Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-01-15


his only reply was get it,
BY orders of Colonel C,raane chief
signal offlcer, our men were placed in
the signal stations at Diuuiri. Siboney
and Aquideres; also at the ammunition
camp in the rear Of Iona del Poso. A
reconstruction party was also sent out
over the field line as far as General
Wheeler's headquarters for the purpose
of raising the wire on poles or trees, as
it lay on the ground and bushes, hav-
ing been run hastily when the army
was on the march. This line, which
consisted of single seven-strand irsu-
lated cable, had often been cut by peo-
pie ignorant Of its Importance. Cubans
too lazy to step over it would cut it
with a machete. 1t was also cut by
Spaniards who happened to be caught
inside our lines; even our own soldiers
Would cut out a piece if they wanted
some wire for any purpose The re
construction party, under Sergeant
Floyd, performed the work in very
satisfactory manner, although they
suffered greatly from exposure. n
The Siboney station was the termi-
nal of the lines from Aquideres, Diquiri
and the field line, and it was also the
terminal of the cable line to the Unit
ed States, as the French cable had been
cut outside and one end landed by
Colonel Allen of the Signal Corps. The
station was maintained for several pur-
poses, as the commissary, uuartermas-
ters department, medical supplies and
the yellow fever hospital were at that
,,,e, ,s<,a,
because in case of break In the sub
marine cable there could be used from
this point another one constructed by
Colonel Allen to Plaza del Este. The
Aquideres station was for the purpose
of communication between Simpsons
fleet and army headquarters via Sibo-
ney. and the United States via Siboney
Plaza del Este and Hayti.
This station, which was only a tele-
phone nailed to a tree among the rocks
was six miles in front Of our outpost
on the east side of the Aquideres river.
the west bank being held by the Span
ish. The station was worked by Ser
geant NJ. H. WEIGH, Corporal w. H.
Cox, Corporal C.. F. johnson and Pri-
waite Wooster. until the day following
the surrender when it was discon-
tinued.
During every bombardment of SAN
tiago by the fleet, the plotting of the
fall of the shots in the city We're tele-
phoned from the station near Lama
San Juan to the commanding general.
whose instructions as to range and d.
dection were in turn telephoned Aqui-
deres, via Siboney. and tagged to the
admiral"
Capt. Butler relates numerous inter-
esting anecdotes of adventures exper-
fenced by himself and men during the
early days after their arrival at the
scene of hostilities. He also tells the
story of his first view Of General Shat
ter, whose bulky form he saw leaning
upon his blackboard witnessing the
of Santiago. Then Capt.
Butler continues his narrative:
"A real battle was not what I rad
pictured it. Nothing was to be seen
but puffs of smoke from field pieces or
exploding shells. Both armies were
welf entrenched, and the American in
fantry and dismounted cavalry did not
fire a shot unless head was seen to
shoot at. There was plenty of noise,
however. The heavy boom Of Samp-
sons six-inch guns: the roar Of the
American and Spanish batteries; and
the regular cracking of Mauser ana
krag conspired with the screaming
shell to make the evening hideous.
Ever since the arrival Of the block
aiding fleet outside Santiago General
commanding the Spanish
forces at Diquiri. had been preparing
for what he knew must come. Every
possible landing place had been forti-
fled, and the Spanish general knew
Diquiri could not escape. When our
troops landed they, found a magnificent
system of defense. lacking in only the
one thing most essential-artillery. But
when the Helena. Hornet and Ban
croft raked the hillsides with their
shell; dropped several 6-inch explo-
sions inside their earthworks. filling
their rifle pits with rocks and earth,
and even smashing the little block
house on top of the La Gran Predra.
the garrison decided it was far cheaper
to move than to pay rent
graphic description of the march of
the troops from the landing places to
follows; and Capt. Butler
gives, in detail the sufferings expert
enced by the men on account Of the
weather and climate.
THE policy of enlisting electricians in
the volunteer signal corps" continues
Capt. Butler, was wise one. for, it
brought into the service men educated
in all known branches of electrical
science. The wisdom of this plan Was
more particularly in SAN
tiago, as in that campaign the men of
the corps were obliged to make bricks
without clay. At the time the army en-
barked at Port Tampa, General Shafter
allowed only means of visual signalling
to be taken with the expedition; but the
nature of the country. however. soon
could rarely be depended upon. and that
reliable and general communication could
only be maintained through the instru-
mentality of the telegraph or telephone.
Hence. the men were speedily withdrawn
for more successful operations on other
lines. Although there was complete
telegraph train at Tampa. the command
ing general refused to take 1t, even after
recommendation was made to him by the
chief signal officer. who set forth the ne
cessity of such apparatus SO the general
went down to the sea In ships. depending
upon the Anticipated flag and torch for
communication, q system that failed abb
solutely in that country, and which was
only used between the shore and fleet
But General Greeley, the chief signal Off
Ger of the army. took upon himself the
responsibility of sending us supplies and
the signal corps was able to patch shora
lines and to build those which covered
the entire IL miles of army front from FL
N tn Ap,tjdereS- Had N hepn for