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A good plan executed
today is better than a perfect plan executed at some
indefinite point in the future.
--- General George Patton
Jr | |
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Diary, U.S.S.
Oregon, G. W. Robinson, Fireman 2nd
Div.
Posted
by: The Patriot |
|
U.S.S. "Oregon" San Francisco Cal.
March 19th 1898
Weighed anchor at 4.45 .m. and
got under way passing between Angel island and
Alcatraz. Almost every whistle in the city and
every ship on the bay saluted us as we headed for
the Golden Gate at a 14 knot clip, even the little
government tug "Gen McDowell" added her mite from
the wharf at Alcatraz while the military prisoners
on the "Rock" waved their hats and we could feel
that they were cheering although too far off to be
heard.
The Battery at the Presidio fired a
salute at which we replied with our whistle only -
every ounce of the 800 tons of powder in this is
ship to be used at a Spanish target we hope. Capt.
Clark himself made the remark that "we had no
saluting powder". As we rounded Fort Scott and
came in view of the hills beyond It seemed as if
the whole city of San Francisco had turned out to
bid us good bye, the hills were literally covered
with people and they cheered us as long as they
could be heard. There is no mistake the people out
here are wild for war. After crossing the bar (or
potato patch as some call it) the helm was put to
starboard an the ship headed south at 9.12 a.m. at
a 10 knot rate and we settled down for the longest
run we had made so far. The ship is loaded far
below what was ever calculated as her load water
line, she has nearly 3,000 tons of ammunition
alone beside all her coal and other stores. While
in the bay the men volunteered to give up their
provision lockers for coal and we put to sea
without our usual fresh provisions but we have an
extra hundred tons of coal in their place.
March 27th: Every thing going smoothly so
far, the sea has been like glass all the way, we
have no had to batten down once so we have lots of
fresh air. Are only making 10 knots average. They
are giving us firemen a fair chance to get
hardened in. Have a good crew and every one is
willing to do their share - the sore heads all run
away when the "Maine" went down. Sighted the
"Southern Cross" tonight for the first time, are
about 12 [degrees] N. L. now.
March 31st:
Crossed the Equator at 9.15 A.M. in Long 82.16 W.
Every thing going lovely. In order to relieve the
monotony of the thing old "Neptune" and his party
of "Assistants" came on board and started in to
initiate all the new members of the crew, after he
got through with them they returned the compliment
to the old members and the result was that all
hands including the Captain got a free bath.
The initiation consisted of a course of
treatment calculated to make a fellow sea sick and
sick of the sea both at the same time.
First the Dentist examined our teeth to
see if we could eat hardtack (and nearly broke
your jaws at the same time.) Then the Doctor gave
us a pill which was "fearfully and wonderfully
made," it consisted of flour, molasses, mustard,
red pepper and tar. Maybe some of the ingredients
escaped my taste but I can swear to these. Then
old "Neptune" gave us his blessing, his wife (who
is surely a canibal) gave us a kiss (and took a
bite as big as your fist at the same time) Then
the barber got in his work, His assistants or
"Assassins" grabbed us and beat you half to death
with canvas sacks stuffed with coal dust or sand I
should judge, then we sere set on a bench while
some more assistants lathered us with a white wash
brush and lather composed of tar, molasses,
cylinder oil and the Lord only knows what else.
Then the Barber shaved us with a barrel stave,
(taking care to break your nose and knock your
ears off.) When he got through we were dumped into
a tank of water where some more Assassins got hold
of us and what little life was left in us was
knocked out by the time they got through.
After the so called "fun" was over each
one was given a certificate entitling the holder
to the same kind of treatment next time they
crossed the Equator.
I enjoyed the first
part of this ceremony immensely, having been
across several times I ought to have been exempt
but the new men wee in the majority and after we
got through with them they turned the tables on us
by the Captains suggestion. The best joke of it
all was that they ducked the Officers and all -
including the Captain. This certainly was a gay
old day.
Apr 2nd; Sighted the lights of
Callao during the night and at daylight this
morning we steamed into the harbor with the
Secondary battery loaded and their crews ready.
Being in a country where the Spanish language is
spoken Capt Clark evidently intended to take no
chance but kept the ship clear of every thing and
the whole time we were in Callao there were always
men near the guns and the ammunition was not lost
sight of quite. A boat was sent ashore as soon as
we anchored and an Officer reported to the
American Consul but the only news given out to the
crew was to the effect that war had not yet been
declared.
The "Marietta" had been here and
after ordering coal for us had left on March 31st
for Valparaiso where we hope to over haul her.
Owing to the coal being ordered in advance
it began to come off in a short time after we
dropped anchor and by noon we were coaling for all
we were worth. Our boat had been sent ashore for
fresh provisions and returned about non with sweet
potatoes and some fruit, the only articles they
were able to buy. The Doctor condemned the fruit
an we had to dump it over board but we had a good
feed on Sweet potatoes. We were all pretty hungry,
having lived ten days on pay masters stores which
are not good.
The canned meat is unfit to
eat, the Salt meat has been in pickle so long that
the bones are eat up and can be crushed in your
hand. The coffee is ground and put up in 5 pound
tins but has all molded and can not be used, the
Sea biscuit is good as is also the Beans and some
of the Rice, this is about what we have lived on
for the last ten days.
On our run of 4,200
knots to this port we have used less than 1000
tons of coal, the coal we are getting here is
miserable stuff and costs the government #17 per
ton.
Apr 3rd A few of us were allowed to
go ashore this morning to hunt for fresh
provisions and got a few chickens at 6 cents
apiece but they had been fed on fish till they
were unfit to eat. Even the eggs had a fishy
taste. However we ordered beef and it came off to
the ship bout noon - a little bit tough and
stringy but pretty good to men with our apetities.
The Peruvians made a kick about towing the coal as
far and tried to get the ship moved farther in but
Capt Clark refused and we are at our first
anchorage nearly three miles from the beach and
clear of all the shipping. At night the two steam
launches are kept circling around the ship armed
with one pounders and a dozen men with small arms.
No boats are allowed near the ship after dark
wthout first being closely searched. We have had
one lesson in the "Maine" and don’t need another.
Apr 7th. The Deck hands and coal Passers
have been coaling the ship while the machinists
and Firemen over hauled the machinery and boilers.
It has been slow and discouraging work as
the coal all had to be brought off in lighter by
Peruians and they will set the world on fire by
work. However, it has given us the chance to the
machinery all in good order again and as there is
much of it there was plenty to be done. Put to sea
about noon in a stiff gale and a thick fog, as we
had a head sea we had to out on our hatch covers
for the first time since leaving San Francisco.
Stood out to sea till dark and then headed south,
there had been a rumor that we were going to
Honolulu so when the ships head swung South the
crew gave a cheer that brought the Captain up to
see what had happened. When told what was up he
only smiled and went below without saying a word.
Increased speed to 13 knots and nearly
killed all the firemen the first night. The most
miserable coal I ever had the misfortune to
handle, it forms in solid clinkers so hard they
can hardly be broken. Had a felon on my finger
that pained so much that I had to have it lanced
but did not lose any time by it.
The Fire
rooms and in fact the whole ship is as hot as a
bake oven since battening down.
Apr 8th;
Still bucking head seas that come clear over the
turrets. I never saw a ship take such seas before,
if she was any thing else but a battle ship a sea
like some of these would crush her like an egg.
Came near losing two of our men today, the
Carpenter and Blacksmith, as it was they were
washed into the Scuppers and badly injured. All
boats have been thoroughly secured long ago, and
man who falls overboard now is gone beyond all
hope. A life boat couldn’t live in the weather we
have had any way.
Have had fire in the
bunkers nearly all the way. Its just Purgatory.
Apr 16th; reached the western entrance to
the Straits of Magellen, passing Direction Island
at noon and anchoring in Sunday Bay at night. We
have had a miserable time ever since we left
Callao. There had been one continual storm and
head sea all the way. We were battened down the
entire time, our provisions were poor, the
sleeping quarters were hot as fire almost – the
berth deck registered 130o and our work on the
fires was enough to kill a mule. Our coal bunkers
were on fire nearly all the time, at one time
there were four of them on fire at once, at
another time the forward bunkers caught fire, and
the Automatic Alarms failing to work, the magazine
bulkheads became so hot before it was discovered
that the paint was burned off them. It was
certainly a close call as there was hundreds of
tons of Prismatic Powder on the other side of that
bulkhead that must have exploded in a very short
time and blown every thing to atoms.
I did
not keep count of the number of times the bunkers
were on fire, we had too much to do to keep a
diary but it seemed as if there was one or more
fires going all the time. Spontaneous Combustion
was always the cause and it realy seemed as if the
only place that coal would burn was in the
bunkers.
Steam, the usual antidote, seemed
to have no effect on the fires and the only method
that we found effective was to begin on one side
of the bunker and shovel away the the coal, piling
it up in the fire rooms or any odd corners we
could find till a clear space could be formed .
Once a little room was obtained the real work
began. Commencing on the side next the door we
would shovel every bit of coal over, keeping the
salt water hose turned on it as we went till every
bit of coal in that bunker had been handled. The
heat in the fire rooms generaly was about 150o, in
the bunkers it often went up to 170o or more while
no air could be allowed to circulate, so all the
gas, coal smoke and steam that was generated was
confined right there and the only outlet was
through the firemens lungs. It was just terrible
and the poor devils who had to stand it are to be
pitied. The men were played out time and again but
they never gave up. It used to be a rule to go in
there and work till they dropped senseless, then
some one else would pull them out and take their
places while the rest of the men turned the hose
on the man who had fainted and he was always ready
for more of it soon as he recovered Men frequently
had to work 24 hours at a time like this, at one
time I got only 5 hours off out of 48, at another
we all worked 19 hours straight and to add to all
our trouble we had to keep up a speed of 13 knots
on the poorest coal that God ever made. We are
certainly having a hard time getting a place where
we can turn loose and be savages but a game of
kill or be killed would suit this crew better than
any thing else just now providing it was played
with the Spaniards.
Apr 17th; Got
ready to get under way at 3 a m but did not raise
the anchor till nearly 8. The interval was spent
in clearing ship for action, loading guns, testing
the compass and getting ready generally. When we
did get up anchor we were ready for actual battle
and rather expecting it too as it was reported in
Callao that the the Spanish torpedo boat
“Temerario” was to lay for us in the “Straits” (I
saw this boat when she first came out here in 1892
but she did not impress me then as being
dangerous, she is a “torpedo-gun-boat of 19
knots.” she was in montividio at a naval review
when I saw her.)
