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diff --git a/25723.txt b/25723.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..717321c --- /dev/null +++ b/25723.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1070 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Voyage of the Oregon from San Francisco +to Santiago in 1898, by R. Cross + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Voyage of the Oregon from San Francisco to Santiago in 1898 + +Author: R. Cross + +Release Date: June 7, 2008 [EBook #25723] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VOYAGE OF THE OREGON IN 1898 *** + + + + +Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive/American +Libraries.) + + + + + + +THE VOYAGE OF THE +_OREGON_ +FROM SAN FRANCISCO +TO SANTIAGO IN +1898 + + +_AS TOLD BY_ +ONE OF THE CREW + + + +_PRIVATELY PRINTED_ +THE MERRYMOUNT PRESS +_BOSTON_ +1908 + +[_One hundred and twenty-five copies printed_] + + + + +To the Reader + + +_Almost ten years have passed since the country followed, in scanty +telegram from port to port, the Oregon speeding down one side of a +continent and up the other to Bahia; then came two anxious, silent +weeks when apprehension and fear pictured four Spanish cruisers with a +pack of torpedo boats sailing out into the west athwart the lone ship's +course, the suspense ending only when tidings came of her arrival at +Jupiter Inlet; then off Santiago, after a month of waiting, there is +the outcoming of Cervera's squadron, when this splendid ship, with +steam all the time up, leaps to the front of her sisters of the fleet, +like an unleashed hound, and joins the historic company of the Bon +Homme Richard, the Constitution, the Hartford, in our naval annals. +From the start at the Golden Gate to the beaching of the Colon is a +succession of events full of thrilling merit and vitality which +official bickerings and envyings cannot change or obscure._ + +_The story has been told from the standpoint of the quarter-deck, the +court room, and the department bureau. Here we have the artless journal +of an unlettered sailor, written between decks, without the least +notion that it would ever be read apart from his own family circle. The +pages of his record give an insight into the mutual regard and +confidence existing between the captain and his crew which made the +voyage the memorable achievement that it was. Admiral Clark would be +made of stolid stuff were he indifferent to the enthusiasm and loyalty +manifest in the narrative in various ways, in none, however, more +hearty and sincere than in the endearing designations of the "old gent" +and "the old man." He was in fact fifty-four years of age when he +became captain of the Oregon. Shortly before, he had been on special +duty in the North Pacific at the head of a fleet of seven men-of-war, +at that time the largest cruising fleet in our navy since the conflict +with the Confederacy. Starting as midshipman at the Naval Academy in_ +1860, _he had seen thirty-eight years of active and varied service in +all seas. In the contest with Spain the commanders of the various +warships were his associates at the academy. Sampson had been his +instructor there; Gridley, who opened the battle of Manila, and Cook, +who received the surrender of the Colon, were classmates; and Dayton, +who rendered distinguished service at San Juan, was a relative. In the +transition from wood to iron in naval architecture he has had command +in every type of fighting craft beginning with the wooden Ossipee, when +he took part at Mobile Bay in ramming the ironclad Tennessee, and, as +ensign in charge of the forward guns, was the first to exchange words +with the latter's commander as he came out of the casemate to surrender +his ship, and ending with the Oregon._ + +_The narrative which follows of the voyage from San Francisco to +Santiago in_ 1898 _was called to light by a communication of Admiral +Clark to the press in the winter of_ 1907 _relating to the Straits of +Magellan. The writer of the narrative, who was a member of the Oregon's +crew, sent it to his sisters through whom in consequence of reading the +Admiral's mention of that ship's passage of the Straits, it came to +him. The Admiral in turn showed it to friends, who insisted that copies +should be printed for private distribution._ + +JOHN ADAMS AIKEN + +_Greenfield, Massachusetts_ +_February_ 29, 1908 + + + + +The Voyage of the OREGON + + +So we started on the 19th of March and I will try and give you some +idea of our trip on this side of the U.S. Capt McCommick got sick and +had to be releived to go on sick leif. Capt Clark was in comand of the +Monteray at the time and he was a young Capt too. there was no other +one around there at that time, so he was detailed to take comand of the +Oregon and a prowed man he was too, and we wer a prowed crew along with +him. he was glad he got the ship and we wer glad we got him. we knew he +was a good Seaman. any way he called us all aft on the quarter deck and +read out his orders and told us that we wer going towards south +America. I will now try and give you the trip. + +_March_ 19. 