The National tribune., 1901-12-26

A4@L4AC WILL L ClLoONIIb ADIkOhS,
squadron by the American feet off San
tiago is recalled by several relics in the
cases devoted to the war with Spain. One
of these is a section of armor plate from
the partition of the chain-locker Of the
battleship Iowa, which shows several
perforations made by shell from the
Spanish ship CristObal Colon. This ex-
hibit was presented to the Museum by
Fighting Bob" Evans.
The first American killed during the
war with Spain was member of the
crew of the torpedo-boat Winslow. The
tragedy on the shOt-swept deck of this
little steamer is vividly brought to mem
ory by a section of the armOr-plate of
the Winslow. That the Spanish fire was
concentrated and deadly is shown by this
plate, for within radius of less than
three feet of its surface there are 10 per-
'foTatiOns and eight indentatiOns made by
fragments of Spanish shell from their
land batteries. May II, 1898. In the
edge of one of the perfOrations leaden
bullet fired by a Spanish sharpshoOter
lodged, and still remains in the crevice.
The U. S. torpedo-boat Winslow, un-
der the command of Lieut.. j. B. Berna-
dou, of the U. S. Navy, entered the har-
Dor of Cardenas, Cuba, May IL, in COM
pany with the U. S. S. Wilmington, Com
mander G. G. Todd, and the revenue cut
ter Hudson, Lieut.. +. III. NewcOmb COM
manding. Owing TO the shoal water the
Winslow was ordered in ahead and was
subjected to the concentrated fire, at
close range, of field artillery on the docks;
of sharpshooters on the roof Of the Casino
and a Spanish gUnbOat, the exact range
of the Winslow being known to the en-
emy by means of buoys in the channel.
The crew of the Winslow consisted Of
two officers and p men.
At the close of the action the Winslow
was CALAMITY succored and towed out Of
the line of FIRE by the revenue cutter Hud-
son, having been under fire one hour and
% minutes.
The casualties on the Winslow were:
Ensign Worth Bagley and four of the
crew killed; Lieut. Bernadou and four
of the crew wounded.
When struck by the fatal Spanish mis-
sile Ensign Bagley was standing on deck
with his left hand resting on hand-ran-
ing made Of metal cable, about quar-
ter of an inch thick. A section Of this
railing is on exhibition in the Museum.
Also the after coming tower Of the
Winslow, which was pierced and smashed
by a Spanish shell.
Some of the important work Of the q.
S. Signal Corps along the Cuban coast
is shown by exhibits. One Of these is a
section Of the Santiago and Jamaica cable
cut by the u. $. $. Wampatuck, May IS,
1898, under a heavy fire from MORO
Castle and the shore batteries for 4
period of % minutes.
One of the electric fans used on the
battleship Massachusetts for expelling
smoke after the discharge of the big
guns is another interesting exhibit. This
particular fan is much disiigured, having
been struck by a shell from the Spanish
feet during Ceryeras fight from the har-
Dor of Santiago.
When it became necessary TO hoist a
flag of truce ON the L. $. S. Uncas to
negotiate with the Spaniards for the re-
lease Of two newspaper correspondents
who had fallen into their clutches at Ha-
vana. Lieut.. +. Il. Brainard, command
ing the UncaS, was at his wits ends for
a white flag. as American war vessels
are not in the habit of carrying white
flags in stock. Finally he hit upon a
happy expedient. and seiZing a sheet from
his bunk carried it on deck and
rigged it TO the halyards. This was
hoisted to the masthead and had the
desired effect, the newspaper men being
released in exchange. This impromptu
flag of truce was again used AT Santiago
in effecting the exchange of Lieut. Hob
son and his men Of the Merrimac. -
In a case near that containing the white
flag is a section Of the mainmast of the
Merrimac. There are also on exhibition
a number of guns, searchlights COM
passes, and other articles recovered from
the wrecks of the Spanish ships Niscaya,
Oquendo, Cristobal Colon. Maria Teresa,
the SunbOat SandONal, ana the torpedo
boat destroyers Pluton and Terror. Also,
large, empty cartridge shells or cases of
some of the projectiles fired by the
American war vessels at the doomed feet
of Spain off the Santiago coast.
THE CApRoN COLLECTION.
One of the most pathetic exhibits in
The collection of relics OF the war with
Spain is a case containing the Capron
collection. Father and son, Capt. Allyn
Capron, senior, of the L. 5. artillery, and
Capt. Allyn Capron, junior, of the lst
u. 5. Volunteer Cav. Rough Riders,
both gave up their lives for their country
Capt. CaprCn, the elder, died AT Fort
Mycr near historic Arlington, from fever
contracted in the enervatnS tropical eli
mate Of Cuba; his son, shot down in ac-
tion while bravciy leading his Western
troopers to the assault at the battle OF
QuasimaS. Cuba. Their military helmets
the fathers decorated with artillery red
the SONS with CaEalry yellow, are side
by side in the gias:s case, mute evidences
OF American endurance and vaiOr, hand
ed down from father To son. There too,
are their military shoulder-k knots. side by
side, one pair Of red and gold, tie other
of gold and yellow; their buckskin gaunt-
lets, swords, campaign hats, spurs, uni
forms and pistols, grim relics of the war