Put on forces draught and
proceeded through through the Straits at an
average of 15.3 knots. Those waters are very
dangerous but the Cpatain was evidently getting
anxious for news especialy our own gunbaot
“Marietta” which should have met us here, no doubt
she waited for us in Valparaiso and is well behind
us now.
Arrived at Punta Arean (Sand
Point) Chili a 8.30 P.M. We made 153 miles in 10
hours with the entire crew at quarters and the
guns loaded, the anchor was also kept hanging over
the bows and men stationed at the anchor engines
ready to let go at a moments warning. There was
not an emergency in the catalogue that was not
forseen and prepared for. Sent a boat ashore with
an Officer to report to the American Consul while
the same tactics employed at Callao were brought
into play here. We anchored well clear of all
ships and had the Steam launches doing patrol
duty. Even an Argentine gun boat that came in an
hour after we arrived was ordered to give us more
room, as they seemed a little slow about doing so
the Search lights were turned on her decks for a
moment and then flashed up to our own mast head to
show “Old Glory,” the moment they saw our flag and
the men at quarters in the fighting tops they
started off and dropped anchor three miles away.
About 10 O’Clock our boat came back and we
were informed that war had not been declared up to
the 10th (the day the last mail boat left
montevidio. There are no cable connections here).
We were all disapointed to some extent but not
altogether as we want to be there when fun begins.
The “Marietta” came in at 11.30 P.M. and tired as
the men were they turned up to give her a cheer.
We had barely missed her in Sunday bay as she was
just leaving Smiths Straits as we passed the
entrance. They saw our fighting tops but could not
over haul us while we did not see them at all.
Apr. 18th. Began taking coal from an
english hulk, worse than what we got in Callao if
possible, I hear that our Pay Master is paying $25
per ton for this stuff too. A few of us got ashore
again for fresh provisions this morning, fresh
beef is worth 2 ½ cents per pound and mutton $1.00
per carcas no matter what it weighs. The beef is
certainly splendid but can not be salted -----
----- ---- told. Oh! What a feast we have today,
we eat all we cared for at the table but some way
we all got hungry before supper and it was fun to
see the men frying steaks over a scoop shovel in
the furnaces. That may not sounds apetizing to
some but we were hungry as sharks and it was a
treat to us. The international line between Chili
and Argentine was through the town of Punta Arena
and as the two countries are on the verge of war
there are some interesting times here for us.
Chili has an army here and Another marching
overland it is said while Argentine has an Army
here and is landing troops from a transport - both
sides have men-of-war in the harbor, think there
are eight altogether. The queer part of it is that
the outposts of the two armies reach the
international line so the two sentries can almost
touch each other. We were told that hostilities
were not to begin till may 4th.
Apr 20th;
Left Punta rena at 7 A.M, the "Marietta" raising
her anchor as we passed her and following us
closely. We have put in full time while here and
the the books show that we took in 1,100 tons of
coal, in reality we took in about 600 tons of the
worst stuff imaginable. Some one made a nice
little stake out of this so we should have got
some good coal at a much less juice.
50
miles east of Punta Arena we mat a couple of
coasting steamers from New York, these little
vessels were bound through the straits for San
Francisco to go into the Alaska trade. They had
left Rio de Janerio 15 days before so could give
us no news except what we already had. They guyed
the officer who was sent to them unmercifully and
that was all the satisfaction we got.
Reached the Atlantic about 2 P.M. in a
heavy gale and had to batten down again. Turned
north at 3.30 and had to slow down fo the Marietta
who was unable to proceed at full speed in the
face of the gale. The Atlantic is more choppy that
the Pacific and the absense of the heavy swell of
the other side is in our favor but the little gun
boat don’t stand the same show as we do.
Apr 21st; Have held a six knot gate for 24
hours. We are having a snap of this and the rest
is fully appreciated - God bless the Marietta if
she can run. If we were alone now we would be
making 13 or 1 knots.
Apr 30th; Left the
Marietta off the River Platte at day light and
struck out for Rio. It had been intended to use
her as a kind of picket boat but she is entirely
too slow so we had to give her up. Arrived at Rio
De Janerio at 2.30 P.M. and followed the usual
custom of anchoring away off from the rest of the
shipping and sending a boat to report to the
American Minister this time. The Minister proved
to be away at a summer resort in the mountains
enjoying himself as they had to report to the
consul who told them that War had been declared.
As the boat came pulling off to the ship every man
on board guessed the news without being told, we
could see it in the bend of the oars and the faces
of the men. Such a cheer as the crew gave when the
news was finaly announced I never heard before but
it was equaled by the by the way they made
preparations to begin coaling. At noon the coal
came off and was dumped into the bunkers for us by
slaves but they were entirely too slow to suit our
taste so the crew turned to without orders. The
“Temerario” was laying in the harbor when we got
in, she had just arrived from Montividio and it
was said that she was sent out to intercept us at
sea, if we had not fooled so long with the
Marietta we might have had a go at her but it
would have been like a bull dog fighting a rat. As
it was we shifted our anchorage farther up the
harbor and had a couple of six pounders looking
her way till the Authorities could act. The
Marietta came in at 2,30 P.M. and by orders of
Capt. Clark anchored just outside the Temerario,
this changed the complexion of affairs to such an
extent that Capt. Clark sent a Steam launch armed
with a one pounder to notify the Spaniards that we
would “blow them out of the water if they moved.”
After delivering this message the launch dropped
anchor right alongside the “Temerario” and watched
every move the Spaniards made. That must have been
a bitter pill for them but the directions said
take it and they did. That same evening the
Brazilian government put an Officer on the
Temerario’s deck to see that she did not move but
we kept our watch all the time we were in port
just the same. The regulations were carried out
here in regard to patroling in the vicinity of the
ship, as at Callao and Punta Arena, beside which
the Brazilian government sent two armed tugs every
night and one in the day time and no boat could
come near the ship except on business. All the
coal we got here as well as all the provisions
were furnished by the Brazilian government. At
very reasonable rates. The provsions were good and
we needed them badly. At Punta Arena we had been
unable to get any thing but meat which soon
spoiled. We had an ice machine but the officers
took all of the ice it made and left the crew
without. Its an actual fact that I have seen a ton
of ice stacked up in the Ward Room to cool the
atmosphere while the crew were drinking water
right from the Evaporators, hotter than Coffee
could be drank with comfort. The Marietta’s crew
are as wild over the news from home as we are but
they don’t seem to have any confidence in their
captain.
May 1st; The Machinists and
firemen have been over hauling machinery as usual
while the rest of the crew coaled ship.; Such work
as this has not been done on as American ship for
many a day, I put in 15 hours today in the fire
rooms in a temperature of 145o. There is not a
breath of air in the harbor. Every man on the ship
been very busy today except Mr. Cogswell (our
Executive Officer) he has been drunk ever since we
heard that war was declared.
The American
minister came back this evening and came on board
about dark, he and Capt. Clark had a very
sarcastic conversation on account of the minister
having been away at the time we arrived. About 9
P.M. Mr. Cogswell and this same minister made
their appearance on deck as drunk as lords, they
made us stop coaling ship while they had the band
up to play for them and delayed coaling for at
least two hours. A very nice pair of Americans
these.
May 2nd; The United States having
bought the cruiser "Nichteroy" from the Brazilian
government, a party of the Engineers force were
sent over to examine her machinery today. They
have had a force of men repairing her for some
time but her boilers are in bad shape still. She
used to have a Dynamite battery but has no guns at
all now. (This ship is named after the city of
Nichteroy, just across the bay from Rio)
May 3rd; Finished coaling last night every
bunker is now full of the best coal we ever had on
this ship, in contrast to the stuff we got in
Punta Arena, which would not burn even in the
bunkers. Left in company with the "Marietta" at
6.40 A.M. The Nichteroy not coming with us for
some reason. There was a rumor last night that the
American fleet had fought a battle at manila but
the rumor was not confirmed up to the point we
left port. Steamed north as far as Cape Frio (60
miles) and then hove to till dark, then started
south again past the entrance to Rio Janerio bay
and kept in that vicinity till mid-night. The crew
supposed we were waiting for the Temerario to come
out but she failed to come. All our guns have been
loaded since we entered the Straits of Magellan
and the men are kept at quarters day and night.
About 1 A.M. we steamed into the shadow on a Cliff
a few miles South of Rio and dropped anchor till
daylight but got little rest as the Captain was
evidently looking for some thing. Cogswell still
drunk.
May 4th; Got up anchor at daylight
and stood north past the harbors mouth, found the
Marietta hiding behind an island or rock watching
the entrance. Both ships started north but hove to
off Cape Frio till noon. About 2 P.M. Capt. Clark
signaled the Captain of the Marietta to come
alongside and ordered him back to look for the
Nichteroy, giving him a pretty hard calling down
for being too slow in reporting. This is the
second time this Captain has been on the Carpet
since the two ships have been in company. Marietta
and Nichteroy returned about ten O'Clock and all
three ships laid a course to the north. This was
the last we seen of either ship, for during the
night we parted company, they to come on as best
they could, while we started ahead at full speed.
May 5th;Capt. Clark sent Lieut-Com,
Cogswell to his room to sober up. There are a few
ore of these tanks who need a lesson and it is to
be hoped they will get it. Averaging about 14
knots but run out of our way to examine every ship
we sight.
May 11th; Reached Bahia Brazil
after dark and entered the harbor about 10 P.M.
Nearly scared the Custom house officers to death.
They came off to the ship thinking us a
merchantman and pulled off like mad when they
found what we were. Sent a board ashore at once to
report to the navy department by way of Liverpool
and started in at once overhauling machinery.
May 12th; Telegram from the department was
posted on the bulletin board giving us the result
of the manila fight but no details, rumors from
the shore say Dewey lost half his men. The men
cheered themselves hoarse over the news. A local
paper today published to a statement to the effect
that the Spanish fleet had dodged the north
atlantic Squadron and captured Philadelphia and
Boston. There are some men who believe it but all
are hoping for the best (It was from here that
Capt. Clark sent his famous message "Don't tangle
me up with instructions")
May13th Slipped
out of the harbor after dark and put to sea
although our Captain had previously reported his
machinery out of order. By this means we observed
the 24 hour law and kept the enemy in the dark as
to our movements,
May 13th; The bulletin
board was covered this morning with the dispatches
from home giving the location of the Spanish ships
and so on. One dispatch from the department told
us that “the eyes of the world were on us.” The
world must have little to do if that is the case.