1898 Up anchor at 8 A.M. in San Francisco Bay. I had the 8 +to 12 watch and we past through the Golden Gate at 9.15 A.M. and left +the Fairwell Bouy at 10.5 A.M. and shaped our course for Callao, Peru, +it being S.E. 1/2 E, and at the same time we drop over the Patent Log +in the Briny. the Capt gave orders to give 75 turns and that brought +her out about 11.5 knots. Every thing is runing smooth and all Hunk. + +_March_ 20. Sliding along at 11.8 knots gate. Every thing working +beautyfull. nothing of interest going on, except the fine Wether. + +_March_ 21. Changed course at 10. A.M. to S.E. Will not put down any +thing for some time to come as there is nothing unusal going on, But I +wonder if we will get there to catch up with the Band Wagon. + +_April_ 4. Arived at Callao, Peru, 5.30 A.M., very pleasant trip all +the way down the coast, we are doing quick work so far. started to coal +ship at 8 A.M. and as soon as we get enough on board we will pull right +out for the straights of Magellan and there join the Marietta, our +little Gun Boat, which will scout the straights for us in case there is +a Spanish Torpedo Boat in one of the Many Coves. She can go in shallow +water as she is a light draft boat and at the same time order coal for +us. + +We have allready made one of the grandest runs on record. Just think of +it, a First Class Battle Ship making 4800 miles in just 16 days and +used 900 Tons of Coal, That being the longest trip on record for a +First Class Battle Ship. + +_April_ 5. We are now laying over an old city in Peru. they say when +some of the ships hoist there anchor they some times rais some of the +old houses or part of them with the anchor. This old place is some 109 +years old, the Old Callao, I mean. 109 years ago they had an Earthquake +and Tidle Wave hear togather and did up the city. The public hear speak +nothing but Spanish and the Capt thinks there might be som sympathizers +amongst Them, so we are keeping the strickest Kind of watch on the +ship. We have two steam cutters pattroling the ship all night and men +station in the fighting tops as sharp shooters. the steam cutters are +armed with two automatic 22 m.m. Rifles, so that would more than be a +match for a ordinary Torpedo Boat, and while all the Post on Deck were +Double we consider our selves pretty safe. They are puting coal on +board as fast as they can, working night and day to get it all on. we +are going to take a big lot this time. + +_April_ 6. Pay day today. put on Sea stors today along with the coal, +it all gos togather. But what is the diferance, this is War times and +we are trying to get in it and I think we will if we get a show. I +bought a nice pair of shoes today for 3.50 in U.S. Gold. there is no +liberty to any one hear so we have to buy something that is some good +to us. Expect to coal ship all night so as to pull out to morrow. + +_April_ 7. Got all the coal on this morning at 4 A.M. there is about +1750 tons on now, never had so much on before. got 100 tons on deck in +sacks. we are knocking some of the coal dust off the sides. She is a +very dirty ship now and expect to remain so for a long time to come. +There is some talk of a Spanish Gun Boat or a Torpedo Boat in the +Straights waiting for us. But I think that will be all right when the +Marietta gets there to patrole the place for us. We expect to go out to +night some time. 7 P.M. left Port. The Capt dont know wether to go +round the Horn or not. But if we go, as the Dutchman says By the Horn +around, we will get a shaking up. But every body seems to think we can +take care of our selves where ever we go. Capt Clark is all right, we +dont think he is afraid of the whole Spanish Navy. the wether is very +fogy. Expect it to lift when we get a little ways. + + * * * * * + +_April_ 9. Alls Well, every thing doing fine. + +_April_ 10. Just came on watch; have all four boilers on now and we are +peging along at a 13.7 and a 14 knot gate. you dont know you are at sea +in this ship if you would stop between Decks. guess there is not much +doing to day, so I will steal forward for a while the old gent sleeps a +little. I forgot to speak of having a little practis with the 6 +pounders. They threw over Boxes and barrels and as we would get away +from them we would fire