-0-^^ '.-' REV. A. M. SHERMAN. flDorristown flu tbc Spaniel^amcricau TOar X B Morristown, New Jersey, IN THE Spanish-American War, BY Rev. A. M. SHERMAN, Illustrated. JERSEYMAN OFFICE, MORRISTOWN, NEW JERSEY, 1900. fT^ ^ ■ V Copyright 1900, BY REV. A. M. SHERMAN. DEDICATION. To the young men of Morristown, Netv Jersey, and vicinity, ivho, in response to the call of the President of the United States for volunteer troops, issued on the Twenty -third of April, Eighteen Hundred and Ninety-eight, few to the defense of national honor, and nobly assisted in the liberation of a long and sorely oppressed people from Spanish misrule, this volume is respectfully dedicated by the author. 15 CAPTAIX CAl'KON'S IJATTEUV IN ACTION. BLOCK HOrSK ON SAN JVAN HILL. PREFACE. The war between the United States and Spain com- mencin«< on the 21st of April, 1898, and terminatiug on the 12th of August of the same year, will, as time progresses, appear more and more to have been, what in fact it was, a war waged, so far as the purpose of the American govern- ment was concerned, for the liberation of a long and grievously oppressed people from the misgovernment and cruelty of a foreign power, and the estabhshment on their behalf, in Cuba, with America's aid, of a government based in the spirit of Freedom ; hence this conflict has been aptly termed "The Great Humanitarian War"; and as such it enlisted the ardent sympathy of America's millions regard- less of party affiliation. Brief in its duration, compared with other wars in which the United States during her short national history has engaged; insignificant comparatively as regards the number of troops in active service, and in the extent of its casualties, the Spanish -American War was nevertheless, in its achievements upon land and sea, the most brilliant in the world's history. Nor should it ever be forgotten that the process of national unity which for several years had been going on was consummated when war with a foreign power becama VI PREFACE imminent; and that from the baptism of fire at Guasimas, El Caney and San Juan, we emerged a united and in- vincible people. For any American citizen or community to have con- tributed, in any measure or in any manner to the triumph- ant issue of such a war, and to the accomplishment of the noble end attained, is an honor not to be lightly prized; and the services rendered during this conflict will be in- creasingly appreciated as the clouds of lingering partizan- ship clear away, and the American people are able to look back upon it from the standpoint of a disinterested patriot- ism. To formally place upon record for the inspection of future generations the story of the services of individuals and communities identified with this humane and brilliant war, is only a deserved tribute to those who flew to their country's defense in the early part of 1898, or who, at their homes gave to the country's defenders, their support and encouragement; and such record, it is believed, will prove an inspiration to duty in any national emergency in the years to come. In the faith that such will be the eft'ect upon its readers of this volume it is respectfully ofl'ered to the people of Morris County, New Jersey. SECTION OF AMERICAN TRENCHES BEFORE SANTIAGO. SOLID COMFORT. CHAPTER I. PUBLIC OPINION SHOULD BE SUSPENDED UNTIL FUR- THER REPORT." — CAPTAIN SIGSBEE'S FIRST MESSAGE TO WASHINGTON. CAUSES OF THE SPxlNISH-AMERICAN WAR. Destruction of tte Maine in Havana harbor — Burial of the Crew — Naval Court of Inquiry — Suspicious Circuin- stauces — War inevitable — The Condition of Affairs in Cuba Intolerable to the American People — The Cuban War Must Cease. ON the morning of January 25, 1898, there steamed leisurely through the narrow entrance to the harbor of Havana, Cuba, with the national emblem of Freedom proudly waving above her, one of the finest second-class battleships afloat — the " Maine." Her length and breadth were 324 and 57 feet respectively. She was of 0,682 tons displacement, carried 10 guns in her main battery, had a speed of 17^ knots per hour, and had been constructed at a cost of nearly $3,000,000. Leaving the ancient Castles, Morro and Cabanas, on the larboard, this superb Ameri- can battleship passed into the inner harbor, amid the salutes of Spanish forts and war vessels, and was promptl}^ assigned moorage by the Spanish master of the port at bouy number four. The crew of the " Maine " was com- posed of 374 men and officers, whose commander was Captain Charles D. Sigsbee, a man well qualified, as subse- quent events proved, for the performance of the delicate mission entrusted to him. The " Maine " was in the har- bor of Havana under instructions from President McKinle}-, MORRISTOWN IN THE to guard the interests of American citizens in the Cuban capital, as unfriendly demonstrations had already been made against them by hostile Spanish mobs, and a general riot, with serious consequences was hourly apprehended. It was the opinion, also, of our vigilant Consul- General at Havana, Fitz Hugh Lee, upon whose recommendation the " Maine" had been ordered to Cuban waters, that he^ presence would increase Spanish respect for the American government. It soon became a well known fact that many Spaniards in Havana were deeplj' initated by the sight of an Ameri- can battleship in the harbor, and it was currently reported that threats of her destruction were openly made by some of them. In the harbor near the " Maine " lay the Spanish cruiser, " Alphonso XII," tlie American merchant steam- ship, "City of Washington," and other lesser craft; and for a period of three weeks, while our handsome battleship swung lazily at her moorings with the ebb and flow of the tides, there ensued a series of social visitations, chiefly, however, between the officers of the vessels mentioned and Consul-General Lee. On Tuesday evening, February 15, the bugle sounded taps at the usual hour, in response to which the lights were promptly extinguished, and the weary crew of the " Maine," save the customary night watch, sought their sleeping quarters between decks and mostly near the bow. Captain Sigsbee, who had not yet retired, was in his cabin