Capt. Clark called all hands aft and gave
us a lecture in which he stated plainly that he
expected to meet the cape De Verd fleet. He gave
us a full description of their ships and also told
us of his plans in case we did meet them. Taken
altogether the outlook is pretty blue, while we
all have confidence in our ship, the odds of 4 to
1 and three torpedo boats besides is pretty big.
The general talk among the men is that there wont
be so many ships in that fleet when they get
through with us. We certainly will have a share in
the fight if we meet.
May 14th, The
Boatswain, Mr Costello has been drunk for two days
and today spoiled the chance of our lives – or
saved our lives ---, God only knows which. About
noon our anchor chain dropped over the side and it
took two solid hours to secure the 20 fathoms of
chain. This chain had previously been unshackled
and stoppered to the Bitts in order to prevent the
anchor engine from being injured in case the
anchor or chain should be struck by a shot. Mr.
Costello had been told several times that it was
not secured properly but the drunken fool would
listen to no one and the result was that we lost
two hours of valuable time. About 11 O’clock we
run square into the Spanish fleet, had that
accident not happened we would have met them
before it was fairly dark, as it was we sneaked
through without being seen.
The Spanish
fleet were strung out in a line looking for us,
their hulls were black and each was showing one
light, we saw three distinctly. Our own ship had
been painted lead color in Bahia and we had no
lights showing at all. We passed one Spanish Ship
about a mile to port, training the forward 13 inch
guns on her. The one to starboard was about a mile
and a half away and the after 13’s were brought to
bear on her, beside these we had 4 – 8 inch 2 – 6
inch and 10 – 6 pounders trained on each ship but
as they showed no sign of having seen us we did
not fire but held our course.
If they had
made a single move to show that they had seen us
those two ships would have been wrecked in a
minute.
The third ship was three or four
miles away, the rest of the fleet we did not see.
The men are all cussing Costello but perhaps after
all he saved our lives by his drunkeness.
There would have been an interesting
session if they had seen us but I will confess
that the odds were too much in their favor to suit
me.
May 17th; Reached Bridgetown, Barbados
today, have had nothing to complain of since the
14th. The coal we got in Rio is the best we ever
had in the ship and our fresh provisions lasted
till we got here. Every thing is lovely. Anchored
and Reported to the department by way of Liverpool
and begun taking coal on at once. Raised the
yellow flag to scare visitors away as the natives
were bothering us too much. Got the daily paper
from shore, these papers confirm the report we got
in Bahia that the Spanish fleet captured
Philadelphia. The men are feeling pretty blue and
are not very complimentary in their remarks about
the North Atlantic Squadron. The Spanish Cruiser
"Alfonso XIII" left here two days ago with a lot
of troops for Martinique, we cincerely hope that
we will go after her. There was a torpedo boat
reported off this port last night but we can find
out nothing about where she came from or where she
went. We have been obliged to chip in considerable
money out of our own pocket to help feed ourselves
on this run. At Frisco we chipped in $5. At Callao
$5. At Punta Arena $8. At Rio $10 and now we have
to dig up another $10. The grub that we got from
the paymaster is poor in quality so there is
nothing else for it.
We got some garbled
accounts of the Manila and Matanzas fights but no
particulars. American flour cost us $17 per
hundred here, other provisions in proportion.
Coaled ship all day and got away for home
at dark; Hung around the entrance all night
looking for any boats the enemy might have
watching us but failed to find any so we headed
east just before daylight and got well out of
sight while the darkness lasted.
May 21st;
We are now very nearly off the east end off the
Island of Cuba and heading north. One of the
funniest incidents of this long run happened this
morning just before daylight The ship was making
about 12 knots (showing no lights) when she
suddenly run into a ship so close there was hardly
room to turn. There was no time to see what she
was and the first thought was that we were up
against that Cape De Verd fleet. The wheel was
jammed over and we took the back track as fast as
the engines could drive us, the men were called to
quarters and turned out with cheer, for we all
felt for sure that their would be a fight this
time sure. Lieut-Com Cogswell turned up drunk as
usual having made a night of it and the Chief
Engineer got so excited that he lost his false
teeth while trying to give an order in the fire
rooms (One of the firemen threw them in the
furnace and the old coward was toothless for
nearly six months afterward. We run for half an
hour and then as daylight was breaking we took
back on our course ready to fight but just image
our disgust when the ship we had run from turned
out to be a "Wind Jammer". This is the first case
on record of a modern battle ship was chased by a
Sailing Ship.
May 24th; Reached Jupiter
inlet about dark and nearly scared every one to
death. The whole town took to the hills while the
telegraph operator telegraphed to Key West that a
Spanish Ship was in the harbor. Sent a boat ashore
with dispatches for the department.
May
25th. Got a dispatch from the Secretary of the
Navy which was read to the crew at 4 A. M. by the
Captain. The telegram was short and to the point,
“ If you need repairs go to Norfolk, if ready to
fight go to Key West.” That settled it, we were
off for Key West in fifteen minutes after that
dispatch came aboard. The only things we need is
coal and grub and we need both badly.
May
26th. On Account of the shallow water on this
coast we have had a slow run for the last 24
hours, we had no pilot and had to heave the lead
all the way. Arrived here and dropped anchor six
miles out at 10 A.M. Began taking coal from a big
four masted schooner half and hour after anchoring
and none too soon for I don’t think there is ten
tons in the ship. If we had encountered a storm
yesterday we would have been out of luck for two
more hours would have used up our last pound of
coal. Sent boats ashore for fresh provisions and
news papers (I hardly know which we wanted worst.)
and the rest of the day was spent over hauling
machinery, coaling ship, eating and reading the
news. Lord what a racket there was on the ship
when we found we were in time for all the
principle part of the fighting.
The ------
came past in the afternoon and when the word went
round that she was in the fight at Cardenas the
men gave her a cheer that nearly upset her crew.
No doubt they thought we were crazy but they ought
to be in our place. We have run nearly 15000 miles
in a race against time and have had but one chance
to fire a shot and I hardly think we can be blamed
for not taking that, considering the odds against
us. I am willing to bet that we never miss another
chance even at those odds. Had to dig up another $
10 for grub today – its getting about time the
government put in its share, according to the
articles we are entitled to rations.
The
papers are giving us quite a send off for our long
run and are taking us by surprise. Not a man on
board had any idea of the excitement we were
causing. We have felt all along as if we were
being lost in the shuffle. Got a letter today form
Ola, the only one from home.
May 27th.
Continued taking coal all day and over hauling
machinery, coal is going into those bunkers at a
rate it never did before. The men are determined
not to be tied up here longer than they can help
and all hands are at it for all they are worth.
Provisions are scarce and high. The government has
plenty on the beach and the Officers get all they
need but the men can get nothing. The “New York”
came in today and anchored near us, her crew gave
us a cheer as did the “Helena” which we returned
with a will. The latter vessel is one of the
picket boats here now and is a smart looking ship.
May 28th. Continued the same schedule
today as yesterday, they have also been stripping
the ship, sending all boats and every thing else
ashore that could be dispensed with. All tables
and benches were stowed in the hold as our bags
and hammocks were ready to go ashore – in fact
some of them had gone, mine among the number when
the order was revoked. Received a draft of 60 men
from the Chicago Naval Reserves late in the
evening, the poor devils are expecting a snap but
are not likely to find it on this packet, she is
about the hottest old workhorse afloat. Owing to
some mistake we have been unable to get more fresh
provisions here than would last us from day to
day, had ordered sea stores for 7 a.m. May 29th
but owing to some order we stoppedcoaling and got
under way at 10 P.M. with hardly any provisions at
all. The Officers have plenty and that is all that
seems to count in this ship.
May 29th.
Joined the blockading fleet off Havana at 8
a.m.(At least we suppose we are off Havana from
the direction we have come, there is hardly a map
among the crew. The fleet consisted of the Battle
Ship “Indiana”, (Sister ship to the “Oregon”) the
monitors Terror, Puritan, Miantonomo, three
torpedo boats whose names I did not learn and half
adozen cruisers, including the New York. Also a
supply ship or two.
The fleet gave us a
rousing reception as we passed through them
although we must have looked tough, the ship had
not been cleaned since we coaled and had a great
list to port owing to hasty coaling. The Indiana’s
band played “When I run that bully down”. Put in
the entire day drifting about among the fleet
which is a very powerful one, they are ten miles
or more from shore but have a lot of smaller craft
closer in. Got under way at 4 P.M. standing S. E.
till dark and then hove to till daylight.
May 30th, Started S. E. at daylight in
company with the “New York”, the torpedo boat
“Porter” and the converted yacht “Mayflower”, a
very fine little vessel though they say she was a
terror before she was “converted”. Hove to at 9
a.m. while the captains of every ship reported on
board the New York, after which all the ships
started westward except the torpedo boat “Dupont”
New York, Oregon and Mayflower. The New York Got
funny and tried to run away from us, giving us a
hard run all day. Every half hour or so they would
signal to know if we could make any better time,
the affirmative flag was always the answer till we
were going full 15 knots and finally when we were
abeam of them and forging ahead they signaled to
slow down. They had enough for once.
Hove
to for the night at 9 p.m. with the Cuban Coast in
sight on our starboard beam.
May 31st, Got
underway at daylight, standing close in shore,
then hove to till noon. The lookouts were busy
examining the coast while the Dupont run close
inshore, kept this up till dark, then stood out to
sea and resumed our course. Rounded the S.E. Point
of Cuba at 12:25 a.m. and turned westward.
June 1st, Arrived with the blockading
fleet off Santiago at 9 a.m. The batteries fired
half a dozen shots at us as we steamed past, all
fell short and the New York being the closest in
failed to reply. The“Marblehead” which was lying
close in took up the challenge and the Forts shut
up after she had fired a few shots. The fleet
consists of the Brooklyn, Marblehead,
Massachusetts, three torpedo boats seven or eight
colliers and the ships which came with us. Sampson
is in command and Como. Schley who has earned the
title of “Commodore Cant” is second in command.
The “Iowa” is also with us and the Texas, the
former is our only “Sea going Battle Ship”. The
other three are “Coast line Battle Ships 1st rate”
and the Texas a “Battle Ship 2nd Class”. At 5 p.m.
Stood in for close night blockade when the
batteries again opened up without effect. Our
ships did not reply.
June 2nd. The
batteries saluted the stars and stripes at
daylight with half a dozen shots but we heard
nothing closer than the explosion of the guns and
did not reply so they quit. Suppose this was
another “Spanish Victory”. At 9 a.m. a small
steamer started to run past the fleet without a
flag, we went after her and had to fire a blank
before she stopped. She proved to be the “Dandy”
an associated press boat under the British flag.