on them for Torpedo Boats. we did some good +shooting. All the Marines Man the seccondary Battry. The Capt got the +chief engineer to fix the 8 inch turets to turn in Board 9 more degrees +so as to shoot over the stern of the ship. So that would bring to bear +on one point 2, 13 inch Guns 4, 8 inch Guns 2, 6 inch Guns and six 6 +Pounders aft, and the same forward. We could shoot for a Broad side 4, +13 inch 4, 8 inch 2, 6 inch and about 12, 6 Pounders on either side. + +Of corse this is Sunday and we all ought to be good. But we will be as +good as we can By having a Gen feild day and clean up a little, as this +is the first chance we have had to do any scrubing since we left San +Francisco, Cal. I think we will meet the Marietta in the Straights of +Magellan. we have found some grate Bars for her under the coal dust. We +all think Capt Clark is going to be a ring tail snorter for fighting. I +dont think it will be easy to whip him, he seems to be so quick to +catch on to every little thing, he is all over the ship at once and he +talks to every body, stops any one to ask them any thing he wants to +know about the ship. he is very quick to take the advantage of every +little thing. + +_April_ 11. Very heavy wether. Wind Blowing Great Guns and a head sea. +But we are Bucking it and making 11.6 knots. the Capt dont think we +will run up against any thing in the shape of a Torpedo Boat in the +Straights. We had some more Practis today with the 6 Pounders and did +some good work. I think we could make it very interesting for a Torpedo +Boat. I dont see how they could get at us, unless it was in the night +and then there would have to be somthing the matter with our search +lights and all hands on Board would have to have the "Buck Feaver." + +_April_ 12. We lost a little today on account of the forward 13 inch +Turet, somthing got Jamed. all going well once more, and still bucking +a head sea and making 11.7 knots right along. 4 P.M. Heavy wind has +turned into a gale, but she is like a Duck on a Mill Pond and still +making 10 knots, Gale or no Gale. she has not roled over 10 degrees +since we left Port Orchard, Wash. + +_April_ 15. Whooping her up for all she is worth, want to make all she +can. Wether is fine but quite Cold. Making all the way from 14 to 15 +knots. + +_April_ 16. Everything is still doing well, and still going a mill +tail. Passed Smiths Straights the first part of this morning, early, +and in the fog that has Just come on we are still going it. the fog +raised for a while and showed us the Destination Island, and then we +wer shure we had only 30 miles to go to get in the Straights. Just at +Dark we droped our mud hook in just 45 fathoms of water in the entrence +of the Straights of Magellan. 9.45 P.M. had the 8 to 12 watch and She +more than blew. I thought the ship would drift. But she held on like +grim Deth to a dead nigger. The wind Blowed so hard I expected to be +lifted off my feet. + +_April_ 17. Making all posable speed to Sandy Point, making about 15 +knots ever since we started this morning. 12 O clock Midday, there is +some of the most beautyfull and grandest sights I have ever had the +pleasure to look upon. I am shure if I could only write on the subject +I could make it very interesting. I never seen such beautyfull wild +nature in all my travels; there is mountain after mountain of Glacier +and they seem to have all the colors of the rainbow, it was a little +cold too and the whole Mountains sparkled like diamonds. 6. P.M. drop +anchor in the Harber of Sandy Point, Chili. Had the public bin able to +see us, They would not stop runing for the next week to come, for we +cleard ship for action and had the guns all loaded up and ready for +buisness and to Blaze away at any thing that looked as thoe it wanted +to fight. Capt Clark belives in for warned for armed, and takes no +chances. had the two Steam Cutters patroling the ship as usual. + +She made one of the grandest runs on record, for 11 hours making an +average of 15-1/2 knots; it knocks the Worlds record sky high. Just +think of a first Class Battle Ship making 15-1/2 knots for 11 straight +hours on a straight away run, and we all think she could beat that +time. But we had over the bow 2 anchors with the flukes of both in the +water 3 feet. I am sure that held her Back 2 tenths of a knot. And the +Marietta is not hear. the Capt dont know what has becom of her. + +_April_ 18. Well the Marietta is hear this morning, she came in at +12.15 this morning. She was in the straights when we past her, she was +laying off in one of the coves waiting for us, the man on lookout +sighted us as we pased her, and told his capt and he said let her go, +we will up anchor