USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > History of companies I and E, Sixth Regt., Illinois Volunteer Infantry from Whiteside County > Part 13
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As the work of the sailors brought them towards our resting places we were driven before them. from one end of the vessel to the other and all around it. We
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HISTORY OF COMPANIES I AND E.
would be resting quietly on the upper deck when a bare. foot seamen would bellow out "get down below." after scrambling through the hatchways to the main deck and get comfortably located. another voice would command us to "go up above," a few moments after reaching the upper deck we were told to "get in the whale boats." and shortly we would be instructed to "get out of the boats." Thus the hours dragged on until darkness came when we would settle ourselves for the night and for a couple of hours listen to the tales of the jolly tars as they related their experiences in their many sea voyages.
Several ships were sighted on the voyage and both the Yale and Columbia would give chase, hoping to over- haul some Spanish vessel and secure it as a prize. but they were all flying the stars and stripes or the emblem of a neutral government. On the morning of July eleventh, we sighted land and found it was the eastern coast of Cuba. We steamed along the coast and about noon passed Guantanamo bay where the handful of ma- rines had landed some days before and fought so bravely against great odds.
We soon sighted the hulls of several vessels ahead and all precautions were taken to prevent our running in- to a trap; the gunners were at their posts and everything made ready for a fight if they should prove to be un- friendly, but they were Uncle Sam's ships and we were soon among them. We arrived about three o'clock in the afternoon of July eleventh, just an hour after the last bombardment of Santiago had ceased, A slight indentation in the coast line indicated the entrance to Santiago harbor but we were too far distant to see more of this then famous place. On the eastern side of the entrance and situated on a prominent point old Morro Castle frowned down upon us,
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ARRIVAL AT SANTIAGO.
For miles around us we could see man-of-war ships, cruisers, torpedo boats and transports. The Spanish lookout stationed at Morro Castle reported to his commander on that day he counted fifty-seven war ships and transports all flying the American flag within a radius of a few miles in the vicinity of Santiago har- bor. Among them were New York. Brooklyn. Texas. Indiana. Oregon. Massachusetts, lowa. Newark. Hel- ena. Wilmington and the dynamite boat Vesuvius, also the hospital ship Solace, intermingling with the numer- ous transports and all cruising about and up and down the coast.
This was a pleasing sight for us land troops. cruis- ing about not far from the shore, passing first one and then another of those wonderful fighting machines which had won such a glorious victory a week previous. the mountains looming up in the background dotted with white tents and buildings and within sight of Santi- ago harbor, the outer fortifications plainly discernable. We could hardly realize our position, so much that was new and deeply interesting having been crowded upon us in a short time.
Ten of the remaining companies of our regiment. the band and the colonel and his staff boarded the Rita at Charleston, Sunday. July tenth and arrived at Santiago the following Friday. Their voyage was not a pleas- ant one. as the vessel rolled and pitched throughout the trip and nearly every man aboard of her was seasick. Companies D and M followed on the transport, Duchesse.
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HISTORY OF COMPANIES I AND E.
CHAPTER XV.
Immediately on our arrival at Santiago, General Miles sent a note to Admiral Sampson to the effect that it was his desire to land troops from the Yale. Colum- bia, and Duchesse to the west of the bay of Santiago harbor, and follow it up with additional troops, moving east against the Spanish troops defending Santiago on the west. He requested Admiral Sampson to designate the most available point for disembarking the troops, and render all of the assistance practicable as they moved east. Admiral Sampson then went on board the Yale and consulted General Miles, who told him he desired the co-operation of the Navy in the plan above stated. The admiral cordially acquiesced in the plan and offered every assistance of his fleet to cover the debarkation of the troops and also infilade the Spanish position with the guns of the ships.
General Miles then went ashore and the following morning opened communication with General Shafter, after which he gave directions to General Garrettson to disembark all the troops on the Yale, Columbia, and other transports that were expected to arrive, viz, the Duchesse and Rita, whenever he should receive orders to do so. A note was directed to General Toral, com- manding the Spanish forces. apprising him of the pres- ence of the General commanding the American Army
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SURRENDER OF SANTIAGO.
and a meeting between the lines was arranged for at twelve o'clock noon the following day.