Her Captain got funny and in answer to Capt
Clark’s question as to where his flag was he
replied, “the crew are using it as a table cloth
just now. He will run it up as the cook gets his
dishes washed up”. He changed his mind quick when
the order was given to “load with shell”, and run
up his flag.
At 12:30 p.m. we were again
sent to chase a steamer that had 8 miles the start
of us and run like a scared wolf when she saw us
coming. Put on forced draught and took her in
after a 40 mile chase but it nearly killed every
fireman to do it. She proved to be the “Triton” of
Bath Me chartered by the New York “World” and was
after a sensational article. We thought sure she
was a prize and were badly disappointed when she
run up “Old Glory”. (The first time I ever hated
to see that flag). In the run we made 17.3 knots,
the best time ever made by a ship of this class
and it beats all previous records for us. They
sent our Officers a bunch of bananas and squared
them, as to the men – the men be d—d. As we turned
back we met the Marblehead, a 19 Knot ship that
started when we did but was left in the race – we
were in no humor to be beaten at this time, almost
every ship on this side has had some satisfaction
but we have not even fired a shot yet.
June 3rd, Got the news of the sinking of
the “Merrimac” this morning, it seems they were
volunteers but there were no volunteers called for
on this ship.
The forts fired a few shots
at us again this morning and both Officers and men
are growling, not only because we can’t return the
fire but because they think Sampson sunk that ship
in the channel so he would not be called on to
fight the Spaniard fleet. Have not had a bit of
meat or any thing else except hard tack and New
Orleans molassis since the 1st of this month – not
even coffee.
At 12:30 the Oregon got
orders to take position inside the cable ship
while the latter fished for the cable. Every one
hoped this was our chance but in spite of the fact
that we were within 8000 yards they failed to fire
at us. They must have known what we were doing.
Continued close inshore till 4 p.m. when the
Spaniards sent a flag of truce. We were told that
they brought word that the men on the “Merrimac”
were safe. Resumed work in half an hour and about
5:30 the cable ship secured on cable and cut it,
this was only 2800 yard from the “Morro” and the
Oregon had to lay on this in-shore side of the
cable ship to receive any shots that might be
fired at her. Continued dragging until 8 p.m. but
got no farther results. Stood in close for night
blockade, the Oregon taking 2 hour shifts with the
Iowa in using his search lights on the channel. 8
steam launches armed with a 1 pdr each and a force
with small arms are sent close in to the entrance
and kept there all night on picket duty. These
little boats take the most desperate chances,
firing on any thing they see moving although their
chance of escape is very small if they are struck.
About 10:30, we had a chance to see what
our fleet was like on night work, at this hour one
or more of the Spanish torpedo boats made a sudden
dash out of the harbor. Our steam launches gave
the first alarm with their guns and whistles and
were promptly backed by at least six of our ships,
the boats, or at least one of them turned east and
was headed off by the New York and New Orleans,
the former playing his search lights while the
latter worked her batteries, the Oregon slipped
close in to the entrance to prevent the boats
getting back into the harbor while the Marblehead
and Mayflower kept them from getting to the open
sea. Just what the result was is hard to say, but
men on the New York say that the torpedo boat was
fair in the glare of their search lights one
second and the next had disappeared like a bubble.
The Oregon did not get to fire a shot the New York
not many but the New Orleans was fairly grinding
them out, in fact they worked their guns so fast
we
thought they were on fire at one time. The
New Orleans is the only ship in our Navy using
smokeless powder.
June 5th, Nothing of
importance happening, all hands hungry as sharks,
manage to catch a few fish over the side, this is
our only change from hard tack and New Orleans
molasses. The forts fire a shot at us occasionally
but we never answer, they made one good shot at us
today, the shot passing between our stacks and
striking the water about a hundred feet from the
ship. This is our only excitement today.
June 6th, Got our moneys worth today. All
hands called to quarters at 4:30 a.m. got up
ammunition and put on battle hatches, then stood
by for an hour waiting for the flag ship to give
the signal, finally it came at 5:30 or about that
and we stood in shore with the rest of the fleet
for our first go at the Spaniards and a go it
proved to be. I had no idea they had so many guns,
the whole crest of the ridge for a distance of at
least 5 miles seemed to be covered with them and
they gave us as good as we sent for at least three
solid hours. They seemed to have all kinds of guns
from heavy 10 inch guns down to field pieces, but
should think about 6 or 7 inch siege guns were the
most numerous. Our fleet certainly did some good
execution, some of our ships getting in to point
blank range, the battle ships and heavy cruisers
had to be contented at a mile however but this is
easy range for us. In fact three miles is really
the best range for our heavy guns. The Spanish
loss must have been heavy as two or three of their
batteries were literally cut to pieces. The OREGON
was only struck three times and did not have a man
hurt. Ceased firing about 8:30 but the “Swanee” in
having a tussle with a battery three miles east of
the Morro drew the entire fleet in again and the
bombardment continued hot and heavy till 11:00
a.m. when we fell back but several of the little
gun boats continued to annoy the Spaniards till
dark. During the second part of the attack the
OREGON made one shot that was quite remarkable,
one of the big guns in the eastern battery had
been trained on the Swanee [SUWANNEE], this little
vessel wasthen being fired on from three
directions at once, in order to help her out one
of our 13 inch guns was scaled on the eastern
battery and the first shot struck exactly under
the big gun – it looked to us as if that gun went
at least 200 feet straight up into the air
accompanied by tons of dirt. They never fired
another shot out of that battery and in fact all
their guns were deserted shortly afterward.
Up to 11:30 we had nothing to eat but
after the fighting was over we fell back and had a
sumptuous feast on hard tack and molasses - Oh ye
Gods! And they tell us we are going to starve the
Spaniards out. Cogswell and two or three other
officers were drunk as lords.
Started east
alone at 8 p.m. and shortly before midnight
entered the harbor of Guantanamo, 40 miles or so
from Santiago. This harbor had been seized by the
Marblehead and some of our smaller ships some days
before after destroying the battery commanding the
bay.
June 7th, Began taking coal from a
collier at 1 a.m. and kept at it till 9 p.m. At 8
a.m. our marines were landed to examine the
country in the vicinity of the Spanish works and
were kept on shore till 4 p.m. when they were
withdrawn. They found several dead Spaniards but
nothing more. At 4:30 the cruiser “Panther” came
in and at once begun landing Marines of which she
had several hundred, their first work was to burn
a number of huts that had been used by the Spanish
garrison. Got up anchor at 9 p.m. and started
west.
June 8th, Rejoined the fleet off
Santiago at 8 a.m. and one of the boilers being
out of order a few of us got to put in the entire
day making repairs in a temperature of 160
degrees.
June 11th, Have done nothing of
importance since the 8th , just drifting around
hungry looking for some thing to devour. The ships
and forts have a shot at each other occasionally
but nothing to speak of, the Spaniards are very
poor shots in spite of the fact that they have
French and German gunners. The U. S. Supply ship
“Supply” came alongside today but she belied her
name for she had no supplies except flour and a
kind of macaroni (that is for the men. She had a
full stock of every thing imaginable for the
Officers including, beer wine, and all other kind
of liquor). [It should be noted that the
government did not provide supplies for the
officers. The officers had to procure private
contracts for their mess, and the contractors
supplied them, independent of the navy supplies.
in this case, the private contractors were
fulfilling their contract to the officers' mess.
The navy had fallen down on its job in supplying
the crew. This arangement was apparently not
understood by Robinson, or, probably, many others
on the crew]
An English ship came in today
as a prize to the “St. Paul”. She was caught in
the act of coaling a Spanish Torpedo destroyer
near San Juan. Don’t know what disposition will be
made of her. The torpedo boat escaped.
At
7:30 p.m. the Spanish batteries are practicing on
some of our ships and we are waiting for a call to
quarters. From the shots they are making now it
looks as if we were learning them to fight.
June 12th, No excitement today till 10:30
p.m. when the OREGON steamed in to 1400 yards and
took her turn at the search lights. There was some
kind of movement inside the harbor and we thought
sure the Spanish fleet was going to make a run for
it, the crew were called to quarters and a red
rocket was fixed as a danger signal to the fleet.
They closed up promptly and as they swung into
line across the channel and 12 or 15 search lights
were thrown inland it was the grandest picture I
ever saw. Nothing came of it and finally the men
were sent on deck but we spoiled the Spaniard’s
sleep for they were exchanging signals all night
and their sentries fired on our steam launches
whenever they came in sight.
June 13th,
The Dynamite Cruiser “Vesuvius” and the hospital
ship “Solace” came in today. The former is some
three miles away from us and we sincerely hope she
will stay that distance away as she carries tons
of high explosives and is quite dangerous, if the
Spaniards ever hit her she might sink the entire
fleet.
11:30 p.m. We have just had a
sample of the “Vesuvius”, while the OREGON had her
trick at the search light the “Dynamite” ran close
under our bow and after carefully estimating the
distance, let go three charges of gun cotton (220
lbs each). The object we understood was to explode
the mines in the harbor entrance but although the
explosion was some thing fearful we saw no
results. After firing three shots in quick
succession the Vesuvius run out of range as quick
as possible while the Spaniards manned their
batteries and let go a regular storm of shot at
us. Glad there was no dynamite near us when they
began to fire for some of their shots came close.
June 14th, The collier “Kingston”
came alongside and we begun taking coal at sea
about in range of the batteries. There is a stiff
sea running and it is difficult work but we manage
to take it on at a good rate just the same. This
ship brought a lot more beer and wine for the
Officers and some provisions but not a thing for
the men. She also brings news of a battle at
Guantanamo Bay between the Marines and Spaniards,
according to their accounts it must have been
fierce. Papers from New York received today say
that “Sampsons fleet are living on the fat of the
land”. If this is the fat I hope I shall never see
the lean, the hungriest tramp in the United States
would turn up his nose at the stuff we have to
eat, - that is the men, the Officers have not been
short in either grub or beer but of course they
cant be expected to suffer. The Vesuvius fired
three more shots for “target practice” this
morning, her crew claim they were only at practice
last night too, its great practice all right when
a Spaniard has to keep score for us.
The
Brooklyn had a good go at the western battery,
mostly long range work ant the New Orleans did the
same act with a battery at Aguadores. No results
in particular. Ceased coaling and stood in for our
turn at the search lights as soon as it got dark.
From dark till daylight some ship has her lights
on that entrance continually, those ships inside
will never be able to move without us knowing it.
