The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-07-08
STORY OF The EXCHANGE.

Copyright 1893 by Associated Press.)
Off Jnragua, July Evening)-Nia
the Associated Press despatch boat
Wanda TO Port Antonia, Jamaica, July
Via Kingston, Jamaica, July r.
G:3O Il. m.)-Assistant Naval Construc-
tor Richmond +. Hobson, of the flagship
with him, sailed the collier Merrimac
into the channel of the harbor of San
tiago de Cuba on June 3rd last. and
sunk her there, were surrendered by
the Spanish military authorities to-day
in exchange for prisoners captured by
the American forces. Hobson and his
men were escorted through the Ameri-
can lines by Captain 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. knocked over
tent guys and other camp paraphernala
in their eagerness to see the returning
heroes, and sent up cheer after cheer for
the men who had passed safely through
the jaws of death to serve their
country.
The same scenes of enthusiasm were
repeated upon the arrival of the men at
the hospital station and ut our base at
Juragua. Hobson, who reached there in
advance of his companions, was taken
on board the New York Immediately.
The fagship's decks were lined with Of
ficers and men. and as Hobson climbed
up her side and stepped on board his
vessel. the harbor rang with the shouts
and cheers Of his comrades. which were
re-echoed by the crews of a dozen trans
ports lFlng near by.
As Hobson and the men of the Merri-
mac approached the first line Of en-
trenchments, occupied by the Rough
hIders, low murmurs ran from one end
OF the line of cowboys and eastern ath-
letes to the other. and by the time the
returning party reached them every man
was on his feet, refusing to be restrain
"a ny the admonshing of the officers,
cheering Wildly and rushing over every
obstacle that CHANGED to be i'm their way.
III thtii tHoltS " reach ana his
party. and grasp, them by the hand. The
released prisoners were soon surround
ed and compelled to stop to receive the
greetings, congratulations and vigorous.
heartfelt handshaking of men they had
never seen before. Sunburned cavalry
men who had spent their lives in the
saddle on the plains of Arizona, New
Mexico or other Western States or terri
tories. and who did not know the differ
ence between Il ships maintOp, bilge or
keel, threw their arms around the sail
or boys and literally dragged them over
the entrenchments, all the time sending
out yells that under other circumstances
would have struck terror to the hearts
Of men even as g,Slant as those Of the
Merrimac heroes. No mountain fastness
of the West ever sounded with such
shouts from an Indian war-dance that
e1ualled the wild outbreak of American
spirit that occurred at this meeting Of
the sailors who did their duty. with
every Spanish gun in the harbor trained
upon them. and the hardy men. who
from the day Of their arrival on the isl
and Of Cuba have fought their way over
the bodies Of their own dead and wound
ed to the very gates Of the city. that
they will gladly storm when ordered to
do So
The SeyentyGrst New York volun-
teers, near the Rough Riders, was the