The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-09


grind Of mmnl--u rain storm OF 81: ot
and sho Then came the trrn,en.
dous explosions, but the hull did not
sink all ut once. 1t went down by
degrees, aud those were moments
that those men will never forget.
When a big Is i"ch shell. exploded
directly i'll front of tho little group,
l.. ing buddlcd on the d. ok, when one
shell went Into the boilers aud let
the steam loose by the side of the
men, tho strict command, No man
move till ORDERS was obeycd to the
letter. II there was ever a time
when circumstances would have
forced IN observance Of the old prin-
ciple OF self. preservation, it was
then, but not man budgrd. When
those mon were III tho water, being
hunted by Spanish boats looking for
any that might have escaped, the
order that no man should movo was
obeyed perfectly. On the arrival at
Moro, when the men were place,. in
cells, and Spanish soldiers made
threatening signs at them our sailors
merely laughed at them. 'We
would do it again tonight, if it were
necessary replied one of the men,
in answer 90 a Spanish question.
"a Spanish major asked one of
the prisoners what the vessel was
sent into the habor for. Tn the
United States navy it is not the Gus.
tom for seamen to know or ask tho
object was the reply.
"When l relate this occurrence
you do wrong if you apply any
great amount Of credit for this little
piece Of work to an individual. 1t
was merely an evidence of the fact
that the officers and men of the
American navy are always anxious to
perform any duty that they are Or
dered to do, irrespective of tho con-
sequences or the dangers.
"Nevor shall I forget how sat in
that dreary prison and gazed out on
the battle fields around Santiago. I
could see the American lines and the
Spanish lines. When I heard the
| first crack Of a musket I knew that
there was an advance along our
lines. saw the Spaniards lying in
their deep trenches with their mod
ern rifles ready to pour volley after
volley into the American army.
saw the thin lines of brave lads un L.
der the stars aud stripes slowly as
cending those hills, and I saw the
| Spaniards turn loose their lead and
their fire, and I saw many an Ameri
can boy drop out of the line and
into the dark river of death. On
July 2 the Spaninrds were rein
forced, and the Americans charged
again, and the cnemy's artillery
turned upon the American lines
The moral effect Of that CALLING fire
seemed to paralyze our forces for Il
while. Those mon had never been
under fire before, but it did not
take them long to regain with in
creased ardor their patriotism, and
with one mighty rush they drove the
Spaniar(s ont OF their trenches and
gained a mighty victory. You can
imagine my great anxiety at seeing
this. 1t WAS terrible that I could
not communicate my valuable knowl-
edge OF the enemy's fortitications to
the commanding officer of or
troops.
"After my release, greatly was
impressed, when in passing through
the American lines | saw men who
had given up home, dear ones and
almost everything life holds for their
country. Tho commanding general
| slept in tent not one whit better
than that OF the private. 1t was a
gigantic sociological force, tho mag.
nitudo Of which could not be- meas.
nred by any human methods-equal
to tho life blood OF the last citiZon.
"What grand privilege it is to
be soldier Of tho United Statrsn'
Campaign Appointments