At the appointed time. General Miles and a portion of his staff, met General Toral and two of his staff officers and an interpreter. Negotiations for the sur- render of General Toral's forces were carried on, the United States government to return his army to Spain. General Toral plead for time to communicate with his superiors. This was granted and he was given until twelve o'clock noon the following day to arrive at a decision.
General Henry, who had been placed in command of all the infantry and artillery then on transports, was instructed to be in readiness to disembark at noon, the following day, July fourteenth, at Cabanas. This in- cluded the Sixth Illinois regiment. On the morning of July fourteenth, Admiral Sampson's fleet was in posi- tion to cover the landing of the troops from the. trans- ports, about two and one half miles west of Santiago harbor, in case the Spanish should fail to surrender.
On meeting General Toral by appointment at twelve o'clock noon that day, he formally surrendered the troops of his army corps and division of Santiago to General Miles. General Henry was notified and as a portion of the army was infected with yellow fever it was determined not to land the troops on board the transports at that point but to run them back to Guan- tanamo bay and there take on coal and otherwise pre- pare the fleet for an early departure for Porto Rico.
The men on board continued in good health and few if any on the Columbia had been affected by sea- sickness. After the novelty of the situation had worn off we began to get anxious to get ashore. We had
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HISTORY OF COMPANIES I AND E.
prepared to land several times but each order was countermanded. It had rained every day since our arrival at Santiago, the sun coming out very bright and hot immediately afterward. The mountains wearing anything but an inviting aspect at these times, as a heavy fog enveloped everything on land. Many of the soldiers and sailors found sleeping quarters on the upper deck and in the dead of the night they would be awak- ened by a heavy downpour of rain and they would . scramble down through the hatchways completely drenched.
The disappointment at not going ashore at Santiago left the men very low spirited. We had been drilling for months, all the while looking forward to the day when we should be among the victorious troops march - ing into the Spanish city. Now it looked as though we were to have the trouble for the pains as we had no idea whether we were to be sent to Porto Rico or returned home.
The inactivity was wearing on the men more than did the tedious work in the states. On the sixteenth of July our vessel steamed west to Guantanamo bay arriv- ing in the early evening. We found a number of the boats that had been lying off Santiago had preceded us and some were already taking on a supply of coal from the coaling ships. As our boat stood bow on to shore, to the left and some distance inland we saw the wreck of a fortress the walls of which had been partially demol- ished by the guns of our vessels some time before.
The white tents of Camp McCalla stood on the crest of a hill not far from the shore. This was the quarters of the marines who landed from the Marblehead on the tenth of June. At the foot of the hill and extend-
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GUANTANAMO BAY.
ing out on the beach lay the Cuban camp which con- tained about two hundred soldiers, mostly black and from all indications they represented the worst class of natives on the island. They were indolent and appeared to wish for nothing more than to possess a comfortable hammock, a supply of tobacco and draw rations from Uncle Sams larder as often as possible.
The marines found but little use for them except as sentinels as they had been doing scout duty for years and were very alert besides they were acquainted with every nook and cranny on the island. Many of the ma- rines came on board our vessel and some of them gave us a very graphic description of the three days battle which occurred following the landing of their men. Nearly every tent which they had put up was so riddled . with Spanish bullets that they were but poor shelter dur- ing the heavy rains which occurred daily.
In the face of a continual fire the men had thrown up a rampart ofgravel completely surrounding the camp which gave them a protection from the Mauser bullets and an opportunity to rest after the seige had been raised. Three graves in the center of the camp marked the last resting place of Surgeon Gribbs. a sergeant major and a private who fell early in the battle. Part way down the hill on the other side were the graves of three men who were instantly killed, while doing outpost duty, by a squad of seventeen Spaniards all of whom were after- wards killed with the lieutenant in command.
