The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-22
CRUISE OF THE ST. LOUIS
EXTRACTS FROM THE LOG OF A
SCOUT SHIP AND CABLE CUTTER.
BIanco's Means of Communication
with Madrid Severed Under Fire
Capture of the Twickenham.

OFF SANTIAGO DE CUBA, on board the
United States cruiser St. Louis. June A.
Following are interesting extracts from the
log of the second cruise of this ship, once
one of the cracks of the American line
Monday, May 30-Captain Goodrich re-
ceived urgent orders 10 proceed to sea- 3
p m, finished taking on stores and coal:
cast OFF from the American line pier and
proceeded down the bay. Passed Sandy
Hook lightship and steered south. Marines
ousily engaged placing four extra guns re-
ceived in position; crew assisting and clear
ing up ship
Tuesday, May BIO a. M, Albert Turn,
cook, was found missing every search was
made without finding any trace of him;
supposed he must have jumped overheard
while temporarily insane.
Friday, June 81 a. M, sighted the fleet
IN santiago bay; a. m, arrived alongside
Captain Goodrich went on board to confer
with the admiral and the captains of the
other shirs.
Saturday, June 4-Shortly after midnight
we proceeded at full speed. An alarm was
slgnaled that the torpedo boat was escap
ing. We found later that it was a train
running over the trestle work close to the
waters edge: Several shots were fired from
rhe ships or the feet. a. M, received orders
from the admiral TO proceed at once for
Guantanamo. the Marblehead and Yankee
70 accompany us. Left about II D. m. The
manded
Sunday, June SIS a. M, arrived at Guam
tanamo found no Marblehead or Yankee
mere; returned and arrived off Santiago at
a. M; found fleet as usual doing nothing
IN particular. p. m, left with dispatches
for Mole ST. Nicholas.
Monday, June 6-Arrived at Mole ST.
Nichoias, received dispatches on board and
left al once for Santiago, fourteen miles;
arrived at twenty minutes past 0 p. M, aft
er being chased by torpedo boat Porter,
her commander taking us for an enemy I'M
I'll we fired. Then she showed her night sig
nals L:5o D. M, received orders from the
admiral to proceed at once to Guantanamo
tuesday, June $50 a. M. arrived at
guantanamo; fouEd Marblehead and Yankee
waiting for ME. We led the way into the
fhiarnor, feeling our way with the lead, Mar
biehead and Yankee following all three
snlps firing from both sides until reaching
swallow water. The Marblehead and Yam
Kee, being OF an inch less draught, passed
US ana, feeling their way around the point
ana IN range of the fort and gunboats
opened their batteries with full force five
were worth. In the meantime the ST. Louis
Kept up a constant fire with her six-pound-
ers, the crew with rifles and revolver. par
ticularly the black watch" under Mr.
Walls, chief engineer of the ST. Louis. the
OBJECT being to grappe and cut the cable
running to Santiago (old friends of May 49,
Wnen the Marblehead had gained the point
inside the harbor her shells set fire to some
works ard in a very short time the whole
village was in a blaze. The loghouse on the
hill was also in blaze and fell in When
the st. Louis got in position she lowered
her grapple over the starboard side and
steamed slowly across the harbor. In a
cable. However, in hauling it in the grapnel
broke. Then they lowered another and
commenced over again and in very short
time the mems hopes We're realized; the
cable was grappled again, successfully
hauled in, cut and destroyed. Such a hearty
cheer the officers and men gave. The cable
reached the forecastle head at / p. m. At
this time. two insurgents were observed on
the beach waving a Cuban flag. Captain
Goodrich called for a volunteer crew to
man two boats. Instantly the hands of the
officers and crew were held up. in some
cases both hands being held in the air the
marines all being anxious to go. The boat
was manned by the third officer, six men
Lieutenant Catlin and six marines-and in
less than no time they We're on shore and
the two Cubans. half starved creatures, the
youngest captain in the Cuban army, the
other of the negro type, sent by their com
mander with two others who had not
reached the beach when they left. and had
nndlng the means of reaching ship to
convey the information that he was there
with his command and only required day
notice to be at any given point they might
be required. We gave them four white suits
complete with other clothing and heaps of
1000 and it was most pitiful to see the
raVenouS way in which they clutched and
ate 1t. Captain McCalla took them on board
the Marblehead and shortly afterward land
ed them where we saw their two comrades
waiting for them. The st. Louis was Crap
ping all this time, steamng slowly across
the harbor for the cable running from
guantanamo to the Mole ST. Nicholas,
Haiti. About a quarter to Z o'clock such a
cheer came from the forecastle head. The
second cable was hauled in sight making
the st. Louiss third battle one grand sue
cess, cutting two cables in one day under
fire. After cutting the second cable Captain
Goodrich wished Captain McCalla, of the
Marblehead, and Captain Brownson, of the
Yankee, goodbye and the st. Louis started
on mission of her own. Captain Good
rich, Captain Randall and the officers and
crew Of the st. Louis. Captain McCalla and
the. officers and crew of the Marblehead
and Captain Brownson and the officers and
crew of the Yankee with the naval reserve
deserve great credit for the cool, brave
manner in which they assisted each other
the latter two ships keeping the forts en-
ployed while the st. Louis was graphing
for the cable.
Thursday, June 9-Cruising off Morant
point, Jamaica, at 2:30 a. M; sighted a
steamer; bore down to her, put search
lights to bear on her. and, when abeam
meaning that she must heave to. Read her
name distinctly. "Twickenham. of London .
the prize we were looking for. laden with
coal for the Spanish fleet. She came to al
once We lowered our boat and Ensign
Payne and boats crew and six marines
boarded her and brought the. captain on
derstand that he was laden with coal con-
signed to himself. in his own name for any
port in the West Indies when was his best
market. He made the best case he could
for his owners, but could not tell satisfac-
torily who his owners were. From informa-
ton received the coal was put on board or
Spanish account and for the feet now locked
up in Santiago harbor: therefore, he could
not get this cargo to them. He went into
Martinique and saw the Spanish admiral
who no doubt wanted him to land and sell
the coal. This the French authorities would
not allow. Then he sailed for Jamaica, in.
tending to land the coal there: thus we
were here to intercept him. which we have
done. and put prize crew on board CON
sisting of Ensign Payne, Midshipman Good.
rich. two engineers, six fremen, six sailors
and six marines all armed to the teeth
with instructions to keep in company with
us to Santiago to report the case to Ad-
miral Sampson. Ensign Payne signaled that
he found on board a Spanish officer. Capt
Goodrich signaled back, Search him foI
papers, then confine him." The captain oil
the steamer concealed this fact In that
case the ship will be confscated as well as
the cargo; This is great streak of good
luck for the st. Louis. Since being in com
off Haiti. at Santiago and has now secured