June 15th, Had our usual morning exercise
at the batteries and then hauled off shore and
coaled ship till 5 p.m. The hospital ship “Solace”
came alongside and sent over some fruit
contributed by the “National Relief Association”.
The Officers seized the whole lot but were kind
enough to allow each man one orange and two
lemons. Secured 20 pounds of potatoes but they
cost us ten cents a pound and there were no more
to be had even at that price. Got the “New York
World” of June 8th describing the bombardment of
the 6th also the chasing we gave the “Triton”,
there is hardly a word of truth in it and it might
as well have been written by some one who never
saw it at all. Bob Evans, Sampson, and Schley have
a whole page to themselves, (and pay for it at
advertising rates no doubt). Neither one of those
three have distinguished themselves here except on
paper.
Some firing from the west battery
at sundown. At 11 p.m. the Vesuvius got in her
work again while the OREGON held the candle as
usual. Her object this time was a gun that our
other guns can not reach, don’t know whether she
succeeded or not but she waked the Dagoes up and
they sent a shower of shells screaming out our way
in a manner that was not pleasant.
This
ship is so hot that it is impossible to sleep any
where except on the open deck and it is rather
hard on the nerves when you are waked up by a
shell throwing water on you – that was the
experience of at least a hundred men last night.
June 16th, Tried our luck again this
morning with the same results. All hands called at
3:30 a.m. Breakfast (hard tack and molasses) at 4
a.m. and went to quarters immediately afterward.
The fight started at 5 a.m. at 4000 yards range
and lasted till 6:30 a.m., the last half hour of
the fight the OREGON was only 1100 yards from the
beach. Our Ship literally wiped out every thing in
sight and before we got through the Spaniards had
deserted every one of their guns except 5 mortars
which are situated behind a hill or knoll, our
guns can throw shells clear over them but can not
drop a shell on them. It will either require
mortars or some thing of their class unless the
Vesuvius can do the trick.
These mortars
are the only really dangerous guns we have to
contend with, they throw their shells up and drop
them vertically or nearly so, and they do fair
shooting with them too. If they ever drop a shell
on our deck the Lord only knows what the result
will be for that is our weak point. The Texas
exploded a magazine in the west battery with one
of her shells and it looked as if it tore up the
whole battery, there were six guns in the battery
and the loss of men must have been great. The
Spaniards have improved greatly in shooting since
we came here, they gave us a close call at five
miles range as we fell back. No one here seems to
understand what we are trying to do, if we are
trying to take this place, we have made two good
starts but “Sensible Sampson” “Commodore Cant” and
“Fightless Bob” always stop fighting as soon as
the news paper boat comes in sight and spend the
rest of the day telling the Reporters how they
done it all. According to these reports there is
only these three men in the fleet, it reminds me
of the old gag about how “Me and the old woman
killed the bear”.
This is a discouraging
siege so far, the men on this ship have not had a
full meal this month and the poor half starved
devils are losing confidence in every thing. Its
pretty hard to go hungry and see a lot of half
drunken Officers having plenty but that’s the
situation here exactly. Any one who saw this crew
a month ago would hardly recognize them now, one
of the signs is that nothing seems to interest
them, today there was not even a cheer, they had
all made up their minds that we would quit, and we
did.
Lay out a few miles and watched the
enemy repairing damages, could see them plain with
a glass but did nothing more to bother them.
They opened on us again as we came in for
the night blockade but we did not reply.
June 17th, Got under way at 3:30 a.m. for
Guantanamo arriving at 7 a.m. and begun taking
coal from two ships at once. Things here are in
bad shape. The 800 Marines that landed here ten
days ago have been joined by about 50 Cubans and
this small force have been fighting night and day
ever since. The only rest they can get is by
falling back under the guns of the fleet. They
have buried over 200 Spaniards by actual count but
are nearly worn out themselves, they have a great
number of prisoners too on board the Colliers in
the bay.
About 9 a.m. a Spanish force made
another attack on them but all the ships in the
bay turned their secondary batteries on them and
they had to fall back – the Marines did not have
to fall in at all this time. What prisoners I have
seen are a miserable, dirty looking lot, they have
not been paid for over a year. The attacking force
today is estimated at 2000 men with 4 pieces of
field artillery.
About 4 p.m. we finished
coaling for the day and tried our big guns on the
Spanish works 7600 yards away. The result was not
satisfactory as our gunners could not see their
target but had to scale their guns by angles and
degrees, after firing 8 shots of which only 2 of
the 13 inch were observed to strike the mark we
steamed back to Santiago arriving at 7:30 p.m.
June 18th, The Vesuvius threw a few more
“Earth Quakers” last night, the Dagoes are getting
on to where those shells are fixed from and this
time they opened on our search light in earnest.
The men were mostly all asleep when one of their
shells came close over the fo’csle, the men were
almost stampeded for a moment but some one had
sense enough to sing out “High Ball”, the men were
laughing at their scare almost at once.
The New York’s steam launch came alongside
today, she was in a fight yesterday while
rubbering up the coast, she was literally riddled
with bullets but not a man on her was hurt and
after a hot fight at 50 yards range the Spaniards
gave leg bail – this is a good deal like driving
bugs out of a potato patch.
June 19th, The
“St Louis” secured and cut the Jamaica cable at 1
o’clock this morning, these cables seem to
multiply down here, as soon as one is cut there is
another to fish for.
June 20th, Every
thing quiet today. The “Swanee” [SUWANEE] has been
close in shore coaxing the batteries for a fight
but cant get it. There is a large fleet in the
offing said to be transports with that much talked
of “Army”. This army has been the subject of all
our talk by day and our dreams by night for a
month but I have always doubted its coming here –
Sampson has done nothing, wonder what the army
will do.
June 21st, The supply ship
“Celtic” sent us a few stores this morning and at
9 a.m. we had our first square meal for nearly a
month. The mess I am in has had nothing but hard
tack and New Orleans molasses for 22 days except
20 pounds of potatoes and 6 pounds of rice, as
there are 26 men in the mess these did not last
long. I have saw the mess fry hard tack in filthy
tallow that was sent down here to use on the
machinery. That sounds tough but we have been
fairly starving. Our Officers have had plenty.
While patroling the beach in the steam
launch today I had an opportunity to see a fight
between 55 Cubans of Garcia’s Army and some 400
Spaniards of the Santiago garrison. This is the
first chance we have had to see what the Cubans
can do and we took it in from start to finish. The
Cubans fired for a few minutes and then threw down
their guns and charged with “Machetes, it was a
good 200 yards over open ground and the Spaniards
were shooting for all they were worth but it was
no use, the Cubans got among them with those “Corn
Cutters” and the work they did was awful till the
Spaniards run away which was pretty quick. The
Cubans lost 2 killed and 6 wounded, the Spaniards
had 37 killed and no wounded at all. I don’t
believe either side killed a man by shooting,
their marksmanship was just about the worst I ever
saw but when those knives got to work old St Peter
was kept busy – providing he is bothered with
Spaniards up there.
The Transports with
the army on board are here all right and all steam
launches and small gun boats are examining the
coast for good landing places. They expect to land
tomorrow.
Between 10 and 11 p.m. the
Vesuvius threw three more shells while the OREGON
held the “candle”, the forts fired at our light as
usual and came near getting us too.
June
22nd, Transports begun landing troops this morning
by means of boats and steam launches from the
fleet. These troops are not on to themselves at
all. There are not a dozen small boats among all
the transports that can be used, some ships that
carry a dozen boats have let them dry up and go to
pieces till they would hardly hold straw. They
could’nt land those men between now and Christmas
without the navy.
The army officers were
completely lost, some of them could not tell what
ship their Regiment was on, one Regiment only had
six of its Officers with it and did not know what
ship the rest were on. Every thing was mixed up,
Shafter was in command and no one knew any one
else who was. There seemed to be no Quartermasters
or any thing else – it took three solid hours
after they were ready to land before we could find
what ship was to begin first, then they sent us to
a ship loaded with mules and hardly enough men to
take care of them.
The blockading fleet
strung out for 16 miles along the coast and
shelled the hills all morning but there was little
resistance. At Daiguira where the troops were to
land the Spanish troops tried to destroy the Rail
Road yard and 4 big freight engines but were
prevented by about 1000 Cubans who charged them
with those “Corn Cutters” of theirs, aided by the
guns of the New Orleans. These Cubans assisted our
troops greatly in landing afterward as the ground
swell was very bad and landing was difficult. The
Cubans would rush into the water up to their
necks, seize a boat and then as a big wave came in
they would run it high up on the beach. They
helped our troops greatly by showing them
how
to do such work and before night the boys got to
be pretty handy themselves, the first few to land
were about the most awkward men I ever saw around
a boat.
The troops complain of having grub
that they cant eat, one of the 1st Infantry
inquired if we had anything to eat and when I
offered him a handful of coal dust he got mad, I
had to explain that I had eat many a bucket full
of it, and even then he did’nt seem satisfied.
One of the Officers inquired what ship we
belong to and when told he asked if the “OREGON”
was one of their transports – and then got mad
when it was explained that she was a flying
machine. Its hard to please some folks any way.
The event of the day among the fleet was a
duel between the Texas and the west battery, she
dropped 23 of her 12 inch shells into the battery
but was hit once herself and had 8 men hurt, one
of them died a little later. After the crew were
worn out she hauled off and the Indiana tried her
luck but came near getting hit too. There are two
9 inch disappearing guns in this battery and 5
“Whitworth” mortars on Key or “Camp Smith” just
inside the harbor that are still manned. Every
battery except these we have destroyed and the
appearance of the country has changed since we
came here almost as if an earth quake had visited
it, the whole face of the hill is marked like it
had been plowed up. With a good pair of glasses
the course of hundreds of our shells can be traced
from one station on the blockade. The Spanish flag
still flies over the “Moro”only because our
gunners never fire at the historic old building.
(There has never been any guns on the “Moro”
during this war) [this was untrue - editor]. The
Texas today did the best shooting I ever saw, the
Spaniards too did much better than usual.
June 23rd, Troops continued landing all
day without resistance. The “Vixen” went in with a
flag of truce this morning, no firing during the
rest of the day. Have run out of grub again and
are on our old ration again. Troops continued
landing all night, being helped out by the search
light on our ships. A couple of their men fell
between two transports and were crushed to death,
they also lost one man and several head of mules
by drowning.
June 24th, Troops moved
westward five miles yesterday as far a Cabannas
bay where the last of them landed this morning.
Our boats are still landing their stores and
ammunition.