In the center of the camp was Colonel Huntington's headquarters, over which the stars and stripes were flying the first to float over Cuban soil. To the left was a small rapid firing gun, which discharged bullets at the rate of five hundred a minute. The Spaniards had a wholesome respect for this gun, and an officer, taken
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prisoner by our men, when asked if there was anything he would like done for him, said, nothing except he would like to see this gun. Several officers from the Columbia, including our company and battalion officers visited this camp also the Cuban camp and what they saw proved that the marines had been subjected to a severe fire, in an extremely exposed position and the indomitable courage of the marines in retaining the foot- hold established was quite evident.
Our rations while on the boat were not conducive to the health or comfort of the men. Fresh meat, or at least the boys said it was fresh because it was "alive", was sent to us almost daily. It came lashed to the whaleboat which brought it to us. We wondered at this as the surface of the bay was as calm as the waters of a mill-pond. It was hoisted on board and four expert sprinters from each company sent for, then the chase be- gan.
That confounded meat just would not be caught; it flip-flapped about at a lively rate until finally cornered. After being captured and "killed" the meat was cut up into great hunks about a foot square and brought out along with a bushel of hard-tack, into which an empty tomato can was thrown, a little water poured over the mixture and the whole run down to the ships galley and placed over the fire a few moments, this they called hash, and it was doled out to the inen with all the precaution that would have been taken had it been angel-food cake with a prize in every cutting.
About an hour after we had gotten on the outside of our portion of this first course, a pail would be run down to the galley, some coffee dumped in, filled with hot water and brought out to us. Then the fighting began and after crawling out of the mix-up we generally found
On board Spanish prize ship, "Rita," enroute to Santiago.
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AWAITING ORDERS.
ourselves with a pint of coffee grounds and a tablespoon- ful of coffee.
At intervals during the day we would take up our belts a few notches; this we continued until nearly time to turn in for the night, then we would eat a few hard- tack drink a little water, lie quite still until the hard-tack began to swell, then slip the belt off quickly and fill up on water. This was necessary to keep the front side of the back from coming in contact with the back-bone while lying down.
"Music sounds the sweetest when on the moon-lit sea." The reality of this came to us with full force as we heard the rich, sweet notes of "The First Brigade March" come pealing across the water from the deck of the Rita which carried our band. As the music reached us, faintly at first but clear and distinct as the two vessels drifted nearer, a hush fell over the throng of idle soldiers and they eagerly drank in every sound until the position of the boats changed and the music died away in the dis- tance. Then cheer after cheer went up from our boat. Drooping spirits were revived and it almost seemed that we were back again in the states. This was the first time we had heard our band since leaving Charleston and it had a wonderful effect on us all.
At night the scene in the bay was beautiful. The number of vessels had increased daily and during the lat- ter part of our stay there the bay was nearly filled with boats. When all were lighted for the night it had the appearance of a miniature city, while the ever changing position of the boats gave us a panoramic view of the whole scene. As the bugle calls from the war vessels were sounded, first on one hand then the other, we imag- ined we were back in our quarters at Camp Alger, and we felt we were again soldiers.
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HISTORY OF COMPANIES I AND E.
For nearly three months previous to our boarding the Columbia for Cuba we had been accustomed to almost continual duty of some sort and bands and bugle corps were ever present. Since taking to the sea we had done nothing but scramble for something to eat and lay around, killing time as best we could. The monotony was telling on the men and they were anxious to be up and doing. They fully recognized the many perils which beset a sol- dier in the field, facing a wily enemy but this had been considered long before and they would gladly have taken the risk only to be on shore and do even a little actual service. They were fairly disgusted with the "coffee cooler" soldiering.
On the morning of the eighteenth, the crew made preparations for coaling ship. Volunteers were called for from among the soldiers on board but less than a half dozen men responded as none relished the idea of shovel- ing coal on an empty stomach. The following three days were occupied in coaling ship and they were horrible days,-dirt and coaldust over everything. It was but a short time until we were as dirty a lot of men as one cared to see, but we were rapidly becoming accustomed to accept anything that came along and say nothing.
Captain Sands wanted eighteen hundred tons of coal to fill the boat's bunkers but the supply was nearly ex- hausted and he was fortunate to secure six hundred tons; the vessel had something like three hundred tons when we arrived in the bay making a total of about nine hun- dred tons in her bunkers.