and overhall her in a short time. it hapened that the +lookout was on board of the Oregon and he told his Capt that the +Marietta could never catch the Oregon. Well any way she came in a +little affter midnight. + +The first thing this morning we started to coal up. I havent found out +how many tons we are going to take hear. But the price is $25 a ton. I +think we will take about 800 tons. all the men on the Marietta say they +had a very rough trip. We are in a great rush to get out of hear. Capt +Clark asked Capt Simons if he had any towing Bits. Looks as thoe we +were going to snake him along with us. I am detailed to go into the +fighting top to night as capt of one Pounder and look out, we have a +double watch on now all the time and it makes the Duty very hard thies +war times. + +_April_ 19. Still coaling up, was working all night to night, expect to +be through to night sometime. Puting on sea stors along with the coal. +Meat, Can goods, coal dust, all mixed up togather. What is the +defirance, it all goes thies times. The Marietta had some trouble in +geting coal to day. She only got 40 tons since 1 A.M. this morning, so +Capt Clark ordered him to go along side of the Coal Hulk and take all +he wanted, for Capt sais we must have the coal and therefor must take +it as we are going out of hear to morrow. 3.30 P.M. there was an +Argentine Gun Boat came in Port and I would not be suprised to see a +scrap hear before we left. Chili and Argentine are in hot disput over +this place, it seems they both clame it to there Boundry line. Chili +sent a company of Soldiers hear the 18th and they expect a Transport +with som Soldiers from Argentine to night som time, so I for one would +like to see a good scrap of som kind for an appetizer for us, Just to +take the rough edge off you know. we are standing by our Guns all the +time and sleep by them by night. While the Jackies coal ship all hands +are doing there part and there is no fudging going on. of corse there +is all kinds of War talk in the air. + +_April_ 20. At 12.30 A.M. still coaling up. Every thing working smooth +and nothing to stop, it is a beautyfull night and the Southern Cross +looms up with more beauty than I ever seen befor. But the ships bum +Boat is all right too, she loomed up with a big ketle of hot Steaming +cocoa, Just the thing a man wants when he has the mid watch. the wether +is very cold down hear. a few of the men is going ashore to morrow. I +dont think I will be able to go as I will have the afternoon watch, any +way I dont care much as I am use to the ship now. I could stay hear for +a year. I wish we wer around to Key West so as to be with the Band +wagon when she starts. Mr. Giles, Midshipman, is a very sick man, he +was taken ill in the Cabin this morning. I went for the Doctor for him +at 1.45 A.M. Doc said he had a hemorrhage of the lungs caused by +concussion. 3. A.M. he is asleep and doing fine now. I woulden like to +see him die, he is a fine fellow. 3.45 A.M. coal all on board. 4.30 +P.M. the Capt is on the warpath, he is mader than a wet hen for he +tryed to get out of hear by 2 P.M. to day, But could not on the account +of the Marietta having some trouble with her coal, so we both go +tomorrow morning at daybreak. + +_April_ 21. Called all hands at 5.30 A.M. and up anchor at 6. A.M. I +called the old man at 5.40 A.M. Signaled over to pullout and we are +tailing on behind untill we get out of the Straights, going about 10 +knots; at 6 Bells met a steamer Bound for Klondyke, we drop a whale +boat and sent our Boarding officer to find out the news if there was +any But was disapointed. She had no news, she was 15 days from Rio de +Janeiro. 7.30 P.M. All is going well. The Marietta is astern now and +likely to remain so untill we get in the next Port. we past another +steamer about 3 P.M. and when I go on watch to night at 8 I will try +and find out something about her. Came off at 12 midnight and she +signaled to us no news of War. We have to go slow on account of the +Marietta. had some targate practis today with all the Guns. We travel +at nights with all lights out now adays so as not to let any thing slip +up on us, and at the same time slip up on them. + +_April_ 22. Wind is very high, lost a life Boat this morning at 5.20 +A.M. from the after Davits, good thing the wind is head on, the Sea is +runing high. 8 P.M. Sea and wind has gon down considerable. Making +about 10-1/2 knots. Ellis is sick poor man, I am standing his watch to +night. 