The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-08-09

their faces alongside The particular piece
| Of duty they had 10 perform. Two were
| stationed by the anchor gear, and Others
| by the torpedoes, while two were in the
engine room. The directions were that no
man should pay any attention TO the FIRE
| Of the enemy. 1t was agreed and under
stood by ALL that they should not even
| look up over their shoulders to see where
the firing came from, that. as the shots
fell. they should pay no attention to them.
If man was wounded he was to give no
attention TO it. but to place himself in a
sitting-kneeling posture, in a posture that
when the signal was given each man. if
wounded, could perform his simple duty;
and. friends they lay there. each man at
his post. until the little duty of each was
performed
And 1 may tell you that five out of the
seven torpedoes that were attached to
the ship had been shot away, the steer
ing gear had also been shot away, and the
projectiles that were being hurled at US
came more as a continuous stream than
as individual projectiles. Yet those Jack
les lay there without moving, each one
ready to do his duty as he had been in
structed. Then again, when the duty was
done and the boys had assembled at the
rendezvous on the quarterback when the
vessel began to sink slowly, because there
were only two remaining torpedoes out
of the seven, the other five and the star
board quarter anchor having been shot
away, TO be exploded to sink the ship,
the sailors remained there without stir
ring. For ten minutes the group stood
there, amid perfect rain of horizontal
fire from the enemy's vessels in the 7lar-
Dor and from the batteries. when it was
only question Of death in the next
projectile. or the next. or the next. or
else of being struck with some of the
fragments. They stood quietly on the
deck grinding underneath them.
This simple order was given, No man
move until further orders If there was
ever a moment when the order 'sauve qui
peut'-every man for himself, jump over
board get away from this, was justifiaHe
it was al this time. But not man budged
prolonged cheers for Jackie A few
minutes later when this same group was
in the water clinging, with their heads
just above water, to the catamaran, when
the enemy's picket boats came peering
round with their lanterns in the endeavor
to find something living, when the impulse
was strong to give up and swim to the
bank, the same order was given, No man
move until further orders and there for
nearly an hour these men stayed-every
one.
when that afternoon, the same after
noon of the sinking of the Merrimac. by
the kindness of the gallant commander
in, ;-f oF
(cheers-the effects of the sailors were
brought off from their ship, by a boat
that went out under flag of truce, 70
tell of their safety, one of the men. in
distributing these effects, was allowed
to come over to my cell. This man
Charette was his name-was the spokes-
man of the others, and after referring
to what they had been through during
the night, he said: We would do 1t over
again tonight, sir tremendous cheers)-'
Next day, when il seemed that perhaps a
remnant of the inquisition was to be ap-
piled to get information from the pris-
oners, to ascertain what was the name
of the ship that had been sunk-whether
it was a battleship with a crew of I'VE
hundred or six hundred. Impertinent
questions were put 10 the prisoners, and
soldiers coming along would make sig
nificant signs like this (here the lieuten-
ant drew his hand across his throat, at
which our seamen merely laughed Qaugh-
teri. That was a fact (cheers). Charette,
who speaks French, was the spokesman
Of our party, and he was asked by the
major who had charge Of US. What was
the object of your coming in here? Char
cite drew himself up and replied. In
the United States it IS not the custom
for the sailors to know or 10 ask 10 know
the object of his superior officers
lcheers).'
Now. friends, II you will draw the
proper deduction and regard there men
as simply types Of the whole feet, II YOU
viii properly look upon this little Incl
dent Of the Merrimac as a simple indica-
tiQn Of the material in the feet, whose
whole personnel was willing and ready
and is always willing and ready 10 do
any work or duty. whatever be its end;
when you make this proper deduction and
consider these little features which
have related, an accurate and more or
less complete idea Of the American sailor
viii have been obtajntd Qoud cheers.
My experience with the soldier has
been limited and restricted. but I re-
Gently saw his behavior under such con-
ditons as conveyed TO my mind proper
estimate Of the American soldier. From
my prison window in Santiago 7 was
able 10 see the advance of all our troops. /
My cell overlooked the Spanish intrench-
ments. I had seen them plant their ar
ulie-y and dig their trenches. On July
> the battle opened. and I watched it
with breathless interest. and I wish to
refer 70 cer-a!n features % .hat aav