near the stern, engaged in writing. At 9.40 o'clock, when most of the crew were wrapped in the arms of sooth- ing slumber, dreaming it may be of home and loved ones, a terrific explosion occurred — it was on the port side of the ship and near the bow ; another explosion followed, and some say a third,' — a series, it appears, in rapid succession — the reports of which were heard for miles around, and the tremendous concussion of which shook the entire cit}^ of Havana, affrighting the people and suddenly extinguish- ing not a few of the street lights. As viewed by an eye- witness on shore, the bow of the gallant ship was lifted SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR slightly from the water, a shower of flying debris was scattered over an area of a mile, the flames of the burning hull illuminated for a few minutes the entire surrounding region, and our once beautiful battleship, the justly con- sidered pride of the United States Navy, was a mangled, twisted and irrevocable wreck, and, as subsequently ascertained, 266 of her officers and men were either killed outright, drowned in the murky waters of the harbor or fatally injured. Among the lost were Lieu- tenant Jenkins and Engineer Merritt. Small boats came promptl}^ to the rescue and assisted in saving the living survivors from the waters, and from the wreck, which soon sank, bow first, and became embedded in the fetid mud of Havana's harbor; presenting the appearance so far as visible above the surface, of a shapeless tangle of metal. Among the survivors of this appalling disaster were Lieutenant Commander Richard Wainwright, executive officer of the " Maine," and Captain Sigsbee, the latter of whom was the last man to leave the sinking ship, and whose heroism, exhibited under the testful circumstances of the occasion, will command the warmest admiration of future generations. On board the "City of Washington" where Captain Sigsbee and other survivors of the w^reck found hospitable refuge after the sinking of the " Maine," there came Span- ish officers representing Captain- General Blanco, and expressing their sympathy ; and it was reported that when, soon after the explosion. General Lee called at the palace in Havana, he found Blanco in tears over the unfortunate affair, which he doubtless foresaw would precipitate a war which had long seemed inevitable between the United States and Spain. It was said that the lower classes of Spaniards, and the militarj' officers of the Weyler regime remaining in Havana, openly rejoiced over the destruction of the " Maine," and confidently predicted a similar fate for any other American warship that might be substituted. Of the bodies of our slaughtered sailor boys recovered from the wreck, or who subsequently died from injuries, MORRISTOWN IN THE some were taken to Key West for interment, and others were buried in Havana with the most imposing manifesta- tions of sorrow ever witnessed in that tropical cit3";and their names will henceforth appear among the long roll of honored American dead, as having contributed by their untimely deaths, to the deliverance of Cuba from Spanish misgovernment and oppression ! The remains of the "Maine's" victims have since been disinterred, brought to this country, and now rest in American soil at the Arlington Cemetery, Virginia, on the banks of the placid Potomac. Requiescat in pace. The wave of excitement which upon the announcement of the destruction of the "Maine" swept over the entire country, is more easily remembered than described. From the first the unex- pressed opinion of not a few Americans was, that our battleship was blown up from the outside, and by Spanish treachery; but the great majority of the people, acting upon the apt suggestion of Captain Sigsbee that "public opinion should be suspended until further report," awaited with commendable patience the result of official investiga- tion ; while others, including President McKinley and other high authorities at Washington, entertained the accident theory. The Naval Court of Inquirj" appointed to investigate, and if possible ascertain the cause of the destruction of our battleship, began its sessions on the 19th of March, and, after a thorough and impartial examination of the wreck, and of the survivors and other witnesses reported, that ' ' in the opinion of the Court the ' Maine ' was destroj^ed by a submarine mine which caused the partial explosion of two or more of her magazines. The Court has been unable to obtain evidence fixing the responsibility for the destruc- tion of the ' Maine ' upon any person or persons." The announcement of the report of the Court of Inquiry, composed as it was of naval experts, and supplemented by certain highly significant facts, which were for the first time made public, fully convinced the American people that the submarine mine which destroyed the "Maine' SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR was exploded by a Spanish hand. The facts referred to are these : that according to reliable authorit}- no war ves- sel had for at least five years previously been moored at bony number four; that to this bouy merchant ships were rarely assigned ; that, indeed, it was the least used bouy in the harbor; and lastly, that Spanish military and naval officers had been overheard, but a few days previous to the explosion, plotting the destruction of the " Maine." That war between the United States and Spain was inevitable, was the well-nigh unanimous jurlgment of the American people ; not, however, solely, or even chiefly, because of the destruction of our superb battleship and the brutal slaugh- ter of her sleeping crew, exasperating as that dastardly crime was to a long-suffering and supersensitive people, but because of the existence of a deeply deplorable condition of affairs in Cuba, of which the appalling disaster of Febru- ary 15, was but the natural chmax; and which condition of affairs the people of this country could not and would not longer endure. This condition of affairs may be aptly summarized by the statement that Spain had lost control of Cuba, and dread anarchy reigned in this beautiful island, which was being rapidly devastated by