The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-07-23
Letter from Harry Huber.
The following letter was received by his
brother, Winter d. Huber, on Monday last:
U. S. FLAG SHIP New YORK,

The following letter was received by his
brother, Winter D. Huber, on Monday last
U. S. FLAG SHIP New YORK,
OFF SANTIAGO, CUBA, July 9th, 1893 !
DEAR BRoTHER.-I wrote you on Monday
last; at my first convenience since | write
again.
Yesterday we went down to the place where
the Spanish ships were run aground. They
We're all still burning in the forward part.
They are beached in the following order
lnfanta Maria Teresa. Almirante Oquendo and
| Vizcaya.
was one of the crew of the New York's
| boat that was sent over to the Infanta Maria
Teresa. She was all burned out Everything
in her had dropped down to the bottom of the
hull. Two thirteen-inch shells struck her,
besides great many smaller shot, as she was
full of holes. A number of dead Spaniards,
or parts of them rather, could be seen floating
through the wreck. The next ship we went
to was the Almirante Oquendo. Her condi-
ton was as bad as the Maria Teresa, except
that the heat had exploded her torpedoes and
had blown off a couple of her armor plates.
Her turrets and the guns in them are all right.
A shell from one of our ships struck one of
her turret doors, killing every man inside.
Our steam launch brought off the Oquendo's
iron safe. While our boys were getting it out
of the wreck one of her guns went off. As
no one was near it at the time the impression
is that the explosion was caused by the heat
The safe is now aboard the New York but it
has not yet been opened. All around the
ships and near the beach were numerous dead
bodies of the Spanish sailors floating i'll the
water The Cuban insurgents We're equally
as numerous on the beach. These patriotic
soldiers had captured two Spanish sailors,
tied them with ropes to trees, intending, no
doubt, to kill them when they were ready.
We released them. They are now in 1.-THE
brig" or lookup on our ship.
About 1000 prisoners from the Spanish ships
are now aboard the Harvard The boys on
the Harvard had some trouble with them at
first, but after shooting seven f them, |
think, they went aft on the quarter deck and
recognized the division between them nd the
crew in the shape of a rope drawn across the
ship.
In a former letter spoke of the officer who
came aboard the New York announcing the
capture of Hobson. In the fight the other
day he received bad wound in the arm and
is now in the hospital ship SOlace.
Our people have saved the two torpedo boat
destroyers-the Pluton and the Furor. Both
of them are now being put in order.
The army is losing heavily. ! herewith
enclose you IL copy of the bulletin, one of
which is issued every day. They are printed
aboard our ship.
Some days before the fight on the 26th OF
June, while coaling ship from
collier alongside it was found that one of the
plates on the collier had cracked, thus threat.
ening her loss. Word was Immediately passed
for all the New York crew on board the collier
to come aboard their own ship. One OF our
men in attempting to Jump from the collier to
our Ship slipped and fell. He was drawn
under by the suction caused by the motion of
the two ships and he never rose again.
Say to Papa that received the atlas that
he sent me and that it has helped to settle
many discussions.
Concerning my health | don't want any one
to have any alarm. | had been sick some
time ago with a decided fever and heavy
cold, but | am we'll now, and have been long
time.
| received the writing paper while | was on
the sick list and very glad to get 1t. Con-
corning relics and curiosities they are hard to
get except on shore and there we never get.
The army does the land work, i'll the way of
taking forts and towns, still | have few
which I am saving until come home again.
From your brother Harry.
SQUADRON BULLETIN.
L. ). FLAGSHIP NEW YORK, J
OFF SANTIAGO DE CUBA, CUBA,
FRIDAY, July /, 1898.
The Army had very serious work of it today, los
ing heavily in killed and wounded, officers partic-
ularly suffering. The total Of killed and wounded
is probably thousand.
A demonstration made by Michigan volun-
teer regiment towards Aguadores in the forenoon
The Navy requested to assist beginning at
daylight, but the troops which came by rail to
within a mile and Il half Of Aguadores did not all
arrive until about go The vicinity was shelled
by the New York the Suwanee and the Gloucester.
There one in the old fort on which Spanish
flag has been SO long displayed and varying num-
Der of the enemy DC to 20) counted from time
to time in the rifle pits on the hill. These disap-
peared firing began, A corner of the fort was
knocked off and the flagstaff was knocked down by
the suwanee, which was allowed three shots in
which to do it. The second shot tore the centre
from the flag and the third knocked down the staff.
Desultory firing kept up between the Spanish
from the wood adjoining the rife-pit, and about
noon small field piece was brought down the
gorge which fired four or five times The New
York on observing this, enfiladed the gorge, firing
several 80 shell and number of a.. No firing by
the enemy was observed after this. Itwas reported
that the troops had two men killed and several
wounded They returned to Sibouney about 1890
The New York and oregon fired number of 80
shell over the hills in the direction of Santiago and
the ships i'll the Bay, using range of from 80 to
lila