The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-08-26

rack of Springfield rifles The Span
iaFds We're Well aware of this. and some
of them climbed to the top of it while
others prepared to surround it,
This anSered the guards, who en-
deavored to drive them back, using the
butt ends of their rifles in battering
ram fashion. Instead Of having the de-
sired effect, this served only to infur.-
ate the Spaniards, who now sprang at
one of the soldiers, and, Overpowering
him, secured his rifle But they We're
not quick enough, for in a fifty" the
other guards were by his side and had
succeeded in recaptufing the weapon.
At this juncture the whole number Of
Spaniards. rising with "A cry. made a
concerted attack on the guards those
in the rear pushing those in front over
the dead line" The soldier and ma
rines We're forced TO use their bayonets,
but the odds were so great that they
were obliged to fall back several PAGES.
Recovering themselves, they fired a
Volley, in consequence of which six of
the Spaniards fell, never to rise again,
and twice that number were badly
wounded BY this time the sound of
the conflict had been heard throughout
the ship, and the bugle call Ito quar-
tiers" brought all the blue jackets on
deck to defend the armOry against the
mUtinouS prisoners. Many of the
Spaniards had broken through the line
of guard and We're running about the
ship For this reason the armory was
closed, so that when the blue Jackets
arrived there was a loud clamor for
weapons. and the man who possessed
marlinspike or broom handle became
the envy of his less fortunate ship
mates, who were compelled to use their
fists.
Captain Cotton and some of the
ships officers appeared upon the scene
in their pajamas. having been awak-
ened by the shooting The captains
first order was TO direct sufficient men
forward to guard the entrance to the
quarters of the Spanish officers, TO pre-
vent them from joining their men and
leading the attack
The officers and men on the bridge
were in a state of CONSERVATION, and
had hastily armed themselves with fire
axes and Delaying pins with which to
protect the bridge from invasion Sew
eral of the Spaniards had actually
reached the engine room. It seemed
they had intended to capture the en-
CINE room and bridge simultaneously
and make off with the ship. The fight
had become general. and intense tx
citement Dr<aied- Firemen, still
grimy from the stokehoId rushed on
deck and engaged the Spaniards with
coal shovels and crowbars-
As before stated. the prisoners were
provided with white uniforms, and on
this particular night the ships crew
wore similar uniforms. making dis
elimination almost imDossible It IS a
great wonder, therefore. that none OF
the Americans were killed by their
own men in mistake But the Span
iards were rapidly getting the worst
of the argument. One big fellow who
was surrounded by them, becoming IN
comfortably pressed. seized two of
them and, knocking their heads to-
gether. sent them sprawling right and
left. Then, picking up another, he
lifted him high above his head and
heaved him bodily into the crowd.
knocking them down like tenpins.
Many of the SpaniardS leaped over
the side and attempted to swim ashore,
necessitating the launching of a life
boat to prevent their escape or DeinS
drowned. Upon bringing them over the
gangwdy one Of them had no sooner
reached the rail than he again feaped
into the sea. They We're rescued, how
ever, one of them being picked up half
dead two miles distant bv the trans
port City of Washington, whose Off
GERS returned him 10 the Harvard the
following day.
The Spaniards We're gradually being
rounded UP, and much credit belongs
to Captain Cotton and Lieutenant
Beale, whose cool heads prevented
what might have been an unnecessary
sacrifice of many livss. 1t was long
after midnight when order was finally
restored. The wounded were carried
into the sick bay. where one OF them
died during the night. The ever faith
full surgeons. who We're again called
upon to meet the emergency. responded
nobly- and worked at the operating
Ia bles until sunrise. The crew of the
Harvard was mustered on the gun
deck and ordered to remain on guard
lest the Spaniards make further trou-
bic.
Upon examination it was found that
the Americans had sustained only two
casualties, and that these were caused
by their shipmates mistaking them
for Spaniards. One man received d
dangerous bayonet wound in the re-
glon of the kidneys, while another was
shot through the left hand. Rifles and
sidearms were now dealt to the men,
and they We're permitted to lie down
on deck with them and sleep.
But the Spaniards evidently had
enough. and in a little while the men
were dismissed and allowed TO return
below. The guard on the quarterback
was then doubled. and extra precau-
tons were taken throughout the ship.
The seven Spaniards who were killed
IN The night, including the one who
died in the sick bay, were arranged in
q row and covered with a tarpaulin to
await their burial next day.
Early next morning a thorough in
spection was made. 1t was found that
the Spaniards had unlashed and pre-
pared for serving several of the rapid
fire guns There is no doubt that they
had expected to secure some of the
ready. ammunition, in which event
they would have turned the guns upon
the Americans At several places parts
OF the rail had been unshipped. with
which they had irnprovised weapons
Blood stains and splintered planking.
where the bullets had struck. also
added TO the disfiguring OF the deck
Soon after sunrise the Harvard got
under way, and, after a short run. cast
anchor in the bay of Altares. where
the remainder of the Massachusetts,
militia and their supplies were landed.
Two thousand OF these troops had ac-
companied the vessel from Newport
News, Va. but their debarkation at
Siboney was interrupted by the exc
dus of Cervera's fleet.
At l2:45 O'Clock on the afternoon Of
July the Harvard steamed out to sea
and buried the Spaniards killed in the
ngnt, with all due military honors.
More than 1000 men witnessed the
burial. both Americans and Spaniards