contending armies. The explanation of this condition of affairs requires a back- ward glance along the lines of Cuban history. - u o ^ CHAPTER II. IRON WILL BREAK AT LAST." — LIEUTENANT HOBSON TO ADMIRAL SAMPSON. CUBAN INSURRECTIONS. Discovery and Settlement of Cuba — Spanish Cruelty — Broken Promises — Struggle for Independence — Cuban Leaders — Weyler's Barbarous Methods — Removal of Weyler — Ap- pointment of Ramon Blanco — American Indignation Thoroughly Aroused. WHEN Columbus, on the 28th of October, U92, dis- covered the island of Cuba, he found it inhabited by a tribe of peaceable Indians, whose numbers were esti- mated at several hundred thousands. The first Spanish settlement of Cuba was made at Baracoa on the North East coast of the island in the j^ear 1511. The Spaniards promptly instituted in the island a system of enforced labor which was virtual slavery. Un- accustomed to the severe labor exacted of them under the Spanish lash the Indians died in rapidly-increasing num- bers ; and at the close of a period of about fifty years, these once happy aborigines had become completely exterminat- ed; and this constitutes chapter one of the history of Spanish cruelty in the " Pearl of the Antilles." Apprehending the eventual extermination of the In- dians, a limited number of negroes had been imported into Cuba from the East coast of Africa, to perform the man- ual labor of the island, to which they were considered ad- mirably adapted. The second chapter of Spanish cruelty may be read in the inhuman treatment of these negroes MORRISTOWN IN THE during this and subsequent importations, in consequence of which many of them died on the voyages, their bodies being committed to the waters. So rapidly did the African negroes in Cuba multiply that in the year 1870, they num- bered 605,461, of whom 379,523 were still slaves, and 225,- 938 were free— there having been for many years a pro- cess of gradual emancipation. From the time of the origiDal settlement of Cuba the native-born inhabitants of the island were for the most part allowed to grow up in dense ignorance, there having been no schools whatever in Cuba until about the year 1795; and those subsequently established were of an indifeerent character; so that at the commencement of the Spanish- American War the iUiteracy among the negroes and poorer whites was lamentably great. The moral status of these classes may be inferred from the fact that of the births among them about 50 per cent, were illegitimate. From the hour of its settlement the governing class in Cuba were almost exclusively native-born Spaniards, or " Peninsularies " as they were called to distinguish them from " Insularies," which were Spaniards born in Cuba. From the Governor- General down to the least signifi- cant official, it was their unremitting aim to accumulate a fortune in Cuba and then return to Spain to enjoy their ill- gotten gains. It was even said of General Weyler that during his notorious administration in Cuba the augmenta- tion of his already large fortune was the paramount object in view; ahd that the suppression of the Cuban insurrection was with him a secondary consideration, if indeed, it was even that. For many years Spain arbitrarily controlled the com- merce of Cuba purely for her own enrichment, shamelessly ignoring the interests of her colonists; her policy having been the collection of a burdensome tax on all exports from the island, of which sugar and tobacco were the chief; and the collection of an equally burdensome tax on all imports, the most of which the Cubans were compelled to purchase, at exorbitant prices, of Spanish manufacturers. Instead JOSEPH F. K. BONIFACE, Company B, United Stales Marines. 10 MORRISTOWN IN THE of using even a reasonable portion of the millions thus annually extorted from the Cubans, for necessary public improvements in the island, the money was for the most part taken to Spain to replenish her greedy cofifers ; and as if to add insult to injury the Spanish government kept in Cuba an army of 00,000 volunteers, composed of young Spaniards, to hold in subjection the discontented colonists; and the Cubans were taxed for the support of this alien host. One who is thoroughh' conversant with Cuban his- tory has forcibly remarked, that "Spain's policy was to wring from the Cubans the last coin possible in the way of taxes " ; and Cuba, as it may be seen, was being systematic- ally impoverished. Add to this the proverbial corruption, rank misgovern- ment, base cruellies and foul crimes of the Spanish officials in Cuba, and there will be no cause for surprise that com- mencing early in the present century there occurred a series of revolts, originating among the negroes, and finally in- cluding almost the entire native population. These revolts were either suppressed by force, or persuaded into submis- sion by promises of political reforms, which promises were almost without exception basely broken, chiefij" by the Spanish officials in Cuba, who so completely manipulated for their own selfish purposes the machinery of the local government as to render the last slate of the suffering Cubans worse than the first. Who then that loves freedom will deny, that these long and grievously oppressed colo- nists were more fulb' justified in the attempt to achieve independence than the embattled American farmers of 1775, who defied King George the Third, and, at Lexing- ton and Concord Bridge, fired the shots, "heard 'round the world." The most notable of the series of Cuban revolts, if we except the one in progress at the opening of our war with Spain, was what has since been known as the " Ten Years' War," beginning in the 3' ear 1 8G8. This war was attended by extreme cruelties, and aroused the sympathy and indig- nation of the American people to such an extent that only SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 11 its abrupt termination prevented armed intervention, on behalf of the Cubans, by the American government. If any substantiation of the statements as to the justness of the Cuban cause were required, surely the words of the humane and patriotic Campos, the first Governor- General during the period of the " Ten Years' War" will suffice; and from one of his reports, made to the Madrid govern- ment, during his administration in Cuba, he said: "The insurrection here is due to the causes that have separated our other colonies from the mother country, intensified by the fact that promises made to Cuba at different times have not been f ultilled ; that, as I understand it, their fulfill- ment, when begun, has been forbidden by order of the Cortes." Martinez Campos being unsuccessful in his efforts to quell the Cuban insurrection was replaced by General Ramon Blanco; and after a long and fruitless attempt to subjugate the Cubans they were induced to lay down their arms by the promise, made in good faith as it appears by Blanco, of home rule and other reforms; but again the action of the Spanish Cortes rendered null and void the promises by which the "Ten Years' War" had been ter- minated. It should, however, be said in this connection that in consequence of the " Ten Years' War," the abolition of slavery in Cuba, which had for some years been in pro- gress, was consummated in the 3'ear ISSG, as a means of pacifying the negro population. The final revolt of the Cubans against Spain, which was really a continuation of the famous "Ten Years' War," commenced in February, 1895, at the eastern end of the island, in the province of Santiago. The avowed object of this insurrection, which was strenuously adhered to throughout, was Cuban independence. Among the more conspicuous leaders of this revolt were Maximo Gomez, a white man from San Domingo; Jose Marti, spoken of as the "Father of the Revolution"; Antonio Maceo, a mulatto, who received a military education in European schools; and Calixto Garcia, a native of Santi- 12 MORRISTOWN IN THE ago City, than whom no abler general or purer patriot participated in the Cuban struggle for deliverance from Spanish oppression ; and his death at our national capital since the close of the recent war, deprived Cuba of invalu- able counsel in the settlement of her difficulties. At the beginning of the insurrection of 1895. a revolu- tionary government was organized, a republic was pro- claimed, and a president and other officers elected. Gomez was recognized as Commander-in-Chief of the military forces, and Maceo as his lieutenant. By the first of April, 1895, several thousand insurgents, armed with rifles and machetes, had gathered in the Santiago Province. At the outbreak of the insurrection there were about 18,000 Spanish regulars in the island, beside the Cuban volun- teers, and these were compelled, from fear of guerrilla at- tacks, to remain in their fortifications. Martinez Campos was again sent to Cuba to suppress tue insurrection, land- ing at Guantanamo on the twelfth of April; 12,000 ad- ditional Spanish regulars arriving in Cuba almost simul- taneously. The " Ten Years' War " had been confined to the East- ern end of the island, but Gomez determined to extend the war into the Western end ; and during a movement in the execution of this plan Jose Marti was slain, and Gomez wounded. The first battle of any consequence was at Baj^amo, in July, 1895, and it was here that Campos first became impressed with the seriousness of his task. In this engagement Maceo and Campos displayed excellent gener- alship. By the winter of 1895, 80,000 Spanish regulars had been sent to Cuba. In January of 1896, Campos having failed to subjugate the Cubans, resigned, and General Valeriano Weyler suc- ceeded him, and as his alleged cruelties in connection with the "Ten Years' War" were vividly remembered, his com- ing was regarded an omen of ill to the Cubans. Almost his first official act was the issuance of an arbitrary and stringent proclamation designed to intimidate and embar- SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 13 rass the insurgents. The campaigns of 1896-97 consisted of a series of guerrilla engagements insignificant in charac- ter, and indecisive as to results. Every reader of the daily- American press for the three years preceding the Spanish- American War had been surfieted with the accounts of shocking cruelties, burning of plantations, wrecking of rail- road trains, illegal imprisonments, and unmentionable crimes in Cuba, so that their repetition in detail is unneces- sary and undesirable. One of the brilliant movements of the last Cuban insurrection was the invasion by the gallant Maceo, of Western Cuba, with a small force of insurgents, and his series of skirmishes, and his remarkable avoidance of the contiguous Spanish army of 50,000 men; and it is with feelings of deep regret that Maceo could not have sur- vived to witness the liberation of Cuba from Spanish mis- rule, that his suspicious death is recalled, which not a few Americans still believe was due to treachery. The tenac- ity with which Gomez held to his determination to deliver the island from Spanish oppression, and the splendid hope of American intervention which sustained and cheered him amid the discouragements of his perplexing campaigns, should not pass unnoticed. Nor should we fail to recall the high resolve of the insurgents to achieve political inde- pendence though it should involve the loss of all earthly possessions; in which resolve noble wives and daughters shared, many of whom sealed their devotion to the cause of Freedom by valiant services in the field, and with no less commendable services in unparalleled sufferings and indignities at their homes. Surely Cuba has made history, particularly during the final insurrection, upon which her liberated people may henceforth look back with glowing pride. From the first the sympathy of the American people was with the Cuban insurgents, whose experiences could not fail to remind them of the struggle of our revolutionary fathers against foreign oppression ; and this sympathy was deepened by the reports of the barbarous methods employ- ed by Weyler to crush out the insurrection ; particularly 14 MORRISTOWN IN THE the concentration at certain designated points of Cuban non-combatants. To starve out the revolution by cutting off food sup- pHes, and to prevent also the recruiting of the insurgent ranks from among their sympathizers