The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1898-07-14

Kelly, water tender: George Charet tie,
gunner's mate; Daniel Montague,
seaman; J. c. McMurphy, coxswain,
and Randolph Clausen, coXswain.
The correspondent of the Associated
press asked Hobson for an interview
and statement as to his experiences on
the memorable night when he took
the collier Merrimac into Santiago
harbor. He declined to say anything
with regard to the Merrimac on the
ground that he intended to submit a
complete report to Admiral Sampson
on the subject, and that it would be
outside the line of his duty to say any
thing until after he had made such a
report or at least had an opportunity
to consult the admiral. With regard
TO his experiences as prisoner of war
in Santiago he said:
During the first four days we were prisoners
of war we were confined In Moro castle and
/ can assure you those were extremely uncom-
Portable and dlsagreeable days. The Spaniards
did not exactly ill-treat us, but IL took them
some time TO recover from the shock caused
| by what most OF them considered our Yankee
| impudence in trying to block their harbor. As
a rule, the officers and men who came into con.
| tact with us were grun In speech and sullen IN
manner. There were many threatening
| glances shot In our direction For Admiral
| Cervera / have nothing but the high.
est admiration His act in informing ADJ
miral Sampson OF our safety regard as that
| OF klnd-hearted, generous man and chival-
rous oflcer l expressed to him my sincere
| thanks and the thanks OF my men for taking
| this means OF relieving the anxiety OF our ship
| mates and our friends ut home. He repeatedly
| spoke to me OF his admiration of what he
| called one Of the mos, daring acts in naval his
| am Sur we Va
| the commendaton we received. for there were
| hundreds OF other men on our ships who would
| have been glad TO undertake TO do the same
| thing
While we we're In Morro castle we were naval
| prisoners, but at the end OF four days we were
| transferred to the jurisdiction OF the army and
| were removed to the Reina Mercedes hospital
| on the outskirts OF Santiago. where we re-
| mained 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 bonn
harding the shore batteries and we could easily
distinguish 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 | have no reason to complain OF our
treatment as prisorers OF war The preju-
dice which the Spaniards showed against
| us during the first few days soon wore away.
We conducted ourselves properly and simply
forced them to treat us we'll We knew moth
| ing ABOUT tHt OBSTRUCTION OF AulnlTdl ttfNtTa
squadron until told by our own people to-day.
OF course our confinement became very irk-
some and cannot tell you how great was the
relief we felt TO be free again. l cannot ex-
press my gratitude to our soldiers who gave us
such welcome when we came into the lines
All OF us are in excellent health and glad to
get back to our posts again and see the war
through TO the end.
Hobsou and his men were escorted
through the American lines by Capt
Chadwick, of the New York, who was
waiting them. Every step of their
journey was marked by the widest
demonstrations on the part of the
American soldiers. The same scenes
of enthusiasm were repeated upon the
arrival of the men at the hospital sta.
tion and at our base at Juragua. Hob
son, who reached there in advance OF
his companions. was taken on board
the New York Immediately. The
flagship's decks were lined with
officers and men, and as Hobsor
clambered up her side and stepped on
board his vessel, the harbor rang with
the shouts and cheers of his comrades.