New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-08
DEWEYS FIGHTERS HERE.
THE BUFFALO BRINGS MEN FROM THE
ADMIRALS FLEET.
MANY OF THEM FOUGHT IN THE BATTLE OF
MANILA BAY-AN UNEXCITING TRIP
HoME-MAscoTs AND RELICS
ON BOARD

ON BOARD.
The second big batch of Dewey's fighters to
reach this port arrived yesterday on the United
States cruiser Buffalo. after an exceedingly
quick run of forty-four and a half days. The
cruiser brought back $50 men in all from our
fleet in the Philippines including 215 who took
part in the great naval battle of Manila Bay.
These comprise 40 men from the Olympia 90
from the Boston. 55 from the Baltimore IA from
the Petrol and Z from the Concord. They
nearly all long-term whose time Of enlist
ment has expired, and after being landed at the
Navy Yard to-day they will be discharged.
Among them 30 officers and AZ marines.
Some Of the officers Paymaster John r.
Maetin. Captain Dutton and Lieutenant s. 8.
Robinson OF the Marine Corps. all of the Bos-
ton; Lieutenant A. G.. Rogers Of the Monad-
mock; Surgeon F. Rogers. Of the Monterey; En-
sign T. s. Wilson, OF the Monocacy Ensign
Stephen Douglas, OF the Monadnock Ensign
Lang. Of the Manila, one Of the captured Span
ish gunboats. and DR.. r. s. Brakeman, Of the
Boston. The following who are naval cadets,
are coming home for their examinations: d. s.
Mahoney. Of the Monterey; w. r. White, Of the
Olympia w. r. Sexton, Of the Monadnock. and
j. F. Landes OF the Olympia
BRAVERY OF CADET WHITE
Cadet White, at the taking OF Manila was
put In charge Of the tugboat Marcelo for the
purpose of carrying messages to and fro among
the feet. The gunboat Callao ordered close
to shore to shell fort, and White ran the Mar
cello close up beside her and Joined in the bonn
bardment. Dewey was greatly pleased with the
young fellows pluck, though he acted without
orders. and recommended him for promotion.
White would not talk about this affair yester
day. His comrades. however, told the reporters
OF It, while White blushed like schoolgirl.
Another who attracted notice by his
bravery is aboard the Buffalo-Seaman William
Ohlfors, of the Boston. After Manila had been
captured he was put on board the Manila, a
captured Spanish gunboat, which one day was
sent to shell villages along the shore. Navigator
Williams called for volunteers to go ashore with
him and pull down the Filipino flag that was
floating on a little fort, surrounded by trenches.
Ohlfors and another man volunteered. and, with
Williams in the lead the three advanced boldly
on the fort not knowing whether 1t contained
a garrison not. Fortunately for them II was
deserted and they brought back the flag in
safety. The colors were sent to Dewey, who
highly compmented the men,.
The Admiral is the idol OF all these men,
though they say he is terribly strict discipline
rian and many OF the boys complain that fines
have eaten up nearly ali the charges for over
time they have against Uncle Sam. Captain
Hemphill, OF the Buffalo, says Dewey is by no
means failing in health. He is~as lively as
cricket and can get up a ships ladder as quick
ly as any officer In his fleet. He gets up every
morning at O'clock and between that hour and
breakfast time, s o'clock transacts big part Of
the days business. Every place at which the
Buffalo stopped on her way home the people
wanted to know when Dewey was coming.
The men are glad to get back to America, and,
as II to express the intensity Of their Joy, the
Buffalo flies a "homeward- bound" pennant
which is 2S6 feet long.
AN UNEXCITING TRIP.
There WIS exciting incident of the trip.
The men experienced considerable discomfort
from the heat while passing through the Red
Sea and the Suez Canal which they said was
worse than any they had felt in the Philippines.
While crossing the Atlantic the ship encountered
one southwest gale The Buffalo is without
much cargo, and rolled to an extent which at
times equalled AZ degrees. the men assert.
Ninety Of the men say they are In New-York
Harbor through a Misunderstanding which they
knew nothing OF until tney were se'eidi uaye
out from Manila.
These men shipped from the Pacific Coast and
expected to be paid off and mustered out when
they reached Mare Island They say that means
Of getting home are few from Manila ana tnas
when they asked II they could take passage on
the Buffalo and be sent home from New-f ork,
they received assurances that they might JUST
before they sailed form Cavite the Solace ar
rived and they learned she was going 10 take
other men direct to San Francisco. 1t was too
late however, to change their plans. Tney say
that when they were several days OUT papers
were presented to them for signature by the
ont 10 hQ
waivers Of their transportation to San Fran
CISCO They say this means that they Will be
dismissed at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. and from
New-York must pay their way home.
Before coming into port the men drew UP
letter setting forth these statements, and asking
that they be shipped to their point Of emoarka-
ton. The men say there are two reasons why
they want to be sent bone before being PAID
New-York many OF them VIII have 10 tramp OF
freight II across the country. The otner rea-
son is that they will save money oy Hsv,hs .nh ,be sse
entitled TO this Many OF the men nov nov
In some cases their enlistments expired before
Dewey sailed for Manila, but they remained IN
the Navy because the outlook was for war
These men went through the battle and the
hard service which followed 1t, although en-
titled to shipment home as long ago as fourteen
months Other men are only three months over
time but considerable number remained for
the chance Of battle after their terms had ex-
pred Among the Pacific Coast men are some
who say they have not been in the United States
for four and six years. having been afloat on
foreign stations throughout their enlistments
The boys are rich In mascots. which include
goats monkeys, pigs, etc. Apprentice Earl
Summerville OF Boston, brings monkey. which
he has named Agunaldo. The monk" was
rescued by Summerville in small boat from
the wreck Of the Don Juan de Austria
goat on board, called Buffalo BIZ, went
through the Cuban campaign on the gunboat
Newport Captain Hemphill got too familiar
with Bill one day. and the goat butted him so
hard in the stomach that the captain was
doubled I'D like jackknife, the bays declare.
The Buffalo brings lote OF war relics from
Manila Among them are two 62-nch guns,
which once belonged to the Reina Christina,
Montojo's flagship They are for the Smith
sonian Institution. Their breach blocks were
ruined by the spaniards. She also brings ten
old brass cannon made In ITO and f1ve tor
pedoes from the Spanish arsenal at Cavite. The
wheel Of the Rena Christina and the bell OF the
IsIa de Cuba are also among the relics.