The Spaniards tried an attack
on them this morning but our ships stood in and
mixed it up with them till they were sick of it
and retired, there are reports of fighting farther
inland but we have no details. Some of our smaller
ships continued firing till dark but the larger
vessels quit about noon.
One of the
objects of our gun boats now is to prevent the
Spaniards from destroying the bridge over the San
Juan river at Aquadores and they had their hands
full today. The peculiar part of this performance
is this; When we first came here we did our best
to destroy this same bridge and partly succeeded a
couple of times but they repaired the damage. Now
our Army has 4 Engines and a lot of cars and can
use this rail road to great advantage so the other
side want to blow it up – Well! They have the
advantage of us there but if they succeed it wont
be the fault of the “Swanee” [SUWANEE] at least
for she has been under fire 18 hours today.
June 25th, The “Scorpion”, Gloucester”,
Swanee [SUWANEE] and the torpedo boat “Porter” are
making the fur fly down at the bridge yet. The New
Orleans turned her search lights on the bridge for
them last night and they have not quit firing
since yesterday morning. Vesuvius fired 5 more
shots last night.
Can get no information
in regard to what the army is doing, they advanced
some few miles westward yesterday but this base is
still the same. It is reported that another fight
is taking place but there is no way for us to find
out except to wait. Lord, but this work is
tiresome – and hungry.
June 26th, Got
under way at 3:30 a.m. for Guantanamo, arriving at
7:30 and begun taking coal from two ships at once,
continued all day and night, all hands working the
full time.
June 27th, Continued coaling
all day and finishing at 7 p.m. This makes more
than 36 hours of work without rest. There was a
ship in the bay with plenty of provisions but they
would sell to no one but Officers. When we went to
the Executive Officer and asked permission to buy
provisions out of our own pockets he nearly had a
fit, he inquired if we did not get enough to eat
and when told, he made about this answer, “Hard
tack and molasses is too d—d good for you. Get
forward and shut up.” That was Mr. Cogswell – an
Officer and a Gentleman by an act of Congress. He
has been drunk almost continualy since this war
begins, he has proved himself a coward in every
fight we have had.
Got under way for
Santiago at 7:30 but blew the packing out of the
stuffing box of one of the main engines and had to
stop for repairs. This is the first time this ship
ever had to stop for any thing at sea. After
repairing machinery continued our course and
arrived with the fleet at 3 a.m. (28th), 45 hours
of duty out of 48.
June 28th, Have been
laying far out to sea all day repairing machinery.
The Scorpion and Swanee [SUWANEE] were ;having
“target practice” at the Spanish troops around
Aguadoris but the “Yankee” (manned by New York
naval Reserves) starting in to help them out and
spoiled it all with her first shot. She knocked
down a whole span of the very bridge they have
worked night and day to protect (That means, of
course the Glouster and Swanee [SUWANEE]) Nothing
else worth recording today.
June 29th,
Nothing moving today, this has been about the
dullest day of this dull blockade. Our ships were
shelling Aguadores bridge this morning but got no
reply – The Spaniards had nothing to fight for
there since the Yankee did their work for them
yesterday. The supply ship Celtic came alongside
and sent us a few provisions but a very few think
the Captain of that ship imagined he was like the
Lord when he fed the multitudes. We were told that
he left “Gods Country” with 100 barrels of flour
to feed 4000 men and 1700 barrels of bottled beer
for the use of about 400 Officers. They had every
thing that a well stocked grocery usually has and
plenty of it but an enlisted man could get
nothing, for love or money. Mr. Cogswell and a pet
of his who was fired out of the U. S. Army for
being a thief, have perfected a little plan to rob
us in broad day light and they are working it to
perfection too. Got some papers from home today
but they only serve to make us tired, nothing but
advertising for the “Imortal three” (Sensible
Sampson” “Commodore Cant” and that other notorious
fraud “Bob Evans”) The later is known in the
fleet as “Newspaper Bob” from the fact that
his deeds always appear in the Advertising column
of the New York World. The fact is that we have
done nothing but show our own officers up since we
came here. We have whipped every thing we could
get at time and again but are always ordered back
when every Spanish gun is silenced. Upon my word!
I almost believe Sampson has some interest in
prolonging this war.
June 30th, Still busy
doing nothing but coasting and starving.
Interesting work, very.
The New York and
three of our fastest cruisers have just finished a
race after a vessel which they mistook for a
blockade runner but after a 20 mile chase she gave
up – it was one of our transports with a funny
Captain. A rope at the yard arm would stop some of
this funny work and I should like to help use it
too.
July1st, One of the tubes in No 2
boiler collapsed this morning and had to be shut
down for repairs. All hands were called at 4:30
and after a “hard tack feast” were sent to
quarters and the ship stood in shore about 5:30.
Waited till 10 a.m. for the army to move from
Siboney. Finaly they showed up with a line of
Skirmishers, supported by two train loads of
troops. They proceeded with the trains as far as
the San Juan bridge (You remember that the Cubans
captured these engines and trains on the 21st)
Here they were obliged to halt as the Yankee had
blown a span out of the bridge on the 29th. The
army of course had no boats or pontoons so they
could not cross either. They finaly moved inland
and we lost sight of them although we tried to
help them out by shelling the hills, we could hear
them firing but could not see them. They lost 25
killed up to 2 p.m. 23 of whom were Cubans. At 2
p.m. they came back and all hands were put on
board the cars and sent back to Siboney leaving
their dead on the beach under cover of our guns.
We were kept at quarters till dark – all
hands completely played out by heat, smoke and
starvation.
The Army had a furious battle
farther inland during the day but could not learn
the results. They sent up a baloon during the day
and kept it up quite a while.
July 2nd,
Worked all night repairing No 2 boiler, finished
and lit fires as all hands were called at 4 a.m.
This was another “24 solid”.
Were sent to
quarters at 4:30, some had breakfast but not many.
Stood in for the Channel and started in to
pulverize every thing in sight. All five of the
battle ships turned loose on the west battery and
the dust wont quit falling for a week. After about
an hours work the “Iowa”was ordered in to close
quarters, this is what Bob Evans has been begging
for every bombardment we have had but today he was
in to big a hurry to get to the news paper boat,
so he signaled that his turrets were out of order
and dropped out all together - ten minutes later
he had a reporter on board and was telling him how
the “Iowa” did it all. It just happened that it
was not all over but that made no difference to a
man like “Fightless Bob”. After the Iowa went to
look for notoriety the OREGON took her place and
went looking for trouble, we run into the mouth of
the harbor within 300 yards of the Morro and
turned loose for fair, we knocked the corner off
the old Morro, tore the flag down and then started
a duel with the “Blanco” battery like the Texas
had with the other one, it was a duel too for
nearly an hour. Times have been dull on this
blockade but they were lively enough for that hour
to suit any one. We were only hit once and not a
man was hurt but we did fearful work with our own
guns. I doubt if ever a battery was destroyed as
that one was, the range was easy and the men were
in about as savage a temper as it is possible to
get them in. From the time we begun on that
battery till we let up it looked like a sand storm
was taking place in it. We could see guns, logs,
men and every thing else thrown up by our shot.
That battery was literaly wiped out. Capt. Clark
signaled for permission to go in after the fleet
but was ordered to fall back.
And this is
war. We have to do this all over again next time.
July 3rd [Battle of Santiago], Every thing
was quiet this morning till 9:30. The Oregon was
on her station in front of and a little east of
the channel, the Texas was off our port bow, the
Brooklyn was three miles further west. The rest of
the ships were scattered around farther out but
within range though as it turned out, one of them
had steam up sufficient to start at a fair rate of
speed. The Iowa was three miles off her station,
she ought to have been near us but was five miles
out instead of two. I was on watch and having just
finished cleaning fires was up taking a final
breath of fresh air before morning quarters when
the Spanish fleet came out. A six pounder was
fired at them by a marine named O’Shea and then
the men went to quarters without the usual signal.
I waited perhaps two minutes and then slid into my
fire room by means of the ventilator. The sight of
those ships coming out of that harbor was the
grandest sight I ever saw. The man who commanded
them must have been a thorough sailor and it is
almost a pity he could not fight as well as sail.
As to the fight that followed I prefer to
let Fighting Bob tell. He took one of our best
battle ships out of the fight as soon as he saw a
newpaper boar. As a spectator is supposed to see
such things best, this news paper hero ought to be
the best judge in all our navy. The main part of
the fight lasted a little over an hour and in that
time the Oregon fired over 1700 shots including 60
thirteen inch – these guns use 550 pounds of
powder at a charge. If there is any worse place in
this world than our fire room during this hour I
never want to see it. The smoke from the guns was
forced into the fire rooms by the fans till we
could hardly see or breathe while the concussion
of the big guns was almost beyond endurance. We
had to work for all there was in us to get the
ship along at the pace the Spanish ships were
setting for us but we stayed it out although every
one of our ships dropped out except the Brooklyn –
She got out of range and then followed up, keeping
us between her and danger [In fact, Brooklyn
suffered the brunt of the battle for the American
squadron - editor]. After the “viscaya” went on
the beach and blew up our guns took a rest and for
nearly three hours it was a test of grit between
the fire men on the ship and those on the
“Christobal Colon”. The latter had got a ten mile
start while the fight was going on and being a
fast cruiser it realy looked as if she had shook
us off but by hard work and every trick known in
the trade we finaly got within about 7,500 yards
of her and our big guns begun to talk again. After
being hit 41 times she hauled down her flag, fired
a gun to leeward and started for the beach.
During the entire race, even when it
seemed sure that the Spanish ship was escaping,
the Brooklyn either could not or would not go
ahead. At the time the “Colon” hauled down her
flag the Brooklyn was a good three miles off our
port quarter and nearly 8 miles from the Colon but
when Clark signaled that she had give up old
“Comodore Cant” took the the Brooklyn past us at a
speed that was surprising and the Colon actualy
surrendered to the Brooklyn. Old “Commodore Cant”
(Schley by name and Sly by nature) had the
unlimited nerve to signal to Captain Clark,
“thanks for your assistance”.
We started
in at once making preparations to send a prize
crew on board but owing to lack of small boats
this was slow work, the Brooklyn too had the prize
and this just took the very life out of our boys,
besides which Schley seemed to be lost, he hardly
seemed to know whether to seize that ship or
salute her. Finaly an hour after it was all over
the “New York”, “Texas” and “Resolute” came up and
Sampson took charge, then Brooklyn was sent back
to Santiago and the Oregon took the prize and sent
a crew on board under Mr. Cogswell who was drunk.