in the country dis- tricts, was the avowed object of the notorious concentration order ; but the opinion is justified by the possibilities of the Spanish character, that there was the ulterior motive to fill the hearts of the armed insurgents in the field with dread consternation over the wholesale loss of wives and children and parents, by starvation and disease and cold-blooded butchery, in the vain hope that they would sue for peace. The enforcement of the order of concentration entrusted to the Cuban volunteers, was attended with atrocities that shocked the American people. The Cuban non-combat- ants, consisting mostly of old men, women and children, huddled together at the military posts, were for the most part without food or the means of procuring it ; and as the Spanish authorities could not or would not furnish it, tens of thousands of these ''^ pacijicos " died of starvation, and other tens of thousands of disease induced by the ivretched sanitary conditions of the human pens in which they ivei-e promiscuously confined. It was com- puted that during the three years preceding the Spanish- American War, nearly half a million Cuban non-com- batants perished by Spanish cruelty ; and this appalling fact, more probably than all others combined, impelled the American people to resolve at last, upon intervention by force, to put an end to the Cuban war and expel the Span- iard from the Western Continent ; and the destruction of the " Maine" and her slumbering crew simply precip- itated the war which had so long been inevitable. o O « CHAPTER III. "we will make SPANISH THE COURT LANGUAGE OF HADES." — "fighting BOB" EVANS WHEN WAR WAS DECLARED. DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENCE. Removal of Weyler — The DeLome Episode — Millions for National Defense — An Armistice Suggested — Efforts for Peaceful Settlement Fruitless — Spain Notified to Quit the Western Continent — War Declared — Cuban Ports Blockaded — Volunteers Called For — Prompt Response. THE American Press and Congress eloquently voiced the sympathy and indignation of the people against the persistent atrocities of the Spanish authorities in Cuba ; and at last the President of the United States was directed, by Congress, to use his efforts for the independence of Cuba ; but as there seemed to be constitutional objections to this course, President Cleveland urged Spain to grant home government to the Cubans, promising his assistance toward the furtherance of this end. Spain proudly re- plied that nothing short of the actual submission of the in- surgents would satisfy her sense of honor. In his message to Congress in 1896, President Cleveland notified Spain that inasmuch as the Spanish atrocities in Cuba still con- tinued, the American government might find it necessary in the interests of humanity to interfere by force to put a stop to them; indeed, Fitz Hugh Lee, the American Con- sul-General at Havana, informed President Cleveland that in his opinion the time had fully arrived for intervention. The Cuban war had then been in progress about eighteen SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 17 months and its close was not in sight; and everything pointed to the eventual ruin of the industries and commerce of Cuba, and the devastation of the island. This was the condition of aft'airs in Cuba which faced Mr. IMcKinley when he came to tiie national capital in the spring of 1897. It being ascertained that among the starving in Cuba, were several hundred American citizens, an appropriation of $50,000 for their relief was made by Congress. The Spanish government evidently apprehending the interven- tion of America in Cuba, requested delay of action on the part of the United States until October, and assurance of such delay was given. A more liberal Spanish ministry under Sagasta having assumed control of affairs in Spain, an offer of autonomy was made to Cuba, on condition of her submission to the mother country. So intense and un- controllable had the indignation of the American people against \Ve3derism in Cuba become, and so earnest and de- termined their demand for Wejder's removal, that in the autumn of 1897 he was recalled, and Ramon Blanco, a patriotic and humane soldier, was appointed Governor- General of Cuba, for the avowed purpose of introducing home rule in the disordered island ; but it was then too late to hope for Cuba's acceptance of an3"thing short of inde- pendence, absolute and unqualified. It was the judgment, however, of Mr. McKinley, in which many Americans acquiesced, that Spain should be granted suitable oppor- tunity for the trial of autonom}" in Cuba ; but it was soon ascertained that not even the Spaniards in the island de- sired it; and about this time occurred an incident which convinced the people of this country, Mr. McKinle}' in- cluded, that the Spanish offer of autonomy was grossly in- sincere. A private letter from Dupu}' De Lome, the Spanish ambassador at Washington, to a friend at home, was intercepted by a secret agent of the Cuban Junta in New York, and was found to contain not only disrespectful language concerning the President of the United States, but the astounding declaration that the offer of autonomy to Cuba was a mere diplomatic device to blind the Ameri- 18 MORRISTOWN IN THE can people and postpone intervention. DeLome having acknowledged the genuineness of the letter, was given his passports, and forthwith left the country, followed by the contempt of all men. Close upon the heels of the DeLome episode followed the destruction of the "Maine" in Havana harbor as already described. To the demand of Mr. McKinley upon Spain for repa- ration for the " Maine," came the response that in the opinion of Spanish naval experts the destruction of our battleship was due to internal explosion; to which the Spanish press audaciously added that it was owing to lack of discipline on board the " Maine." The insulting sug- gestion of Sagasta that the investigation of the " Maine's " destruction be left to impartial experts, " whose decision Spain accepts in advance," was received by Mr. McKinley with unspoken contempt; as he was thoroughly satisfied with the report of