The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-07-08


ing and exchange Of prisoners had taken
place in full view Of both the American
and Spanish soldiers entrenched near
the meeting place. The keenest interest
was taken in the occasion.
The reception to Hobson and his lit
tles command when they arrived at the
first American entertainments was sim
ply overwhelming. Soldiers who had
never seen any Of the released prisoners
of war before were so boisterous in
their greetings that they could not be
restrained by their officers. The cheer
ing soldiers literally fell upon Hobson
and his comrades.
Hobson, so far as possible, grasped
each hand extended toward him and
neither he nor his men made any pro-
tests against the most uncomfortable
crowding and jostling which they had to
undergo. IL the young officers. whose
home is in Alabama, has any race pre-
judice, he certainly forgot all about il
as he passed through the lines of SOL
diers on his way to General Wheeler's
headquarters. He grasped the hands OF
the ebony-hued troopers of the 9th and
10th cavalry and expressed his thanks
for the patriotic welcome with as much
heartiness as he displayed toward men
OF his own race. He and all his men
were completely overcome by the re-
ception accorded them and tears rolled
down their cheeks as the soldiers crowd
ed around them. At General wheeler's
headquarters they were met by Captain
Chadwick of the New York and a naval
escort from the flagship. The escort had
brought a change of clothing and new
uniforms for Hobson and all his men,
and they were given a short respite to
change their apparel Hobson was then
given a ride over the trail and his men
were taken into an army ambulance.
Before leaving for the coast Lieutenant
Hobson had an interview with General
Shafter.
To the correspondent Of the associas-
ed press Mr.. Hobson declined TO talk
of his adventure on the Merrimac, stat
ing that he must first make his report
to Admiral Sampson, but as to his ex-
perience in Santiago. ne said: During
the first four days we were prisoners Of
war we were confined in Moro castle,
and / assure you these were extremely
uncomfortable and disagreeable days.
The Spaniards did NOT exactly ill-treat
us, but IL took them some time to re-
cover from the shock caused by what
| most of them considered our Yankee
| impudence in trying to blockade their
| harbor. AS a rule, the officers and men
| who came into contact with US were
gruff in speech and suIlen in manner.
| For Admiral Cervera / have nothing
| but the highest admiration. His act in
safety l regard as that of a kind-heart-
| ed, generous man and chivalrous OFF,
| Ger. He repeatedly spoke To me of his
| admiration for what he called one of
| the most daring acts in naval history.
! though / am sure We were not entitled
to the commendation we received. for
| there were hundreds OF other men in
our ships who would have been glad
To undertake to do the same thing.
while we were in MORO castle We
were naval prisoners, but at the end
Of four days we were transferred to the
Jurisdiction of the army, and were re-
moved to the Reina Mercedes hospital,
on the outskirts of Santiago. where We
remained until to-day. We knew but
little OF what was going on in the city.
though. of course. we could always tell
when our fleet was bombarding the
shore batteries. and we could easily dis
tinguish the terrific explosions caused
by the Vesuvius throwing dynamite
shells.
Several times at night we were also
fully aware that the land batteries
were fighting outside the city. The
little information the Spaniards would
give US could not be relied upon.
zone thing that / found out in the
hospital was that a number of Spanish
officers were wounded in Fridays fight.
for many were brought to the hospital
to be treated. Numbers of badly aimed
bullets came into the hospital windows
on Friday. but l do not believe any one
was injured by them. Our quarters
there were very clean and comfortable.
and the food was fairly good. In fact. I
have no reason to complain of our
treatment as prisoners of war. The
prejudice which the Spaniards showed
against us during the first few days
soon wore away. We conducted our
selves properly and simply forced them
TO treat US well"