At noon, Thursday, July twenty-first, orders were received for the vessel to have steam up and everything in readiness to put out to sea at three o'clock that after- noon, and at four we steamed out of the harbor enroute for Porto Rico, the Massachusetts acting as flag ship,
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OFF FOR PORTO RICO.
leading the fleet which was composed of the Massachu- setts, Columbia, Yale with General Miles, Henry and Garrettson on board, the Gloucester, a dispatch boat and nine transports heavily laden with troops, cavalry and ar- tillery horses and light artillery.
With three thousand four hundred fifteen infantry- men and artillerymen, together with two companies of engineers and one company of the Signal Corps, with one hundred of this aggregate number of men sick, which re- duced our effective force to about three thousand three hundred men, we moved on the Island of Porto Rico, at that time occupied by eight thousand two hundred thirty three Spanish regulars, and nine thousand one hundred seven volunteers. The objective point being San Juan, on the north-eastern coast of the island.
The Columbia acted as rear guard for the fleet and our course was necessarily much slower than when we made the run from Charleston to Cuba on account of having the slow moving transports in the fleet, eight, or at the best, nine knots per hour was the maximum speed during the journey. On the second night out we were joined by the cruiser Dixie.
Just the slightest ripple of excitement was caused on board our boat before a signal was sent out by the Dix- ie making herself known. The Columbia was some dis- tance in the rear of the fleet when a light was seen ap- proaching the stern of our vessel. The Dixie was ex- pected to join us in this vicinity but nothing could be seen to determine the nature of the approaching vessel other than the light which gradually drew nearer us. High up on the mast the Columbia's signal lights flash- ed the Dixie's call "D" but could get no response, a sailor picked up a hand electric lantern and stepping to
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HISTORY OF COMPANIES I AND E.
the stern of our boat made an attempt to get a reply to his signals but all to no purpose.
The peculiar actions of the crew of the vessel follow- ing us gave Captain Sands cause for suspicion that all was not right and he changed the course of the Colum- bia, making a loop and coming down close to the sus- picious craft and again flashed the signal "D", this time receiving a reply that apparently satisfied him and we came around onto the direct course once more. As day- light came we saw the Dixie was among the vessels of the fleet and then understood the actions of the boats the night before.
We steamed through the Windward Passage in a northeasterly course, not losing sight of land until near- ly to our destination. The Islands of Cuba and Hayti appearing not more than ten miles apart yet they are nearly fifty. On the morning of the twenty-second the Columbia was signaled to report to General Miles as he wished to send a cablegram to Washington, and she be- ing the swiftest vessel in the fleet was selected for that purpose. An officer was sent on board the Yale and re- ceived the dispatch; then our vessel was headed for Mole St. Nicholas, on the eastern coast of Hayti, arriving there about eleven thirty a. m. A cutter was sent ashore to the cable station, returning immediately. The soldiers were ordered to remain below and keep out of sight but a half dozen of us managed to find a secluded place and re- mained on deck and with the aid of a small field glass an excellent view of the bay and island was had. The town appeared as almost nothing; a few houses and an old fortress was all we could see. The French flag was fly- ing over nearly every house, also over the cable station. Returning we left the bay about twelve o'clock noon, and
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ARRIVAL AT PORT GUANICA.
caught the fleet in the middle of the afternoon. The coasts of Cuba, Hayti and Porto Rico are lined with mountains and looked anything but inviting to the Illi- nois boys who were accustomed to the broad prairies of their native state.
We held the original course of east by north until the morning of the twenty-fourth. when General Miles changed his plans and directed the fleet to change its course and make Port Guanica, on the southwestern coast of the island its destination. General Miles, after consulting with Cap't Higginson of the Massachusetts, decided that the Spanish government must certainly be aware of his intentions to land troops at San Juan and it would accordingly mobolize its forces at that point. He learned that a very desirable landing place could be secured at Port Guanica and later at Port Ponce and in all probability would meet with but little opposition.
