The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-07
GEN. SKATERS DAILY REPORT
TOTAL SICK, 1907, AND NEW CASES
OF FEVER ON AUG. s, 434.
EmbarSatiO of the Army for the Re-
cuperating stations in the North
to- Begin i'm Earnest To-Day.
of tEe Associated Press.

Correspondence of the Associated Press
GUANTANAMO BAY, July 31.-For
whole week the bulk Of the North Atlantic
squadron, under Rear Admiral Sampson,
has lain in this pleasant, land-locked har-
bor, and the peaee term ceremonies, the
bugle call to quarters and drill the paint
ing of ships. the visiting parties from one
war vessel to another. gave little hint of
war or its turmoil outside But on the big
battle ships was a slightly different scene,
Injuries to the ships from battle and from
extra hard usage were being repaired, and
the vulcan-the travelling blacksmith and
repair shop--was busy indeed On the
Brooklyn work of almost stupendous
character was being performed. The
mounts to all the five-inch guns the guns
that did such splendid work in the battle
of July 3, were injured and were being re-
placed by more substantial modern ones.
This meant the dismounting of every one
of the big fve-nch guns-the removing of
the gun itself from the jacket and carriage
Twelve guns in all had to be replaced in
addition to a six-pounder that had been
bent and spoiled. The work began on Tues
day, when the Arnaoria arrived with the
new mounts. and, in charge of Gunner
Applegate, the work. done entirely by the
that on Friday night all were finished. The
diary of the week may prove interesting.
On Saturday, July a. the Brooklyn and
the Vixen left Santiago for Guantanamo,
and for the first time in eight weeks the
frowfing Morro looked down upon the
Caribbean sea free from menacing war ves-
sells. The Brooklyn was in bad condition,
and was ordered to repair at once. The
Texas was ordered to New York, her decks
being in a dangerous condition, and she
signaled the flagship that she would be
ready to start on the morrow. She trans
ferred in the meantime such stores and am
munition as could be used by other ships
Under the order of the department, detail
ing all the armored vessels for a European
voyage, the Brooklyn, Iowa, Oregon,
Yankee Prairie, New York and Indiana
began taking coal and supplies.
On Tuesday it became known that the
Brooklyn had been added to Admiral Samp-
sons fleet and Commodore Schley had been
ordered to select another flagship from the
small vessels to be left on the blockade.
On Tuesday night the Texas bade farewell
to those with whom she had fought so
nobly and started for New York 1t was
just at sunset and the buglers were blowing
retreat" while officers and men on the
quarter deck of the vessels stood bare
headed the flag came down. Then the
Texas was reported as being under way and
the order was again TO raise the flag, while
the crews of all the big war ships were or
dered to prepare to cheer the ship. AS the
Texas got under way and passed the other
ships there were throat-splitting cheers for
her and they were returned with a will by
Captain Philip and his gallant crew.
On, EaAn oil fh0 chit h,1cx
repairing and coaling for their long voyage
and it was understood that the fleet would
be ready to sail on Monday. On the Brook
lyn an accident resulted from a disobedi-
ence of orders. Karl Anderson, twenty -four
years of age had smuggled aboard a one
FOUNDER SHE'LL which he had taken from the
Socapa battery, near the entrance of San
tiago bay. The shell was loaded and had
a time fuse. He had removed it from the
cartridge case, but finding the plunger
which explodes it hard to unloosen, began
hammering it. 1t exploded, fortunately,
however, IN a direction opposite to that of
a number of men in the apartment. Two
pieces struck Anderson in the abdomen and
death resulted in a few hours. He died on
the twenty-fourth anniversary of his birth.
On Tuesday funeral party went ashore
and with the usual honorS buried Anderson.
The body lay in a stained pine box, dressed
in his best clothes and an American flag
softly draped his coffin. His comrades car
ried him to his last resting place, while the
flags Of the fleet went to half-mast. A fir
ing party of marines sounded retreat" for
him with a volley. and an oak slab in Gu
ban soil marks his last resting place. In
the afternoon came the announcement that
Spain had sued for peace and the men went
almost wild with excitement, hoping that
peace would be confirmed.
On Sunday. July 81, the Massachusetts
arrived to coal.
Commodore Watson's fleet cannot be
ready before Wednesday, at the earliest