Omaha daily bee., 1898-11-29
ECHOES OF THE LATE WAR.

II any doubt exists as to the real. truly
for-sure' hero Of the battle OF I'll Caney, f"
should be banished at once, and the laurel
wreath placed Upon the throbbing brow,
which, X 1t did not conceive the plan OF
action. at least executed 1t with irresistiple
dash. Those who have followed the de ais
Of the battle will recall how the advancing
troops we're checked by a whitening nre
from the entrenched enemy-a fire so deadly
that brave men quailed and knew not what
to do. But great opportunities produce
great men. The man Of this occasion was
James Creelman, correspondent OF the new
York journal. He restored the waning
courage Of the troops, led them over the
deadly heights and snatched victory from
the teeth Of the enemy Creelman says
so, and he ought to know. He tells ABOUT
it In this modest fashion:
81 stepped through the line OF bushes, foi-
lowed by Captain Haskell and the troops
and started up the hill. The only weapon
I had was a reyover in my belt, and l
slung the holster round to the back 30 that
I should not be tempted to draw. Inc
troops came on slowly. and when l fouho
myself actually out on the clear escarped
slope leading UP to the trench where ever a
mouse could not hide itself, l walked FAST.
I could see the line Of soldiers on all sides
watching the ascent. Gradually l got away
from our line, SO that by the time l was
within twenty feet of the barbed wire renee
I was at least 200 feet ahead OF captain
Haskell and his men. l was absolutely
alone"
He walked up to the trench and lookeh
in, ordering the Spaniards crouched there
to stand UP and surrender. They diu So
looking pleased. Then he jumped across 'he
trench and ran around to the entrance oi
the fort to get the flag. The story goes on
"Our fire had killed most OF the men IN
the fort. l found near the door the oihcer
in command surrounded by all OF the gar
risen that were left alive. A wall OF tsrror
went I'D from the wounded men VIII hihs on
the floor as I entered. went up ~
the officer, and, looking him straight IN 'ne
eve, said in French: Y o are my prlsoher'
He threw his hands up and said' 10
with me as you please DO you Kno"
that at that moment I got a sneaking 'dea
into my head that q soldiers WORK was
about the easiest thing I had ever STRUCK;
but found out my mistake later
Moses q. Zalinski Of the Second artillery,
who has been appointed a captain by inc
| president, Is a brother OF Captain Il. Il
Zalinski, the inventor OF the dynamite gun
! Wishing to succeed solely by his own EFFORTS
| he enlisted a few years ago as a private
., soldier under an assumed name. He maze
a model enlisted man, and he proved to be
a good student. He prepared himself Tor
examination for a commission. passed 1t,
and was appointed a second lieutenant. In
1896 he was graduated from the artillery
school at Fort Monroe, and in the same year
he reached the grade Of first lieutenant
His recent appointment as captain has
placed him many numbers ahead OF some
of the men who were preparing at Wes'
Point while young Zalinski was shoulderine
a musket and attending to the duties OF an
enlisted man.
Lieutenant Hobson Of Merrimac fame tell:
in the December Century OF the preparation:
for obstructing the channel OF Santiago mar
Dor. 1t appears from this that the plar
first thought Of was to feign a chase, ou
the plan was abandoned because the en-
trance to the harbor was SO difficult that M
fleeing vessel would attempt At. Regardint
the plan finally adopted and executed N
SAYS: 1.-THE chase plan, and various othe1
plans involving the corporation OF the fleet
we're discarded in favor Of the simpler plal
OF going in alone by moonlight, just befor'
the moon should set. Surprise. under an!
condition, could be only partial at best
since a certain amount OF light was abso'
lutely necessary for navigation. The condi'
lions for surprise would be more favorable
toward daybreak. Moreover, a food-tid'
must be chosen, so that, in case OF break
ing the anchor gear, the vessel would b
set into the channel and have ample time
for sinking before the ebb could tend L
throw it out, while the chances OF being
carried by the tide through the whole
length of the narrow channel into the innel
harbor seemed improbable. The establish
ment of the port or time OF high tide. wal
about eight hours and a quarter, SO that thu
tide would be running strong food as TIT
moon set. The moon was then approach
ing full, and calculations showed that l
would set at Santiago about $3.50 O'Clock OF
Thursday, June 2. Thursday was therefore
set for entering, though the admiral ex'
pressed the opinion that 1t would be fount
impossible to complete the preparations II
time. The special advantage OF Thursda!
was that there would be an interval Of dark
ness OF about an hour and a quarter betweel
the time OF moonset and daybreak, while OF
Friday this interval would be reduced t,
about half an hour. and on Saturday da!
would break before moonset. 1t will be un
derstood that an interval OF darkness
though short, might be found OF advantag'
for completing the work or for making
escape."