11.45 P.M. going about the same and all is well. + +_April_ 23. I think we will have a dash of Gen Quarters, Just to shake +the Boys up. the old man is anxious to have targate Practis, he +believes this ship whips the shoes off any thing that floats in the +line of Battle ships, of corse Baring a Torpedo if one should hapen to +hit, and I think the old man is right too, for this crew feals scrapy +now. I think we would fight fer Keeps. Had Gen Quarters in the morning +and Church in the afternoon. + +_April_ 24. All is well, at 12 O clock noon to day we wer in Lat. 44 deg. +23m and Lon 57 deg. 48m. had some fire drill to day mixed with a little +collision drill. + +_April_ 25. 4 A.M. Just came on watch and I am going on deck to get a +cup of cocoa to wake me up abit. the old man is in the Chart house +snoozing, so I guess it is safe to go. Every thing has settled down to +the same old thing except when we have some Targate Practis By throwing +boxes over board. + +_April_ 26. 8 A.M. All is well, same thing, Making 10-1/2 sometimes 11 +knots. Had clear ship for action today. + +_April_ 27. Every body begins to feal the trip now, geting tiresome +now. since they have taken all of our ditty Boxes and benches and all +extra mess chests and stored them away, we have no place to sit down +except on deck and let our feet hang over. then the men forward cant +get enough water to keep themselves clean. I am more lucky than most of +them for I have a chance to steal a Bucketful one every night. our cook +is no good, he makes sour Bread and would make good schrapnel for +clearing the decks, and of corse your humble servant has to chew Hard +Tack. had more Targate practis to day. + +_April_ 28. good stiff Breeze to day. Expect to have more targate +practis to day with ful charges of amanition; no practis, wind too +high. + +_April_ 29. good day to day, guess we will have it to day, no we dont +have it. the old man has changed his mind and we will try and make Port +to morrow. + +_April_ 30. Started to pul out this morning at 5.30 A.M, useing forsed +draught, making 14.5 knots, going to try and make it by 4 P.M, have a +head wind and light head sea. Droped anchor at 3 P.M. in the beautyfull +harber of Rio de Janeiro, and befor the Mud hook struck the botom we +had the news that war was declared on the 21st of April 1898, the very +day we puled out of Sandy Point. as soon as every thing was put to +order we Broke out the Band to give us the Star Spangled Baner, and the +Crew diden do a thing But yell and whoop her up, so they had to play it +over 4 times. The Marietta got in at 7 P.M. The Forts at this place +were not going to let her in. But when they see her Signal they let her +pass O.K. started to coal up at 8.25 P.M. and we get out of hear as +soon as we can. I hear the Spanish has got one of our Merchant ships, +the Shanandore, loaded with English goods. I wonder how that is going +to com out. Every one on this ship is crasie to get at the Spanish. + +_May_ 1. Just com on watch. Beautyfull morning and still coaling ship. +Hear is where you can get lots of sour frute and Bananas by the ship +load for a little mony. But we are not aloud to Buy any thing that +isent sour on account of Yellow Feaver at this place. The Brazilian +soldiers stop up all night to be up erly in the morning; they started +to give us Revelee about 3 O clock this morning, diden get through until +4 A.M. it sounds very pretty early in the morning when you are all +ready awake, and such a beautyfull morning as this is you can hear the +echo of the drums up in the hils far away. You would all most wish you +could stop hear all the time and be a Brazilian for good. But I coulden +leave my Dear land for all the pretty sights Ive seen togather. + +_May_ 2. American Minerster Just com on board and told us the news of +the Battle of Manila, the Yanks did up every thing there. coal is +coming on very slow and the old man is geting ancious to get out. + +_May_ 3. going out tomorrow morning at 6. A.M. The crew is very +enthusiastic over the war. got out this morning all right But going +slow. I think we are fooling around hear. Have Nictheroy as a transport +boat. She has 2000 tons of coal on Board for us and they say she is an +18 knoter. + +_May_ 4. I guess the war is on for keeps now. We have com back to Rio +or near it to wate for a Spanish Torpedo Boat that has bin laying +around hear for the last 3 days and at the same time to take the +Nictheroy. + +_May_ 5. lost some time waiting for the Nictheroy But she came along at +dark. the Marietta will look out for her and we will pull out for Key +West I think. + +_May_ 6. Every thing doing well and making 10 and 11 knots right off +the reel now. at 8 P.M. the old man called all the Ward Room officers +in the Cabin and read the tellegrams to them from Washington Which wer +his sealed Orders and one of them reads like this: four armered +Crusiers left