our own Court of Inquiry. On the 9th of March a bill appropriating $50,000,000 for national defense came from the House to the Senate, and was unanimously passed, Democrats vieing with Re- publicans in support of the President, upon whose recom- mendation the bill had been originally introduced. It seemed that in the twinkling of an eye, and as we stood face to face with a great national emergency, all sectional feel- ing disappeared, by reason, to use the words of a famous Scotch divine, of "the expulsive power of a new affection, " — a new affection for the Old Flag, which now for the first time in half a century floated over a thoroughly united people. A thrill of new-born patriotism swept over the entire country. United, and engaged in a just cause, we began to realize our national strength, and faced the im- pending emergency with becoming fortitude. Several cruisers were purchased of foreign governments ; and our own navy yards were busy day and night. Our coast defenses were materially strengthened, and our chief harbors were mined. The manufacture of arms and ammunition, guns and equipments was everywhere hastened. The war cloud was considerably larger than a SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 19 man's hand, and was hourly increasing in size, and threat- ening to burst in anury storm upon us, and we began to reahze our lack of preparation for armed conflict with even a third-rate European power. The condition of aflPairs in Cuba remaining unchanged a cessation of hostilities between the Spanish and insur- gent forces was suggested to the authorities at Madrid, in the hope that through the friendly offices of President McKinley peace might be negotiated; but the Spanish government and the American people were alike indisposed at that juncture of affairs to enter upon such negotiations. Spain w^as unyielding in her avowed determination not to recall the decree of concentration in Cuba, or to join the United States in the w^ork of feeding and clothing the needy " reconcentrados"; Spain was willing, however, to submit negotiations to the Spanish authorities in Cuba, and grant an armistice, on condition that the armed insur- gents should request it, but this they could not reasonably be expected to do ; and this they would not have done ! President McKinley felt, and so declared, that he had ex- hausted every honorable effort for the preservation of peace betw^een Spain and his ow n country ; and in a message to Congress, reviewing the past and present condition of affairs in Cuba, and his efforts to effect a peaceful settle- ment of Cuban troubles, he concluded by declaring himself in favor of armed intervention by the United States. Congress was therefore asked to authorize and empower him to secure a termination of the Cuban War, and give to the island a stable government, and to use, if necessary, the military and naval forces of the United States. The grounds upon w'hich Mr. McKinley addressed Congress were clearly explained by his own words which deserve to become a part of our national classics. He said : " The long trial has proved that the object for which Spain has waged the war cannot be attained. The only hope of relief from a condition ivhich can no longer be en- dured is the enforced pacification of Cuba. In the name of humanity; in the name of civilization; in be- 20 MORRISTGWN IN THE half of endangered American interests which gives us the right and duty to speak and act, the war in Cuba must stop. I have exhausted everij effort. The issue is now ivith Congress.'" The efforts of the American government to settle the affairs of Cuba with honor to Spain and with justice to the Cubans and our own country, have thus briefly been reviewed, as a prelude to the de- claration that America was forced into armed interven- tion in Cuba, in the interests of humanity, and for self-pro- tection ; and hence, if ever a righteous war was waged it was that between the United States and Spain in the year of our Lord 1898. Any individual or community, there- fore, that contributed to the successful issue of that war, has just cause of pride, and will receive the praises of future generations ! The attempt in Congress to acknowledge the independ- ence of the Cuban insurgents having failed, resolutions then passed both houses, and on the 20th of April were signed by the President, demanding of Spain the with- drawal of her land and naval forces from Cuba and Cuban waters; and directing and empowering the President to use the entire land and naval forces of the United States to carry these resolutions into effect. These resolutions were sent as an ultimatum to Spain, and she was given three days in which to make a satisfactory response ; but before the expiration of the time granted, General Wood- ford, our Minister at Madrid, was abruptly notified that diplomatic relations between the United States and Spain were at an end, the resolutions passed by the American Congress on the 20tli of April, being considered by the Spanish Ministers of Foreign Affairs as " equivalent to a declaration of war." General Woodford's passports were unceremoniously handed him, and, shaking the dust of Spain from his feet, he returned to his native land. The long-impending war was inaugurated, and the op- portunity near at hand for "Uncle Sam " to put an end to Spanish oppression and cruelty in the western continent, SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 21 and extend the blessings of American civilization to Spain's former possessions in the Carribcan. The United States fleet at Key West, Virginia, known as the " North Atlantic Squadron," commanded by Com- modore William T. Sampson, was at once ordered to Cuba to blockade some of its principal ports ; and foreign powers were promptly notified of the blockade. On the '25th of April Congress formally declared war to have existed since the 21st, when Minister Woodford's passports were so rudely handed him. Except upon the sea the declaration of war against Spain found us unprepar- ed for the emergenc}" thrust upon us. Our standing army consisted of only 18,000 men, but Congress authorized its increase to 61,000. The commander of