The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-08-26
TRIED TO SEIZE THE SHIP.
Mutiny Aboard the Harvard After
the Battle of Santiago.
kansas City Star.

The Maine was avenged. The bat
tie of Santiago was over; the man
behind the gun had fought the fight
of his life and the victory was ours.
The following incidents. which were
enacted Immediately axter the glorious
victory of July 8, 1893, were dwarfed
into insignihcance and completely lost
sight of by reason of the overshadow-
ing Importance of the battle which
preceded it
AS a result of that great contest four
battleships and two torpedo boat de-
stroyers (all of which originally con-
stituted the much dreaded Spanish
Cape Verd f1eeO were wrecked and
strewn along the southern coast of
Cuba On the other hand. the vic
torious American SQUADRON had suf-
fered no material loss to testify to the
seriousness of the combat.
Although the Spanish vessels were
beached several hundred yards from
the shore. many of the sailors sue
ceeded in making a landing through
the breakers. but quite a few lost their
lives in the attempt.
The wrecked vessels, which were
burning furiousiy, presented scenes
distressingly horrifying Helplessly
MANNED and wounded men, TO whom
succor came too late, lay slowly roast
ing to death amid the flames The
crew of the United States auxiliary
cruiser Harvard. the liner New York
in times of peace, at the imminent
risk of their lives, succeeded in rescu-
ing Cor capturing. If you please nearly
200 of these -unfortunates. This alone
bears testimony to the fact that the
American sailo- is as kind as he is
brave. The rescuing DartY was con-
stantly imperiled by the incesSant eX-
plosion of both large and small 2mmu-
milton. as well as by the heavy surf
which was running. and which great
" retarded the work of transferring
the prisoners to the ship.
Immediately upon their arrival on
board the prisoners were conducted to
the quarter deck, where they received
every care and attention that it was
possible to bestow upon them. over
800 white duck uniforms We're issued to
them, as some of them were wholly
without clothes, and many others had
but a shirt or trousers. All appeared
to be half starved. and deyoured great
quantities of canned corRed beef, sea
biscuits and tea.
Two surgeons were found among the
SDaniar5s, and were Immediately
pressed into service to assist the Amer
lean medical officers, who spared no
pains TO alleviate the sufferings of the
sick and wounded. The work of rescue
continued far into the night. until no
further signs of life were visible on
either ships or shore, when the Harvard
stood to the eastward to join the feet
off Santiago-leaving the beach Strewn
with dead. The morning of the '-giori-
Gus Fourth" dawned without incident
The victorious fleet had again assem-
bled. fluctuations were exchanged
across the water, and the Welkin rang
with Anglo-SaXon cheers. The men
We're given the entire day to rest after
their long and tedious vigil The ships
were dressed. but as a mark of re-
spect to the defeated SDaniards, no
further demonstration was made
Toward noon the most severely wound
ed of the Spaniards were transferred to
the hospital ship Solace to receive the
same kind treatment which would have
been accorded the Americans.
The prisoners seemed to ACCEPT the
situation with calm philosophy, and
were apparently much affected by the
consideration shown them. Those who
could speak English were freely given
TO conversation, and expressed them
selves as satisfied that the end OF the
war was in sight.
But the Americans had learned to dis
trust them, and precautions were taken
TO guard against possible treachery A
dead line" was stretched across the
deck and four marines mounted guard
with fixed bayonetS and loaded rifles.
A small detachment of the Ninth Mas
sachusetts volunteers, who had re-
manned on board TO unload the mill
tary stores, We're utilized at night to
further strengthen this guard.
The Spanish officers were assigned
state rooms IN the forward part of the
vessel that they might have no op-
nOTflFnlTU tn haf
Captain Charles S Cotton. who COM
manded the Harvard, had the situation
so well in hand that the idea of mu-
tiny was almost absurd All day long
the vessels steamed slowly about their
various stations. gradually separating
until dusk found the Harvard alone,
with engines stopped. rolling gently in
long sOutheasterly swell The day
ended as beautifully as it had begun,
and the placid waters of the Caribbean
reflected the pale light of the moon.
lending phantom-like aspect to the
other vessels of the squadron, drawn
more TO the eastward. near Siboney
AT two bells g o'clock taps" was
sounded. and as the last note of the
bugie echoed from the mountain side
a solemn Stiffness settled over the YES
sci. To escape the heat of the berth
deck many of the men remained upon
the upper deck where they stretched
themselves at full length and were
fzs@ "a ES131E q "a &c 81 "a
As the night advanced the deep 81
lenee was broken only by an occasion
al groan or cry for "agua" from the
wounded Spaniards in the sick bay and
by the dull tread of the sentries pacing
the decks like automatons- AS each
half hour of the night was struck upon
the ships bell the officer of the deck
received a report from the quarter
master as to the condition of the pris-
oners aft- At six bells I'll O'clock the
report was '.All is we'll aft, sir" and
the hands on the clock in the wheel
house started slowly around their last
lap toward midnight.
A few minutes later the guard on the
quarterback detected a low buzz of
voices among the prisoners, and in
stantly they were on the alert One of
the Massachusetts soldiers observed a
slight forward movement by several of
the SpaDiards near the dead line With
a threatening gesture he ordered them
back, his deep voice penetrating the
still night air with a ring that startled
his comrades. The Spaniards may not
have understood him; at least. they
showed no inclination to heed him.
One of the cabins on the quarterback
had been utilized for the purpose OF
storing ready ammunition. II also