Cape de Verde at some date and 2 Torpedo Boats, +Destination unknown, and the old man is told to beware. The old man had +a consul of War to night, so if we have to scrap, we will have to cut a +lively gate for them. they say the Spanish is some Kind of a fighter +him self. But we all think we can show him a trick with a hole in it. +that was a great fight of the Manilla bay. + +_May_ 7. Every thing doing well, except this morning at 4.50 A.M. Gen +Quarters sounded and there was a lively old time for a while. Every +body thought we wer in for it then and there. I cannot describe the +fealing of enthusiasm about the Decks. you see we had our orders to +send in a Gen alarm when ever any thing looked like a Manowar got in +sight. there was a little rain squall and some old sailing ship was in +it, and just as she cleared away our lookout sighted the ship and sent +in the alarm; it was the Capts orders to send in the alarm even if he +was not there as he would get there all right. at 9 A.M. the old man +called all hands to muster on the Quarter deck and told us the news he +had received at Rio: there was 4 first class cruisers and three Torpedo +Boats going to meet around hear some where and do us up. we all expect +they will if they can, But the pruf of the Puding is the eating of it +and we will have something to say about that. And after telling us +about the fleet that was going to whip the socks off us he made a +little speach to us; he said of corse it was his duty to the Goverment +to get the ship around on the other side and stear clear of the fleet +if posable. But in case he did meet the fleet he was sure Spain's +fighting efficiency on the sea would be demineshed. So we all gave him +three rousen Cheers and the old man Blushed, but he is a dandy Just the +same. + +_May_ 8. got to Bahia, Bra. at 8.30 P.M. after making a good run and +having Targate practis with full charges of Powder, don some fine +shooting with the Big Guns. I dont think it will be a bit too healthy +for the Spanish to bump up against us, for we have a good eye. We put +in hear as an excuse to put on War paint saying our engines wer Brok +down and at the same time to get more coal if we can. + +_May_ 9. Put on War paint to day and we are out for it now. we have the +ship cleared for action now for keeps. got some coal and fresh water, +filed up with every thing we wanted. at 8 P.M. the old man got telagram +and at 10 P.M. we wer on our corse for the West Indias. + +_May_ 10. going along smooth and nothing doing. + +_May_ 11. still expect to meet that fleet and if we do meet them there +is going to be a "Hot time in the old town to night." + +_May_ 12. Every thing the same, some of us think we past through the +fleet last night, there wer several lights all around and acted Mighty +quer. + +_May_ 13. Nothing doing and will wate untill we get in Port. + +_May_ 18. got into Barbadoes at 4 A.M. this morning and found lots of +war talk going on; we are puting on coal Just now, expect to go out of +hear to morrow morning erly. 8 P.M. up anchor once more after geting +250 tons of coal on and ready for buisness. Guess the Spanish dont want +any of this craft, it seems we will get there without firering a shot. + +_May_ 24. arived at Jupiter light house after making a flank movement +to the northard and not a ship to be seen. + +_May_ 25. up anchor once more for Key West, got there on the 26th; of +corse the Capt dident know how things stud so he had to go slow. About +4.30 A.M. the man on the life Bouy gave the alarm, saying there was a +small dark objict coming this way; the Officer of the Deck roused up +the Capt and the next thing we knew Gen Quarters sounded. What should +it be But the tug with our Pilot on board for us, the "Hudson" was the +name of the tug. + +_May_ 27. still puting on coal, expect to go down to Cuba with the New +York. + +_June_ 1. I herd the first shot in this war to day, Santiago de Cuba +and with the flying squadron. + +_June_ 2. we had a wild goose chase. + +_June_ 3. nothing doing but laying off hear and watching what looks +like to me a big hole in the grond. same thing the 4th and 5th. + +_June_ 6. Stand from under, we Bombard the forts and water Baterys to +day for 4 hours but dont know how much damage we don. + +_June_ 7. staying out hear and doing nothing. + +_June_ 8. same thing. + +_June_ 9. " " + +_June_ 10. we went down to Guantanamo Bay to put some coal on and +landed 40 Marines in the Morning. we wer the first to put foot on Cuban +soil in this war. The 9th the Marblehead and Dolphin Bombarded the +place and made them look like Munkys; they ran away and left every +thing behind them. + +_June_ 11. came back to Santiago on the 10th. and