As soon as he got aboard the prize he begun
shaking hands with the Spanish officers and they
got him into the cabin and filled him up with wine
till he hardly knew whether he was an American or
a Spaniard. In the mean time the ship was sinking.
The Spaniards had opened her sea connections,
sawed away the valve stems and there was no way of
closing them at this time. If we had acted
promptly there is no reason why we should not have
saved this ship and she was a good one too. I have
no doubt in the world that we could have changed
ships with them and whipped them justthe same,
this ship was one of the best cruisers in Europe
with 12” of armor and one of the finest rapid fire
batteries I ever saw, they also had the advantage
of us in using smokeless powder.
All the
prisoners were sent to the Resolute except a dozen
or so wounded who were divided among the ships
present, the Oregon taking three, the dead were
thrown over board. We had lively work to get them
700 prisoners off the ship with the few boats we
had. The ship was taking water fast and turning
over steadily and as there was no means of
stopping the leak the engineers force devoted
their time to securing every thing so the ship
could be raised again. Finally about 11:30 she
gave a lurch to starboard and the boats had to
shove off, the men who were left on board had to
swim for it but all of us made the boats without
accident and a few minutes later the Colon turned
over on her beam ends.
We reached the
Oregon about mid-night, many of us had been on the
hardest kind of duty for 28 hours and in that time
we had one meal – hard tack and molasses. They
talked about starving the Spaniards out of
Santiago but the men on those ships were fat as
pigs vompared to us. I stole a piece of meat off
of that ship before she went down and it was the
first meat I had tasted in weeks, if we had not
been as much pressed for time, we could have got
plenty of provisions out of her.
Our
firemen are in a horrible condition as a result of
this days work, they fired during that fight
without regard to consequences. One of them
accidently run his hand into the furnace and had
every nail burned off that hand but he never
stopped work for a minute. One of them had his
head burned till the hair is coming off. Every one
of them are burned and blistered beyond belief,
several of them have broken down under the strain
and for the present at least are out of their
minds. And Schley will get the credit for it all.
July 4th, Stood by the wreck till
daylight, then as we could do nothing more we
started back to Santiago. The Chief Engineer
having got scared to death yesterday tried to take
his spite out on us today by making us “Shake it
up” as he termed it but he took that steam just as
fast as we seen fit to make it and no faster.
There is not a single fireman in the ship fit to
work and many of them never will be able to do a
hard days work again. It was some thing frightful
today to look over the work we did yesterday, the
“Viscaya” was the first one of the wrecks we came
to, she is a solid mass of fire, her magazines had
exploded and torn her decks all to pieces. Her big
11 inch Hontoria still points over her stern and
looks as defiant as she did yesterday. Many of her
dead – and there were many of them – were being
wasted on her deck today and could be smelled many
miles at sea, it was simply horrible. According to
the estimate of her own Officers a single 13 inch
shell from the Oregon yesterday killed or wounded
nearly 100 men beside setting the ship on fire
from one end to the other. She was the hardest nut
in the fleet to crack and lost more than half of
her 700 men. Those people cant fight a little bit
but they had the courage of devils.
A
dozen miles or so further east we came up to two
more of our “targets” of yesterday, there were the
“Oquenda” and “Maria Teresa”, all these ships are
still burning and the odor of burning flesh was
sickening. The glossy black sides of these ships
have been burned till they are a dull gray – the
Yankee war color. Wherever we got a good look at
one of them we could see holes in plenty to show
where our gunners transferred ammunition”
yesterday. Shortly after passing the last two
wrecks we became aware of another by running
through a number of floating dead, these were
likely from the torpedo boats which were the first
to be destroyed. One of them made the beach before
sinking but the other was cut all to pieces.
Joined the fleet off Santiago about 1 p.m.
There were two British and one Austrian Cruisers
looking over the situation. (If they want our view
of it they have only to look along the beach).
Comodore Watson came on board shortly
after we arrived and raised his flag, this making
us a “Flag Ship” but the honor failed to drive any
one wild with joy. In a speech he made to the crew
he told us we did well but intimated that we would
have done better if he had been in command. As he
never did any thing that any one knows of we all
hold our own opinions on the subject.
The
sole remaining cruiser of the Spanish fleet which
failed to come out on the 3rd was run out at 11
p.m. today – most likely with the intention of
sinking her in the channel as the Merrimac was
sunk, but our ships caught on to the move and sunk
her before she reached the proper position. The
effective work was probably due the
“Massachusetts” though the Texas helped. When the
firing begun the “Iowa” was laying in such a
position that she could not have fired an
effective shot if she had tried but the minute
news paper Bob learned what had taken place he
fired a few shots toward the beach and then fun
for sea as hard as the ship could go. A few
minutes later we could see his search lights
swinging to every point of the compass in search
of a news paper boat and he never let up till he
found one either. I would be willing to bet my
neck that he claimed to have sunk that ship but as
a matter of fact not one of his shells came within
six miles of it. I forgot to state that the
national salute was fired by all ships present at
12. m. As a novelty our guns were loaded with
shell and pointed toward Santiago (This is a
literal fact though it may sound like a joke.)
July 5th, Taking things as easy today as
our half starved condition will permit. Our Army
and Navy Officers don’t pull together worth a
cent. They resemble a pair of balky horses and are
just about as effective. We could hear the troops
firing last night and know there was some kind of
fight going on but can get little news from the
field. Admiral Sampson has a bulletin of events
published once a week and distributed among the
fleet but to our disgust we find him a bigger liar
than Bob Evans, - if that is possible.
July 6th, Some excitement was caused this
morning before daylight by a general alarm being
sprung, we all got to quarters and stayed there an
hour or more but nothing came of it. It was said
afterward that a meteor fell among the fleet and
one of them mistook it for an alarm rocket and
passed the signal on.
July 7th, Comodore
Watson hauled down his flag today and went back to
the “Newark”, I havent noticed any tears being she
over his departure, in fact he was not at all well
liked by the men, there was too much saluting and
salaaming entirely to suit men as tired and hungry
as we are. One of the worst features of this half
starved condition is that men lose their patience
too easy, it just makes every one hate themselves
and every one else.
The Associated Press
dispatch boat “Dandy” came alongside and gave us a
paper or two. They report the Spanish Commander as
saying that he is’nt half whipped yet. The Spanish
admiral has’nt made any remarks to that effect
lately that we know of.
Got under way at 4
p.m. for Guantanamo, stopped at Briguia and left a
Steam launch to help transfer some wounded
soldiers. There are a fearful lot of wounded and
sick there and they don’t seem able to care for
them at all, if it was not for the navy they could
not even transfer them to their ships. They have
very few boats and cant handle what they have.
Passed the “Harvard” out bound with
prisoners from the fleet – or what was the Spanish
fleet before the 3rd. Arrived at Guantanamo at
10:30 p.m.
July 8th, Let all fires die out
in main boilers and started fires in the
auxilaries. This is the first time this has
happened since leaving San Francisco. The
concussion of the guns on the 3rd shook every
thing to pieces and almost every piece of
machinery in the ship needs repairing.
The
supply ship “Celtic” came alongside and begun
delivering four months supplies. Great God! But we
are hungry. Looking back now I can hardly remember
when we last had enough to eat, not since May 4th
I am sure. Its almost a sin to spoil a good
apetite like this by eating.
This supply
we are getting now is short on a good many
articles, salt especialy.
The “Harvard”
came in this evening and reports that her
prisoners mutinied and tried to capture the ship.
A good many of them were killed or wounded in the
fight that followed. In this fight the crew were
fighting with monkey wrenches or any thing they
could get hold of as they had no time to arm
themselves. This is the first time I believe that
the Blue Jackets have had a chance at close
quarters during this so called war.
They
also bring the news of the transfer of the
Merrimac crew – the best news of all.
July
9th, All of the fire room force scaling boilers
today, a hot, dirty job. There is no air in this
bay at all and the ship is like an oven.
Every thing is quiet here, there is some
talk of us going home but no one knows sure what
is in store for us. An examination of the ships
bottom shows her to be foul and in need of paint,
guess we wore all the paint off coming around.
Took in the last of our supplies today,
are quite out of several articles yet, salt in
particular.
Sent all our empty powder
tanks back, we are quite short of ammunition now,
we had plenty when we came down here, but, have
“transferred” quite a lot of it to the Spaniards
at one time or annother. There is one consolation
though, we put a good deal of it where it would do
the most good. We fired nearly 1900 shots on the
3rd including sixty 13 inch, while the 2nd took
nearly as many more.
July 10th, Knocked
off all work today. Got my first days rest since
the 11th of last February.
Have been
visiting among the different ships in the harbor,
the New York, Iowa, New Orleans and several others
are for coal and provisions but none of them
seemed to be at all friendly except the Texas and
a few of the Smaller ships. Got a good look at
that notorious fake “News paper Bob” any way. He
has quite a limp, owing it is said to being shot
in the stern sheets with a bale of hay while
running away from Fort Fisher during the civil
war. The Iowa’s crew are a little sore over the
way we scooped them on the 3rd but its not our
fault that Capt Evans took his ship out of the
fight in order to be the first to get to a news
paper boat. The fun of the thing is that at the
very time he was telling the reporter how he
whipped the entire fleet the Oregon was fighting
two of their ships at once in plain sight of him.
There is nothing like gall and he has it.
Went in swimming in the evening, the water
is fine but the sharks are as thick as flies, they
did not bother us any though, I guess they know a
live Yankee form a dead Spaniard. If one of them
had got hold of me he would have found the
toughest piece of pork he ever tackled – I weigh
about 140 pounds now, I weighed over 190 when we
left Frisco.
July 11th, Hauled the four
masted Schooner “Mary E. Palmer” alongside and
begun taking coal, the New Orleans begun taking
coal from the opposite side at the same time so
the two crews had a chance to visit when not too
busy. Her crew are nearly all east coast fishermen
and sailors from the cradle up, its no wonder she
made a record for herself, there is not another
crew like them in the navy.
Knocked off
work at 8 o’clock in order to give the crew a
whole night in but instead of turning in they got
our band over on the deck of theSchooner and had a
Jollification till 10 p.m. then they ended up by
cheering every ship in the harbor except the Iowa.
Queer people these sailors are, if I knew
what they would eat I would catch one and try to
tame it. I forgot to mention that the Oregon has
one of the best bands of peace disturbers in the
navy – on circus music, and they can even play one
or two tunes, including yankee-doodle.
