The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-07-08
MERRlMAC HEROES ARE FREE
LIEUT.. HoBsoN AND SEVEN
COMRADES EXCHANGED

Through the Ranks of the Amer
lean Army Before Santiago City
-Juragua Harbor Rang with
the Shouts of His Comrades as
Lieut.. Hobson Went Aboard.
Copyrighted by the Associated Press.
OFF JURAGUA, July (via Kings
ton, July O.-Assistant Naval Con-
structor Richmond p. Hobson, of the.
flagship New York. and the seven sea-
men who, with him, sailed the. collier
Merrimac into the harbor of Santiago
de Cuba, on June 8, last, and sunk her
there, were surrendered by the Span
ish military authorities today in ex-
change for prisoners captured by the
American forces.
Hobson and his men were escorted
through the American lines by Capt.
Chadwick, of the New York, who was
| awaiting them. Every step of their
journey was marked by the widest
demonstrations on the part of the
American soldiers, who threw aside all
semblance Of order, scrambled out of
the entertainments, knocking over tent
guys and other camp paraphernalia, in
their eagerness to see the returning
heroes, and sent up cheer after cheer
for the men who had passd safely
through the jaws of death to serve
their country.
GIVEN HEARTY WELCOME.
The same scenes Of enthusiasm were
repeated upon the arrival of the men
at the hospital station, and at our base
at Juragua. Hobson, who reached
there in advance of his companions,
was taken on board the New York
Immediately. The fiagship's decks were
lined with officers and men, and as
HobSon clambered up her side and
stepped on board his vessel, the har-
Dor rang with the shouts and cheers
of his comrades, which were re-echoed
by the crews of a dozen transports
lying near by. Hobson had little to
say in regard to his experiences, ex-
cept that he and his companions had
been we'll treated by the Spaniards
and that they were all in excellent
health.
The Spanish authorities consented
this morning to exchange Hobson and
his men, and a truce was esta blishAd
for the purpose. The place selected
for the exchange was under a tree be-
tween the American and Spanish lines,
tWo-thirds of a mile beyond the in
trenchments occupied by Col. Woods
| rough riders, near Gen. Wheeler's
headquarters and in the rear of the
American line.
EXCHANGE EFFECTED.
The American prisoners left the
Reina Mercedes hospital On the out
skirts of Santiago de Cuba. where they
had been confined, at 2:45 this after
noon, in charge of Maj. Irles, a Span
ish staff officer, who speaks English
| perfectly.
The prisoners were conducted to the
meeting place on foot, but were not
blindfolded. Col. John Jacob Asltor
and Lieut.. Miley, accompanied by In
terpreter Maestro, were in charge of
the Spanish prisoners They consisted
| of Lieuts Amelio Volez and Aurelius,
German belonging to the Twenty
| ninth regular infantry, who were cap
tured at Ell Caney on Friday last, and
Lieut.. Adolfo Aries. of the First Pro-
visional regiment of Barcelona, one of
the most artstocratic military organiza-
tons of the Spanish army, and four
teen nOnCommissioned officers and pri-
Yates. Lieut.. Aries and a number of
the men were wounded in the fight at
Ell Caney. The Spanish prisoners wsr,
taken through the American lines
mounted and blinifolded
The meeting between Col. Astor and
Maj. Irlels was extremely courteous,
but very formal and no attempt was
made by either of them to discuss any
thing but the matter in hand.
Maj. Irles was given his choice OF
the three Spanish lieuterants in ex-
change for Hobson, and was also in
formed that he could have all of the
fourteen men in exchange for the
American sailors. The Spanish officer
selected Lieut.. Aries and the other two
Spanish officers. were conducted back
to Juragua.
SPANISH BRAVADO.
IT was then not later than 4 o'clock.
and just as everything was finished
and the two parties were separating,
Irles turned and said courteously
enough, but in a tone which indicated
considerable defiance and gave his
hearers the impression that he desired
hostHtleS to be renewed at once:
our understanding is, gentlemen,
that this truce comes to an end at 5
o'clock
Col. Aston looked at his watch, bow
ed to the Spanish officer, without max
ing reply, and then started back
slowly to the American lines with
Hobscn and his companions following.
The meeting of the two parties and
the exchange of prisoners had taken
place in full view of both the American
and Spanish soldiers, who were en-
trenched near the meeting place, and
the keenest Interest was taken in the
episode.
WHO THE HEROES ARE.
The men whose return to their COM
| fades has been secured by the nego-
tiations detaile above are:
Richmond P. Hobscn, lieutenant, U. S. NJ
Osborne Deignan, coxswain
George F. Philips, machnist.
John Kelly, water tender
George Charette, gunner's mate
Daniel Montague, seaman.
J. G. Murphy coXswain.
Randolph Clausen, coxswain
OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT.
WASHINGTON, July Gen. Shat
ter's telegram announcing the ex-
| change Of Lieut.. Hobson and his men
Is as follows:
Playa del Este July 7.-Secretary of War.
ashington-Headquarter Fifth Army Corps
Cuba, July 6-Lieut. Hobson and eli of his
men have just been received safely In ex
change for Spanish officers and prisoners
taken by us. All in good health, except two
seamen, convalescing from remittent fever.
-Shafter
Major General COMMANDING