laying off hear as +befor. + +_June_ 12. Same old thing. Expecting Troops every day. + +_June_ 13. Dito. + +_June_ 14. the New Orleans was ordered to run in close to the shore and +do som Bombarding By her self Just to break the Monotony and to let us +believe we wer at war. we don a good Job all right, she silenced the +east Battry and the west one too, and made them show up a water Battry +which we did not know any thing about. havent herd how many got kild or +wounded on the other side. But I know they never hert any one on this +side. Got some news from Guantanamo to day. Col. Huntington and his +Marines of 800 Had a Brush with the Spanish, it is reported that 6 +marines wer kild and Doctor Gibbs was shot through the head by +accident. there is at Guantanamo Bay the Texas, Marblehead and Porter +and 800 Marines; they expect to have the cable work soon and the Harbor +well under Hand. I forgot to say the Vesuvius landed 3 shots of +dinomite in the Harbor on the night of the 13th at Santiago and did +great damage to the Shore Batterys; the latest report is that the +Cubans are flocking in to Huntingtons camp. + +_June_ 15. coaling ship and still retain our posision on the Blockade. + +_June_ 16. At 3.30 A.M. this morning all hands was called and the +coffie was passed around with som hardtack and cand Beef at 4 A.M. Turn +to, some 15 or 20 Minutes later Gen Quarters sounded. Then we went at +it to try and see if we could not knock thoes Batterys off the earth. +Bombarded untill 7.15 A.M. Nobody knows how much damage was don, except +we silinced all the Batterys they had and made them show up a nother +one inside of the harbor of which there seems to be lots of them. I +will say right hear that if we take this place its going to be a hot +old Job, and som of us will think we run up against a Hornets nest when +we get in side. they have been talking of forsing the Chanell and Capt +Clark signaled over to the flag ship and asked permishion to take the +leed, and I am sure we will stay with him as long as the ship floats +for we love him. The Vesuvius fired three more shots last night at +about 12. dont know what damage was don But I know we are all tired of +this fooling. if they would only send some soldiers down here from the +regular army, say 6 Regiments of Infantry and 3 of Cavalry, I think, +with what we could put up, that forse would more than be a match for +them and take the place with all ease. The latest Bulitin of the day is +that the Forses at Guantanamo have bin Joined by some Cubans and had a +Brush with the Spanish, and the report is that 40 wer kild on the +Spanish side and 17 taken prisoners of war, one Spanish Lut. 2 Corp and +14 Privates. On our side 3 Cubans Kild and 2 wounded, 3 Marines wounded +and 17 overcome by the heat. But all recovered. Routed the Spanish and +distroyed the water suply and Block House. The Dolphin held there +posision from the water frount and the Texas sunk 2 small Gun boats. + +_June_ 17. come down to Guantanamo Bay this morning, put some 300 tons +of coal on and throde some shells over in an old Fort and then puled +out right away for Santiago. + +_June_ 20. Bully for the Soldiers, they are hear at last, "I thought +they would com tomorrow," some of the papers say there is 20.000 of +them, that is enough to eat the plase up for lunch. Well I hope we will +soon crack this nut that is so hard to crack. I hear there is 15000 +Spanish soldiers over hear. + +_June_ 22. the soldiers are landing all O.K. and doing well, and only a +few horses and 2 men lost so far, so the Flag Ship says. + +_June_ 26. Started in this morning to see if we coulden knock down that +Spanish old Morro or else knock somthing cruckit around it. Well we +pelted away for an hour or more and the flag ship signaled over to the +Iowa to close in and pump at the Smith Key Battry. The Iowa signaled +Back that her forward Turet was out of order, so it fel to us, we went +in to 700 yards of the shore Battry and did knock down the Spanish flag +with an 8 inch shell and knocked over one of there Big Guns. I belive +if the flag ship had not called us off Capt Clark would have went in +along side of old Morro and give him a tutching up. + +_June_ 28. I am geting tired of trying to keep cases on this thing, +there is nothing doing but laying around hear like a lot of sharks +watching for a fish. + +_July_ 4. The fish has come out to see us. On the 3rd the Spanish fleet +came out of the Harbor to fight and get a way if posable. (I would have +put this down on the 3rd But I dident have time and was too tired that +night so I put it off for today.) Well the Fleet came out and went to +Davy Joneses locker. it was Just 9.25 A.M., first call had