The Dixie was sent on to San Juan to notify all ves- sels expected to arrive there of the change in the origin- al plans. That night we sailed through the Mona Pass- age without lights and silently we neared the goal. The following morning we were on the Caribbean Sea close to land and about nine thirty the Gloucester entered the harbor of Port Guanica, throwing shells from a six pound gun into the hills and scattering the few Spanish soldiers stationed there. The Columbia could not get close in as she drew too much water and we were once more load- ed into the ships whale boats and cutters and towed a mile and a half to the landing.
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CHAPTER XVI.
About ten o'clock on the morning of July twenty- fifth company E landed at Guanica, closely followed by fifteen men of company I. A company of marines from the Gloucester was the first American troops to land on Porto Rican soil. These men had a brush with the few Spanish soldiers that remained in the vicinity driving them back into the hills where the six pounders fired from the Gloucester had forced the larger portion of the enemy early in the day. The marines hoisted the stars and stripes and shortly returned to their vessel. Follow- ing them came a division of the First Illinois Engineer Corps, then company E and the fifteen men of company I, with Major Channon in command on shore.
When we arrived in the village there was not a na- tive or Spaniard in sight. They had completely desert- ed the town. We were not allowed to approach any of the buildings but were formed in the center of the nar- row street and held there for a short time awaiting Maj- or Channons orders. The town in main consisted of one street running north to the foot of the hills which sur- rounded the bay. A few comfortable dwellings and summer homes of the more wealthy of the residents of the vicinity bordered the narrow street with here and there a general store building, the village itself termi- nating in cluster of thatched huts about three quarters
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OUTPOST DUTY IN THE HILLS.
of a mile from the beach.
Surrounding the village was a level plain which ran back from the beach about a mile. On the north and east the hills or mountains rose to a considerable height while on the west the bay ran back several hundred rods and close up to the foot of the hills. Directly north of the landing the hills were separated by a beautiful valley about a mile in width which wound back into the island for several miles. The one street of the town led di- rectly to the southern entrance of this valley and it was here that the Spaniards and natives retreated on the approach of the American troops.
Company E was divided into two platoons and sent to the hills to the east to establish an outpost guard line under command of Capt. Lawrie and Lieut. Wahl respectively. The fifteen men of company I, under command of Serg't Weaver were ordered to take a position on the summit of a high hill about a mile to the south and west of the town, there to be joined by the remainder of the company as soon as they came on shore. Major Channon instructed the men to keep their rifles loaded and in readiness for instant action and to take no chances whatever.
Arriving at the foot of the hills we found we had a difficult climb before us as the cactus plant, which grows there as large as our fruit trees, were very thick from the base of the hill to the summit. Many other small trees and shrubbery grew so dense it was impossible to see more than a dozen feet in advance, while the hills had every indication of being the result of some gigantic upheavel caused by volcanic eruptions in years past. Great irregular pieces of stone, honey-combed to the depth of half an inch. the outer surface covered with fine, projecting points of stone as sharp as a knife
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blade and as hard as steel, were thrown up in apparent- ly insurmountable masses.
Company E took its position and remained there until five o'clock in the evening, when they were re- lieved by company A. During their stay on out-post the boys of company E explored the locality thoroughly but found no indication of the enemy. After return- ing to the landing they pitched their shelter tents on the grassy plain a few rods back from the bay and were placed on duty unloading baggage and supplies from the Rita.
Five of the handful of men of company I made the ascent of the hill where they were to take a position and establish a point of observation, arriving on the summit nothing could be seen in either direction. The : cactus plants, shrubbery and large stone were so thick that it was impossible to find a place large enough to pitch a shelter tent in that neighborhood. After a long search a large rock was found projecting far out over the hill side and clear of the brush. Crawling out on this an excellent view of the plain below and the valley stretching away to the north could be had.
The scene was a beautiful one. It was the noon hour and the sun was shining brightly. Everything was green and refreshing. Down the narrow valley small farms were laid out and the crops appeared to be in ex- cellent condition, the hills jutting out here and there formed dark recesses where the sunlight faded into a gloom and the shaded green of the foliage appeared to extend a welcoming hand to the invading soldiers, beckoning them in, there to find protection from the burning heat of the sun. But as far as the eye could reach not a living being was in sight. Peace and quiet- ness reigned over the whole valley and on first thought
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