the United States forces was Maj'or-General Nelson A. Miles. On the 23d of April the President called for 125,000 volunteers to be recruited as far as possible from the State National Guards ; and all over the country the response was prompt and enthusiastic; half a million men being ready to fly to the support of '' Old Glory," and to the hberation of oppressed Cuba. 11. " War Is Not a Picnic." — Sergeant Hamilton Fisb, of the Rough Riders, to His Mother. Remarks of the Hon. Mahlon Pitney, of New Jersey, in the House of Representative^, March 8, 1898. In the autumn of , /1 894 Mkhlon Pitney, of Morristown, New Jersey, one of the ablest lawyers of the Morris County bar, was elected by a handsome plurality to represent, in the lower house of the United States Congress, the Fourth Congressional District of New Jersey. The brilliant and able record made by Mr. Pitney, dur- ing his first term of office, contributed largely to his re- election, by an increased plurality, in the autumn of 189G. On the 8th of March, 1S98, a bill was introduced in the House of Representatives appropriating $50,000,000 for HON. MAHLON PITNEY. SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 33 national defense, and, among the members who partici- pated in the discussion of the measure was the Hon. Mah- lon Pitney. His remarks upon that memorable occasion, as taken from the CongTessional Record, were as follows: "Mr. Pitney said: Mr. Speaker, with the unanimous sentiment which shows itself on both sides of this Cham- ber it is manifest that not one moment's further debate is necessary to secure the prompt adoption of this measure without a dissenting voice. And j^et, sir, a decent regard for orderly procedure and for the opinions of our own citi- zens and of civilized mankind renders it proper that some- thing should be said by way of a statement of the reasons which impel this action. " I agree, Mr. Speaker, that this is not a measure of war, but is a measure of peace, designed to secure peace by means of prompt and wise and thorough preparation for the national defense. If it were consistent with the peaceful policies of this country to maintain at all times a heavy armament, it is manifest that we should not be under the shadow of the danger of war to-day. There is nothing within our own borders to lead toward war, but we cannot control conditions on the outside. " And the one thing necessary, sir, as I think, in order to comfjcl peace at the present time, is to have it known, not only throughout this land but throughout the civilized world, that if, in spite of every honorable effort on our part toward the securing of a just and honorable peace, war should be thrust upon us, the American people will make all necessary preparations to do that which must needs be done to secure the safety and the honor of our own country. (Applause.) "I represent, sir, a conservative constituency; a people who do not yield to any in patriotism or in intelhgence, but who know that war is a dreadful disaster, never to be sought and to be undertaken only in the last extremit}'. 1 feel that I properly represent them in giying my assent to this measure, both in committee and upon the floor of the House. But in a larger sense we are here, Mr. Speaker^ 24 MOREISTOWN IN THE representing not (constituencies, but representing one great constituency. We represent the whole people of the Union in this matter. We hope that our action at the present time will be a lesson for all time to come. " We have now the lesson which comes from observing a great President, representing a great people, patient under a great trial, not provoking enmity or attack from any man or from any nation, but seeking only to know the truth about a matter of great difficulty, holding himself in check and holding the hot-heads among his own people in check, desires not to act until the necessity comes for action. If the necessity comes, we shall have an object lesson in this nation for the civilized world, I think, sir, that the preparations the American people will be able to make, the efforts they will put forth in a limited time in this great emergencj', will be an object lesson to the world, and will conduce to peace, not only in this emergency, but to a lasting peace for future generations. "In this view, sir, we support this bill. In this view it will be made a law. In this view it will be executed, if its execution is deemed by the Executive to be neces- sary. We hope that there will be no conflict. We desire peace with honor, but we lay a solemn emphasis upon the word honor. Honor comes first. It is most important; it is the end to be held in view. (Applause.)" CHAPTER IV. EXCUSE ME, SIR; I HAVE TO REPORT THAT THE SHIP HAS BEEN BLOWN UP AND IS SINKING." — "BILL" ANTHONY, OF THE "MAINE." PATRIOTIC UISCOURSES BY PASTORS OF MORRISTOWN, N. J. IN each of the wars in which the United States during her brief but momentous national history has engaged, the American pidpit has proved itself a potent agency in the crystallization of an oft-times wavering public senti- ment around the great principles involved in these succes- sive struggles; and in assisting to fan the slumbering embers of patriotism into a vigorous flame which, in each instance, has ultimately consumed the enemies of Liberty, Union and Humanity. When, therefore, in the early part of 1898, war between the United States and Spain became imminent, the pastors of Morristown, New Jersey, thoroughly conversant with the series of cumulative events culminating in tlie de- struction of the "Maine," rendered invaluable aid, b}' in- struction and incitement, from pulpit and platform, in the work of girding the people of this historic town for the impending struggle, which, in view of all the circum- stances they were clearly impressed was to be waged in the interests of humanit}' ; a struggle which resulted, as they confidently believed it would, in the complete expulsion from the western hemisphere of a decaying civilization which, from the hour of its establishment here four cen- 26 MORRISTOWN IN THE turies ago, had entailed only hopeless degradation and suffering upon its victims. This volume, designed