war
showed that he meant business, and would
stand no nonsense. Happily, that affair
was settled honorably to both nations
without resort to arms, but We were not
quite so near actual hostilities at that time
as we were when We heard of the whole
sale slaughter of American citizens at
Santiago de Cuba in the year 1873. Tell
you about it? Well. 1 don't remember all
the circumstances very clearly, but I'll do
the best 1 can. What impressed ME most
was the action Of the naval forces in exc
cution of the demands of the United States
government in satisfaction of its insulted
dignity. Grant was then President and
Robson Secretary Of the Navy. and In
consequence Of their orders the whole
available force of the navy was assembled
at the Key West rendezvous early in the
spring of 1874.
The Virginius Affair.
THE occasion of the concentration of
such a large force of warships in the
waters near the Cuban coast was the
seizure of an American ship and the sum-
| mary execution, WITHOUT trial, of a number
of American citizens on the ground that
they were 7flibusters. They were seized on
the steamer Virginius, a vessel flying the
tod Mt xt-hi n, had
iarly cleared from the port of New York.
l don't know whether they had hostile
intentions toward the Spanish g)vernm emit
or not, but l rather suspect that to be the
case. There was an insurrection or an up
rising of some kind in progress in Cuba at
the time. Such things happen there very
often, you know. The prevailing .nsurrec-
ton reminded me of the Eirginius affair
as that occurred during similar uprising
in 1873 Soldiers of fortune gathered
there at that time in large numbers, and
got arms and ammunition the best way
they could. The Virginius was captured
and taken into Santiago de Cuba. To what
extent trial was given her officers, pas
sengers and crew don't know. but at any
rate her captain and many others were
shot. I've forgotten the number. The re-
mainder were confined in a joint. During
the rumpus the Juniata, in command of
Commander Braine, and rhe Wyoming, in
command of Commander Gushing. We're in
the vicinity of Cuba. The Juniata vas
actually in the harbor of Santiago de Cuba
at the time of the execution. When mat
tiers reached that point both nations looked
upon war as certainty. Through diplo-
matte intercession. however, protocol was
adopted. by which the Spanish govern ment
agreed to deliver up the Virginius.
FOundered in n Gale on Hatterns.
THE protocol was forwarded to Scott,
the commanding American admiral at Key
West The protocol called for the delivery
Of the Virginius to the naval representa-
tive, who was ordered to receive her. and,
to my best recollection, a national salute
was to be fired. The Virginius was to be
delivered up at Bahia Honda with the
United States ensign flying. She was re-
| ceived by Commander w. d. Whiting, the
blind commodore the former chief of the
bureau Of navigation, who died recently.
he took passage from Key West to Be-
| Hondo in the United States Despatch,
| which a few years ago was wrecked on
| Assateague shoals, Virginia. The Vir-
sinius was brought to Tortugas. outside Of
Key West, coaled from coaling schooner
| which had been lowed out from Key West
| by the Ossipee. and started on her way to
New York to have her case adjudicated in
an admiralty court Owing to the condi-
| ton of the machinery of the Virginius she
was taken in tow by the Ossipee That
| vessel acted as both tow and convoy. The
Nirginius never reached New York. She
| was foundered in a gale of wind off Hat
| teraS. My recollection is that Commander
john Walters commanded the Ossipee
| Lieut.. Commander Woodroe was in COM
mand of the VirGinius when she was lost,
| and Ensign Colhoun and Midshipmen I'm
derwood and Tyler were the other officers
with him. When the weather got bad the
vessel took water rapidly, and it was found
| impossible to save her. Signals were sent
| to the Ossipee, and the officers and crew
were taken off. No lives were lost.
A Big Naval Fleet.