The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1897-07-21
HOBSON At LIBERTY.
Exchanged for q Number a,
Spaniards.
TAKEN on BOARD THE NEW YORK
Merrimae Heroes Given a Royal Wa
come by the Army and Navy Under
Escort OF Captain Chadwick,

OF Juragua (via Kingston, Jamaica,
Assistant Naval Constructor Ricb.
mond p. HobsOn Of the flagship New
York and the seven seamen who. with
him, sailed the collier Merrimac into
the channel OF the harbor of SANTIAGO
de Cuab on June Sth last and sunk
her there, have been surrendered hv
the Spanish military authorities in ex.
change for prisoners captured by the
American forces.
HObson and his men were escorted
through the American lines by Captain
Chadwick OF the New York, who was
awaiting them. Every step of their
journey was marked by the widest
demonstrations on the part of the
American soldiers, who threw aside ALI
semblance of order, scrambled ont Of
the intrenchments, knocked over tent
guys and other camp paraphernalia in
their eagerness to see the returning
heroes, and sent up cheer after cheer
for the men who had passed safely
through the jaws of death to serve
their country.
The same scenes of enthusiasm were
repeated upon the arrival of the men
at the hospital station and our base at
Juragua. Hobson, who reached there
in advance Of his companions, was
taken on board the New York imme-
diately. The fiagship's deck was lined
with officers and men, and as Hobson
clambered up her side and stepped on
board his vessel the harbor rang with
the cheers of his comrades, which were
re-echoed by the crews of a dozen
transports lying near by.
The Spanish authorities consented to
exchange Hobson and his men, and a
truce was established for the purpose.
The place selected for the exchange
was under tree between the American
and Spanish lines, two-thirds of mile
beyond the intrenchments occupied BY
Colonel Woods Rough Riders, near
General Wheeler's headquarters and in
the centre OF the American line.
The American prisoners left the
Reina Mercedes Hospital, on the out.
skirts of the city, where they had had
been confined, in charge of Major Irles,
Spanish staff officer, who speaks
English perfectly. The prisoners were
conducted to the meeting place on foot,
but were not blindfolded.
Colonel John Jacob Astor and Lieu.
tenant Milloy accompanied by Inter-
prefer Maestro, were in charge of the
Spanish prisoners. These consisted of
Lieutenants Amelio Volez and Aure-
Illus, a German belonging to the
Twenty-ninth Regular Infantry, who
were captured at Ell Caney, and Lieu
tenant Adolph Aries of the First Pro.
visional Regiment of Barcelona. one
OF the most aristocratic military organ
lzations OF the Spanish army, and four
teen non-commisisoned officials and a
private. Liutenant Aries and a num-
Der OF men were wounded in the fight
at I'll Caney. The Spanish prisoners
were taken through the American lines
mounted and blindfolded. The meet
ing between Colonel Astor and Major
lrles was extremely courteous, but very
formal, and no attempt was made by
either OF them to discuss anything but
the matter in hand.
MAJOR Tries was given his choice of
three Lieutenants in exchange for
Hobson, and was also informed that he
could have all of the fourteen men in
exchange for the American sailors.
The Spanish officers selected Lieuten-
ant Aries, and the two other Spanish
officers were conducted back to Jura-
qua. 1t was then not later than 4
O'Clock, and just as everything was
finished and the two parties were
separating, Irles truned and said, cour-
teously enough, but in a tone which
indicated considerable defiance and
gave his hearers the impression that he
desire hostilities to be renewed at once:
Our understanding, gentlemen, is
that this truce comes to an end at 5
o'clock"
Colonel Astor looked at his watch,
bowed to the Spanish officer without
making reply, and then started back
slowly to the American lines with
Hobson and his companions.
The meeting of the two parties and
the exchange of prisoners had taken
place in full view of both the Ameri.
can and Spanish soldiers, who were
intrenched near the meeting place.
and the keenest interest was taken i'm
the episode.