The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-08-27
WeStminSter's Sailor Boy at Home on a
Weeks FurlOugh-What He Says
About the War In Cuba.

WeStminSter's Sailor Boy at Home On a
Weeks FurlOugh-What He Says
About the War In Cuba.
! Harry Roger Huber on a furlough of seven
days returned to his old home on Wednesday
morning last. The young sailor Looks well,
| notwithstanding the rough experiences under
gone by him in the Spanish war, which con-
tinued nearly four months. He will return
on Tuesday next. In the matter of the dis
cussion concerning Sampson and Schley, about
which so much to his surprise too, he has
found at home, he says that more or less
jealousy, the common feeling among sailors,
exists between the crews of the different ships
and this was particularly true of the feeling
between the Brooklyn and the flag ship.
Harry says the Brooklyn wanted to claim
everything. Before the Spanish fleet attempt
ed its escape each ship had its orders, which
orders came from Admiral Sampson. These
orders were carried out. When Cevera start
ed on his fatal race the New York was with
in signalling distance and the signal from the
New York was Immediately to "close in. -
Harry says that he was on deck at the time,
and that both fleets could be plainly seen
from the New York's deck This order to
''close m from Admiral Sampson was i'm
mediately obeyed. His ship at the time was
off Siboney, about three miles away. The
Admiral was about going ashore Tor an inter
view with General Shafter Of the army. The
New York has eight boilers, the fires under
six of them being banked at this particular
time When the Spanish Admiral came out
the New York could only make about four
knots an hour, about 4! miles. In about half
an hour the New York was under forced
draught, making about IL knots, and on her
way to the fight and after the Colon, accom-
panied by the Brooklyn and the Oregon.
The Colon was run ashore about the time
that the hsg-ship reached her. Prize crews
from the New York, Brooklyn and Oregon
were put aboard the Spaniard, but were at
forwards removed when it was found that the
captured ship could not be kept ahoat.
The New York that night left the scene
and returned to Santiago. The next day.
Harry says. his ship returned to the fighting
ground Of the day before to ascertain the con
dtion Of the Theresa and the Oquemdn that
had been beached and were still burning.
One of the Oquendo's torpedoes, supposed to
have been struck by one Of our shells, had
exploded and had blown off a great portion
of her bow. The Theresa was III better
shape. she had only few holes in her, but IL
rock upon which she had run had knocked Il
big hole in her bottom.
One of the most horrible sights was the
numerous killed and drowned SpaniardS to
be seen everywhere in and around these two
ships. Besides, as the New York was lying
near the Theresa-the former ships propeller
revolving all the time, it brought to the sur
face a number of the Spanish seamen, who
had gone down with their ships the day be-
fore. Among the crew that went aboard the
| Theresa to tighten her was Harry. For Il
whole day they were engaged III removing
the heavy anchor chains for the purpose Of
| Tightening her bow under which was the big
| hole made by the rock. The Theresa will
probably be saved. Harry observed that one
of the gun shields had been pierced bya shell
from one of our ships. The decks, which
were made of wood, and the lighter ma
tera on them, had gone down into the bot
! tom of the hold in an undistlngulshabie
! wreck.
In the bombardment Of San Juan the New
| York lost one man killed and two wounded.
| A piece OF the she'll that did this Harry has
! brought home with him, as also piece OF the
flag of the Spanish prize ship Pedro. piece
of wood from the Admiral's barge of the i'll
fated Maine; from the same ship, Il clip
containing five cartridgeS-a part OF clip OF
Mauser cartridges Spanish from the Refine
| Mercedes. One of the most interesting is IL
marine sword, bayonet taken from the Oquen-
do, parts OF Two signal flags from the RENE
Mercedes.
|
who with Hobson sunk the Merrimac i'll the
narrow strait in front of Santiago. He was
one of the New York'S crew. He was the
| Captain Of Harry gun. Harry says that 1t
not true that Causen Struggled himself aboard
the Merrimac as some reports have 1t. He
heard Clausen himself say that he had Hob
! son 5 consent to go with him. ClauSen was
an intelligent man and about 30 years old.
Blockading duty had no charms for the
impetuouS sailor boys 1t was too monoton-
Gus, and the boys grew heartily tired OF 1t.
! No lights were allowed and the strcteSt watch
was always enjoined. He has poor opinion
of the Spanish sailors, most of whom were
rather hard looking set. Their heads were
shaved and there was Il decided absence OF
! the neatness that is observable in the uniform
of the American sailor. Many Of the Spanish
| officers were extremely cruel TO their men.
| When the poor fellows fell at their guns there
they were left uncared for. He thinks AID.
miral Cervera is the best of the lot, but that
our citizens are over doing the thing i'll their
treatment of this officer.
The reception in New York on Saturday
was beyond the eXpe. tatlOns OF the boys gen
orally. They had no idea that they were con-
sidered such heroes. In going up the North
river the New York led The fleet. The dem
onstration was announced by IL navy yard tug
before the ships reached Tompkinsvile. The
ships left Tompkinsville about half-past nine
| in the following order-frst the New York,
next the Iowa, the Indiana, the Brooklyn. the
Massachusetts, the Oregon and the Texas.
Each side of the squadron was protected from
pressure of sight seeing boats by police boats.
some of which also cleared the way in ad-
vance. The river was covered with all kinds
of craft, and all decorated with flags. When
the fleet reached the front of General Grant
tomb at Riverside park each ship fired a salute
of twenty -one guns and then returned to the
starting point, at Iompkinsvllle. The big
ocean steamers and all other vessels, the
docks, the buildings and the grounds, espec
tally ut Riverside park, were covered with
people. All the forts fired salutes as the fleet
moved up. The cheering from the multtudes
almost drowned the roar of the guns.
Harry left his ship at Tompkinsville 5
O'Clock Tuesday evening and reached Bal:-
more O'Clock Wednesday morning, and
| Westminster about half-past five. He is en-
joying his rest, the first square one, that he
has had since the fight begun. He Is not as
heavy as he was since he began to sweat OH
the extra flesh that he says will sooner or later
make any man melt with the thermometer at
one hundred and twenty below deck. Twice,
for awhile besides, he was down with fever
which was not an uncommon disease on SNIP
board.
He wears the blue uniform of his class and
has altered but little, if any, in his welI-known
quiet manner.
While at New York he was visited by his
cousin, Winter w. Flohr, now residing IN
Brooklyn, and by Mr.. G. Grosvenor Dave,
who was recently guest of Harry's father,
gentleman connected with the n. I. Press.
Shipley Items
Tinn Sabbath