The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-07-08
OUR HEROES LIBERATED
Lieutenant HObSOn Talks MOdeStly of
His Remarkable Exploit.

His Remarkable Exploit.
Kingston, Jamaica, July S.-A news
paper dispatch boat which left Jurugui
on Wednesday evening brings the fol
lowing account OF the release of Lieu
tenant Richmond p. Hobson and thu
seven seamen who, on June 8 last
sunk the collier Merrimac in the chan.
mel of Santiago harbor. The Other
men released are Osborn Deignan
coXsWain; George F. Phillips. ma
chintst; John Kelly, water tender:
George Charette, a gunner's mate:
Daniel Montague, seaman; j.. c.. Muir
ply, c~oXswain; Randolph Clausen,
coXswain. The prisoners given in ex-
Change for these brave heroes were
Lieutenant Aries and If non-commis.
stoned officers and priyatcs.
The exchange took place on Wednes-
day afternoon two-thirds of a mile be-
yond the entertainments occupied by
the Rough Riders. The Spanish pris-
oners, in charge of Colonel John Jacob
Astor and Lieutenant Miloy, were
taken through the American lines
mounted and blindfolded. The Ameri-
can prisoners were brought to the
meeting place on foot, but were not
b~lindfolded.
AS Hobson and the men of the Mer-
rimac approached the first line of en-
trenchments, occupied by the Rough
Riders, low murmurs ran from one end
of the line of cowboys and eastern
athletes to the other, and by the time
the returning party reached them
every man was OF his feet, refusing to
be restrained by the admonishing of
the officers, cheering wildly and rush
ing over every obstacle that CHANGED
to be in their way in their efforts to
reach Hobson and his party and grasp
them by the hand. The released pris-
oners were soon surrounded and COM
PEELED TO stop to receive the greetings,
congratulations and vigorous, heart
felt ~handshaking of men they had
never seen before.
Sunburned cayalrymen who had
spent their lives in the saddle on the
plains of Arizona, New Mexico or other
western states or territories, and who
did not know the difference between
a ships maintop, bilge or keep, threw
their arms around the sailor boys and
literally dragged them over the en-
trenchments, all the time sending out
yells that under other circumstances
would have struck terror to hearts
even as gallant as those Of the Mer.
rimac heroes.
The Seyeuty-hrst New York volun-
teers, zeal the Rough Riders. was the
next regiment to fall upon Hobson and
his men, and almost Immediately the
Ninth and Tenth cavalry, both colored
regiments, joined in the general en-
thusiasm, and cheer after cheer arose
as Hobson and his companions forced
their way through the lines of white
and colored soldiers. Hobson, so far
as possible, grasped each hand ex-
towards him, and neither he
his men made any protest against
most uncomfortable crOWding and
which they had to undergo.
If the young officer, whose home is in
Alabama, has any race prejudice, he
certainly forgot all about 1t as he
passed through the lines of soldiers on
his way to General Wheeler's head
quarters, grasping the hands of the
ebony hued troopers of the Ninth and
Tenth cavalry and expressing thanks
for their patriotic welcome with as
much heartiness as he displayed to-
wards the men of his own race. He
and all Of his men were completely
by the reception accorded
them, and tears rolled down their
as the soldiers crowded around
them.
AS Hobson and his party approached
Grimes battery the men cried
out on every side to have a salute
ired in their honor. Hobson protested
lgaist this Immediately, and shouted
o the artillerymen, who also caught
infection, not to waste good powder
n s%alutes, but to a it for the Span
This sentiment was greeted
With tumultuous cheers. {
Hobson and his men were escorted
through the American lines by Cap
ain Chadwick, of the New York. who
vas awaiting them. Every step of
heir journey was marked by the Wild
st demonstrations on the part of the
american soldiers. who threw aside
semblance of order, scrambled out /
# the entertainments. knocked over |
ent guys and other paraphernalia in
heir eagerness to see the returning /
Ieroes, and sent up cheer after cheer
OF the men who had passed safely
through the jaws of death to serve
heir country.
The same scenes of enthusiasm were |
mon the arrival of the mon at |