The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-08-11
HOSTING THE FLAG,
.Ths RAlsING or THE. FIRST U. 8. EN-
6ilN ON CUBAN BOIL.

the RAISING or THE. FIRST U, 8. EN-
90. siaN ON CUBAN BOIL.
Ono Of the Abarenda Grow Writer homo .
Graphic Description OF the Undertaking
Six Hundred Marines Carried the Exuip'
mont Ups Hill to = Captured Biockhouse'
william Woodland Roberts, q former
employe Of the Lake Shore passenger
department. has written letter home
to his parents in New York from Guam
tanamo. He IL on board the U. 8. s.
.Abareda, having offered his services
to the government directly following
the Maine disaster. He took part in
hosting the first United States nag
raised on Cuban soil, and gives q
graphic description Of the undertaking.
U. 8. 8. Abarenda, Guantanamo.
Juns 10, 1S9s.-Dear Father: am
well and hope you are all well at home.
It II rather warm down here now, the
thermometer in my room registering
101. believe the last time you heard
from me 1 was in Santiago De Cuba,
but we left there on the 9Th Of June
md arrived here on the 9th Of June.
The Oregon came down with US and
came alonsside to coal up, and left
that night to join the blockading
feet The Porter. torpedo boat, was
on the port side, but she. also left to
Join the fleet. The next day, June 10.
the Dolphin, a dispatch boat, came up
on the starboard side and the Vixen, a
scout boat, on the port side. About
noon the Vixen had to drop astern to
make room for the Marblehead, . gun.
boat, to come alongside to coal and to
get oil.
All three left at night and came
alongside the next day, the Dolphin
moving out to make room for the
Texas, thus enabling her to coal.
On the 10th the Panther, troor
ship, came in, escorted by the Yose.
mite, an auxiliary cruiser, and landed
900 marines on the south side Of the
harbor. where the feet had driven the
Spaniards back into the hills away
from the cable station and blockhouse
This marines carted the equipment ~
the hill 10 the bl0ckhouse Tor rather
what was left Of ~ and pitched camp
They were getting along nicely and had
just begun to eat supper when the out.
posts were nred upon, which was just
at the time I landed in charge OF three
men with a boat loaded with six BIG
hogsheads Of water for them, and with
Capt Deauford's compliments to Col.
Huntington, was to turn the water
over to him. I had two men remain
by the boat, and taking the other with
me, started up the hill. When we
reached the top the lead was whistling
all around US. asked a picket where
the colonel could be found, and was
told that he had led three companies
to the spot from whence the firing had
come and was still coming. Seeing
Capt. Russell, the senior officer in tho
camp, turned the water over to him.
He was very pleasant and heartily
thanked US for the water and explain
ed to us that the attack had been made
on the southern end Of the camp, and
before he could say more the Spaniards
began firing on the east of where we
were standing looking south, and he
was compelled to lead company Of
men to repulse them. I then started
down hill, as l could be of no use to
them, having only side arms, the
other men having no arms Of any de-
scription, and went to the beach. We
left our boat with the casks in 1t and
put of in the Marblehead's boat, which
had been sent for us.
The fighting was kept up all night
and has been going on ever since, the
Marblehead helping by throwing s.
inch sheels andshrapnel above our men |
into the Spaniards in the hills The
next day, June II, again went ashore |
with a message and was once more un-
der fire without having an opportunity
Of returning 1t, being unarmed.
again put back to the ship. They
had 1t hot and heavy that night, we
having only 600 men, while they have
about 1900, with the privilege of draw
ing on the re-enforcements in the hills
and surrounding towns. They just
poster the life out Of our boys as they
have been under constant fire for forty
eight hours. The 18th of June was the
proudest day Of my life. In the morning
wa nr0curod ono ~ o,r hoot ,,o,, |
(small sailing boat) and a jibboom aud
made Flagstaff, rigging 1t up with hal
yards and stays; we then brought forth
"Old Glory" and put it in the boat and
made the Flagstaff fast astern for tow
Ing. Lieut.. Jenkins, Ensign Aims
worth, Chief Quartermaster w. w.
Chief Yeoman r. P. Tomlin-
son, Chief Boatswain's Mate E. Carter
and First Glass Master alarms J. A.
Allen then got into our gig, the last
named four each pulling an oar, and
took the boat ashore.
Carter and Tomlinson carried the
pole up hill, Jenkins the flag, Aims
worth the halyards and two stakes,
Allen the forward stakes, and myself
.wo stakes and the other two stays.
We proceeded to the summit of the
hill and dug a hole to step the staff
INTO. then stopped 1t while Carter
ind Tomlinson raised It. Allen, Tom
inson and Roberts each had one of
he three stays and made them fast,
went to the south with nipS Tom.
inson went to the north with his and
Allen went to the east with his We
made the stays fast and then stood I'D
alongside the Flagstaff while Adjutant
Draper Of Col. Huntingtongs staff,
Lieut.. Jenkins Of the United States
teamer Abarenda and Ensign Aims
worth Of the Abarenda had the honor
Il hosting the first American flag on
he island Of Cuba.
We four petty officers stood at pre-
ent arms while 1t was being hoisted
nd the marines and men .of-war's
nen ashore and on the Texas, Marble
ead and other boats yelled them
Al hoo Ia