sounded on +our ship for Quarters and we all had our best dudds on; we wer going to +listen to the Articles of War this morning and to have chirch right +affter, But we never did. all of a suden the Ordly on watch made a dive +for the Cabin head first, and told the old man the Fleet was coming out +of the Harbor. the old man jumpt up a standing. as soon as some of the +men seen the ships there, they went to there Quarters with out any +further delay. I was standing on the Quarter Deck waiting for the last +call to go. I heard the news and looking around the affter Terets seen +the first one. I thought she looked Biger than a Mountain. But then I +thought affterwards we could cut her down to her natchral size. of +corse it takes longer to tell about it than it taken us to get ready, +for we wer allways ready, and all we had to do was to sound the Bells +and stand By our Guns, they wer allways loaded so all we had to do was +to turn on the fors draught and pull the triger. + +By 9.27 the Oregon fired the first shot of the Battle of July 3rd. 1898 +at the first ship that come out of the Harbor. I dont remember the +ships as they come out, But we went in to meet them and passed them som +good shots as they cep coming. about 7 or 9 minuts after they got +started good, one of our 6 inch guns blew up one of the Torpedo Boats, +struck her squar amidships, she sunk like a rock with all on board. and +right hear is where I had to stop for a moment to admire one of there +Guners. I do think he was one of the bravest men I ever had the +pleasure to look upon. That man must have known he was going to a shure +Deth, he stud on Deck and cep firing at us all the time, and the last +time I seen him he was Just going up in the air. As the ships came out +of the harbor they sircled to the right, or Westward, and Capt Clark +knew they were trying to escape. they did not think the old Oregon was +such a runer as she was a fighter, so we Just tailed on with them and +giving them shot for shot. In about 20 minuts the first ship went on +the Beach, plumb knocked out, and 15 minuts later the secon one went on +the Beach, a short ways from the first. Then came the tug of war for we +had to run to catch the Vizcaya and the Colon, but we catched them +both. the Vizcaya was about 4000 yards ahead and the Colon was about 3 +miles ahead, and the poor men in the fireroom was working like horses, +and to cheer them up we passed the word down the ventlators how things +was going on, and they passed the word back if we would cut them down +they would get us to where we could do it. So we got in rainge of the +Vizcaya and we sent her ashore with the secondary Battry and 6 inch +guns, and then we settled down for a good chase for the Colon. I +thought she was going to run a way from us. But she had to make a curv +and we headed for a point that she had to come out at. We all think +there is no man in the Navy like Capt Clark, he is a Brave man, he stud +on the Forward 13 inch turet through the thickest of this fight and +directed his ship to the final results. + +Coming back to Santiago we waited untill we got to where the first ship +went on the Beach and there fired the national salut. We have 3 Spanish +prisoners on board and they thought we wer at it a gain, and it was all +the sick Bay man could do as to quiet them. I hear there is over 1800 +Prisoners and 650 kild and 800 wounded on the third. the three men on +board tells the sickbayman that we run through there fleet coming +around hear, for the next day they found a Pork Barrel ful of holes and +had marked on the head U.S.S. Oregon. We all seem to think we could +take care of our selves Just the same. it is Just 6.50 P.M. now and the +men all say there is no flag flying on the Morro. But I can see Just as +good as any and I can not see any either, But then I think we are out +too far. + +_July_ 5. At about 11.45 the danger Signal was flashed by the lookout +from the Massachusetts, she being the one to show her serchlight at the +entrance of the Harbor for the night, the Spanish was trying to sink +one of there old ships in the Chanell so as not to let us in. But Just +3 or 4 shots from the Massachusetts Big 13 inch Guns help them to do +the Job, for she sunk befor they got to the Chanal. there is Spanish +menowar and Torpedo boats strung all along the Beach for 60 miles. + +_July_ 10. We are laying off now in Guantanamo Bay filing out to go to +Porto Rico or on the Coast of Spain. + +This is all in regards to the trip of the Oregon. + +R. CROSS + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Voyage of the Oregon from San +Francisco to Santiago in 1898, by R. 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