July 12th, Continued taking in coal today,
the New Orleans left this morning and we cheered
her out of the harbor. Her place was taken later
by the gun boat “Wilmington” which arrived this
morning in company with the Helena from Havana.
They report the same kind of monkey work up there
that we had before Santiago. Got the Key West
papers of the 4th with a fair description of the
Naval Battle, there are some mistakes but it is a
more impartial account than any one expected. Are
waiting for the New York papers now, the World
will swear that Evans did it all, the Journal will
give it all to Schley and the Lord only know which
one will stick up for Sampson - he was twelve
miles away but that cuts no figure in the “war”.
Some of the steam launches had a fight
today in the upper bay with a Spanish outpost. Our
fleet is not making any effort to clear the upper
part of the bay. We have no particular use for it
at present and the Spaniards are doing us no harm.
This is just one more mystery in this mysterious
war. If they would only promise to be good they
could play in our back yard, I guess.
Begun getting ready to light fires at 8
p.m. There must have been something urgent for
they rushed us for all we were worth and we did
finaly get fires going at 11:30 p.m.
July
13th, Got under way at 4:30 for Santiago, arrived
at 7 a.m. and reported to the flag ship, then
steamed down to Baiguira [Daiquiri-editor] where
we begun taking powder and 13” shells from the
“Fern”. These shells are what the Spaniards call
“Yankee Pigs” I believe, on account of the way
they rooted up the ground around their batteries
at Santiago.
Let No 4 boiler die out and
begun scaling inside before it got cool. A real
nice, warm job for the winter time, temperature
inside the boiler 160 and not much cooler in the
fire rooms. If these firemen ever die and go where
we are all likely to the Devil wont dare to look
us in the face.
The “Columbia” and
“Minneapolis” are both here, the fastest things in
our navy if not in the world. This is my first
sight of them and they certainly do look grand.
Comodore Watson came aboard again and
raised that “broad pennant” of his so we are a
flag ship again. In a speech he made to the crew
he told then that he “wanted no better ship than
the Oregon”. I wonder where in the world he
expected to find a better one if he did want it.
There is’nt a better one floating in salt water
today by actual test. For an old granny that never
did any thing he certainly has a nerve. I think he
copied that expression from one of Coopers novels
any way.
July 14th, All hands were called
at 4:30 and had coffee served out, this is a
luxury we have long been without but we have
plenty of it now. We were told that there was no
time for breakfast as we were going in for a
finish, all hands were just in the humor for that
kind of work - even Cogswell who was drunk as he
always is where there is any sign of a fight, made
us a speech from the top of the 8 inch turret
telling us how he expected to distinguish himself
and ended up by telling us all about ourselves. He
had got to the point where he called us a lot of
drunken loafers hen he pitched head first from the
turret to the Super-structure deck. I thought for
a while he had Extinguished himself but a drunken
fool cant be killed except by lightning.
After waiting till eight bells for the
signal that never came, breakfast was piped and
time passed again till dinner. Finaly late in the
after noon a launch came over from the flag ship
and reported that Santiago had surrendered. I
don’t know how the rest of the fleet took it but I
don’t think there was a cheer on the Oregon. There
was a general feeling on this ship that we should
have carried that harbor by the run on the 1st of
June. If we had done this it would have saved the
lives of some 2000 of our soldiers but with all
the news paper heros we have in this fleet and a
board of strategy at home to act as a drag on
every move we make it is a wonder we done so well.
The work of Comodore Watson today is a
sample of what we have to contend with. When the
men went to quarters this morning he took his
bible and went inside the conning tower. The bible
is all right in its way but it is out of place in
a case like this With one Officer drunk and
another scared to death the ship could hardly do
much in a fight.
Taken all together this
siege has been no credit to us as a fleet, the
individual value of the different ships has been
well tested but that is about all.
Got
under way for Guantanamo at 5 p.m. on three
boilers arriving at 8 in company with the Texas
and Indiana. Lit fires in auxiliary boilers at
once and let main boilers die out.
July
15th, Begun overhauling machinery this morning,
hotter than the times in “old town”.
A
collier came alongside at noon and we begun
filling our after bunkers. There must be some move
in store for us but what it is we cant guess.
Every thing is now done under hurry orders.
We can only hope that the next move will
be something final as we are nearly worn out. The
fire room gang on this ship look like a lot of
grey hounds, many of them physically exhausted and
all will be soon at this rate.
July 16th,
Still coaling and over hauling machinery. Nothing
moving except mosquitos, there are plenty of them.
July 17th, Got through coaling at last but
there is plenty of work to keep us busy for 14
hours a day.
We have a coal supply now
good for 7000 miles if necessary. Understand we
are to go to Spain – Well! If they will only nail
old bible back Watson to the cross before we start
I am willing but he is taking the very life out of
the crew. One of his past times is to call the
crew aft during meal hours and while they stand in
the burning sun he sits under an awning with a
nigger to fan him and reads the bible to them.
They ought to take him home and build a church for
him – or crucify him one.
The “Yale” came
in today with 2500 troops aboard, (‘two Kentucky
Regiments) and the “Rita” with an Illinoise
Regiment but as they did not seem to understand
the wig-wag we had no way of communicating with
them. About the only thing they did make us
understand was that they were hungry. It is said
that they are bound for Porto Rica. There is
annother ship in with troops but cant make out her
name. They don’t seem to understand signals at
all, this is a favorite pass time with us, its a
wonder they don’t learn it.
July 18th,
Cleaned ship today inside and out and begun
painting her inside.
There are some forty
ships here now and the harbor at night is a sight
that has never been seen before in this world. I
dont actually think there is a fleet in the world
powerful enough to whip the one we have here now.
July 18th, We were officialy assigned
today as flag ship of the European Squadron with
headquarters or Station on the Mediteranean, this
means of course that we are to have a go at the
Spanish coast. There are about a dozen vessels
here that are to comprise the fleet including
every battleship we have. If they will cut out the
“Indiana” we will surely have a fast fleet but she
never could run fast enough to leave a wake and
Just now she is broken down altogether.
They have established a port of entry here
and a Quarantine station. Every vessel that comes
in now is forced to fly the yellow flag for luck
although I don’t think there is a case of ‘Yellow
jack” here. Just the same I should be glad of a
move even if we got nothing but a breath of fresh
air – a thing we cant get in here. Another thing
that bothers us is a lack of salt. They are
feeding us on fresh meat here, (and it is good
meat too) but for want of salt we can hardly eat
it.
It seems queer that a nation that can
furnish so much beer for the Officers cant send
Salt to the men but thats the case here. The Salt
works must be shut down at home and the breweries
working over time. The New York papers are saying
that we are laying here to rest the men - I wish
the man who wrote that had to “rest” in the boiler
with me for about one day, he would’nt want
another days rest as long as he lived.
July 19th, Every thing moving about as
usual today, finished painting ship but are still
overhauling machinery. There is plenty of it and
it all needs repairs but we are only giving it a
lick and a promise this time. Five of our fire
room force were sent north today – there insane,
one broken down and one discharged, their places
were taken by five negroes from the New York –
black as the ace of spades every one of them.
Another ship came in today with troops,
dont know what Regiment or the name of the ship.
July 20th, One of the “Torpedo – gunboats”
captured at Santiago came in today. She is a smart
looking boat but can hardly be called a gun boat
by our ratings, in fact she is of a type between a
small tug and a torpedo boat, we have none of this
class of vessels in our navy. She is said to have
a speed of 19 knots.
Comodore Watson is
still stirring up trouble with the men. Every time
the wind moves that “broad pennant” of his he
wants it saluted, they have fired three salutes
today – one for him, one for his bible and another
for his nigger.
We are not allowed on deck
now except in spotless white and as we are not
allowed water to wash in that means that us
“Underground Savages” are not allowed on deck at
all in daylight and the Lord knows we need a
breath of fresh air when we can get it. The men
are all covered with prickly heat and many of them
with running sores from the fact that we could not
get water to wash with, many of them have not been
able to wear a shirt at all for a couple of
months, some of the Relief associations sent down
bandages and many other things for us (as a gift)
but Cogswell and that other thief, the Ships
Writer put them in the commisary and are selling
to the men at foul prices and putting the money in
their own pockets.
There is going to be a
change on this ship soon or there will be a mutiny
as sure as fate.
July 21st, Several of the
Merchant Vessels captured in Santiago bay came in
last night, there are some 40 in all ranging from
small coasting steamers to Ocean liners.
The “Imortal three” Sampson, Schley, Evans
& Co worked their usual flim-flam game at
Santiago by sending all the other ship away before
they went in after these ships. Now if they are
allowed prize money for them their share will be
simply enormous while the rest of the fleet wont
get a cent. Those three are bashful enough when
there is any fighting to do but work like this is
where they shine.
All the transports got
up their anchors today and left for San Juan. One
of the ships that was loaded with mules turned
them all loose for exercise on the beach today,
glad I didnt have the job of helping load them
again for they certainly did make up for the week
or so that they had been confined on shipboard.
One of our Monitors just come in with
mail, she is either the “Puritan” or “Furor” but
as they are just alike we cant tell which from
here.
July 22nd, The Spanish Garrison at
Caimaneira sent a gun boat down with a flag of
truce today, did not learn their object. This
place is in the Province of Santiago and the
troops here were surrendered by Gen Toral but they
have held out so far, as they are surrounded now
it is only a matter of time till they must give in
even if they are not bothered at all.
The
“Yankee” came in last night from Key West with
mail and ammunition for us. They have sent us
smokeless powder at last. So far we have been
using the old prismatic powder that smokes like a
burning hay stack every time it is fired.
After July 22nd I gave up keeping a diary,
partly owing to lack of paper but mostly owing to
our over work. Capt. Clark left us about August
1st and his place was taken by Capt Barker. The
latter had been in command of the ship before and
was well liked by the men but he came back to us a
badly disapointed man and a very disagreeable
Captain, he did however straighten things out for
a while but there was trouble in the ship till I
left her in September.
We left
Guantanamo bay for New York with the fleet on Aug
15th and arrived of the20th, on the way up the
fire room force was almost in open mutiny, they
blew the man-hole gaskets out of one boiler twice
and wasted some 15000 gallons of water. They
clogged the pumps and done every thing they could
to injure the ship. In fact instead of being the
best ship in the fleet as she always had been the
Oregon became for the time being slower that even
the Indiana.
After reaching New york the
ship was sent to the Brooklyn Navy yard to be
docked and after trying till Sept 15th to get the
old fire room force to work they finaly gave up in
disgust and transferred us to the “Vermont” where
I served till Jan 6th when I was discharged by
application.
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