to formally place Morristovvn and vicinity on record historical I3' in connection with the Spanish -American War would, therefore, be conspicuously lacking if it did not contain a few at least of the patriotic discourses of its local pastors ; hence, the following are pre- sented, with an expression of regret on the part of the author that Morristown, in this feature of this volume, is not more fully represented. II. "Don't Cheer, Boys; the Poor Devils Are Dying" — Captain John W. Phillip of the " Texas." Patriotic Discourse Delivered by Rev. Albert Erdman, D. D., Pastor of the South Street Presbyterian Church of Morris- town, N. J., on Sunday Morning, April 34, 1898. TEXTS : Joshua 5:13 — "Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?" Exod. 17:15 — " Jehovah-Nissi, the Lord my Banner." There are lessons here not inappropriate to the present times. First of all, we have the fact of Jehovah — the Lord Christ — appearing to Joshua as a "man of war." It is worthy of profound attention how strikingly the manifesta- tions of Jehovah accommodate themselves to the various circumstances of His people. To Abraham, a wanderer and sojourner in Canaan, He manifests Himself as a way- faring man; to Moses, about to be called to lead out his people from Egyptian bondage, He reveals Himself as the Eternal "I Am," the God of the Covenant; so here to Joshua, a soldier and an officer, the Lord appears as a Soldier too. Captain of the Lord's host. It is proper to ask, would the Almighty so frequently assume the form and present Himself in the attitude of a warrior if all war were wrong and sinful ? It seems to me the question answers itself. None the less, in all circum- stances, at all times, war is to be deprecated as one of the severest judgments of God. The evil passions it excites, SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 27 its ravages, its bloody conflicts, the distress and terror it carries into domestic life, the tears it draws from the widow and the fatherless, its fearful cost of life and treasure — all render war a tremendous scourge. Nevertheless, there are conditions in which war is justifiable, is necessary. It mav be the last and ouh' method of repelling lawless am- bition and defending invaded liberty and essential rights. It may be the only method of preventing or repairing injur}' which God's providence points out by furnishing the means of successful warfare. In these cases we must not shrink from war,though even in these cases we should lament the neces- sity of shedding human blood. In such wars our country claims and deserves our prayers, our cheerful services, the sacrifice of wealth, and even of life. In such wars we are comfoited when our friends fall on the field of battle, for we know that thej" have fallen in a just and hon- orable cause. Such con- KEV. ALBERT EKD.MAX, D. D. ^-^^^^ ^^y^|^ ^^^^ j^^.^^.^^ and consciences approve, are suited to exalt the character, to call forth generous sentiments, splendid virtues, to give ardor to the patriot, resolution to the hero, and a calm, unyielding fortitude to all classes of the community. It is a solemn question then which the lips «f Joshua uttered — "Art Thou for us, or for our adversaries ?" To render a war justifiable it is not enough that we have received injuries; we must ask ourselves have we done our duty to the nation of which we complain ?" Have we taken and kept a strictly impartial position towards her and her enemies ? Have we sought reparation of injuries 28 MORRISTOWN IN THE in a truly pacific spirit ? Have we insisted only on un- doubted rights ? Have we demanded no unreasonable con- cessions ? Questions like these must be answered before we decide on the character of any particular war. To these questions, in our relations with the Spanish Government concerning Cuban affairs, it seems to me but one answer can be given. The only alternative would be to reply that it is no con- cern of ours what Spain may do in Cuba, or what scenes are transacted on its shores. But that would be horrible — the supremest selfishness. We cannot free ourselves from the responsibility which in the providence of God has been thrust upon us as a people. What a feeling of indignation swept through the land at England's indifference or unwillingness to interpose, and with all the force at her command, to end the awful atrocities in Armenia ! And yet the United States is more intimately and directly concerned in Cuba than England in Armenia. And our government has felt this, not onlj" now, but for years, and through successive administrations has earnestly sought a solution of the problem. Every resource in the interests of peace has been exhausted, and the awful fact remains that at our very doors, almost under the shadow of the flag we love and honor, scenes of horror and shameful cruelty are enacted, almost without parallel in human history. It certainly is a solemn and stern question, whether our sending supplies to the starving thousands of Cuba, the sacrifice of trade and treasure, the cost of main- taining the laws of neutrality, not to mention the awful crime of the destruction of our warship with its precious freight of human lives, due, to say the least, to the in- difference or carelessness, not to say the actual connivance, of Spanish officials, do not lay upon us the duty and give us the right to intervene, and by force, if need be, to put an end to such shameful conditions, since it is in our power to end them, and Spain has shown herself unable and un- willing to do it. War is horrible and always to be de- SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 29 plored, but so is the surgeon's knife. There come occasions when it is necessar}^ and inevitable. It is certain we are not seeking war for war's sake ; we have no selfish end in view ; it's not for ourselves we fight, if fight we must; it's no greed of empire or of gain, or to maintain rights of our own which are imperilled, but to meet a solemn responsibility in the providence of God forced upon us. We cannot, we may not, we must not, stand aloof and indifferent. Unless Jehovah Himself interpose to turn the heart of the oppressor — and for this let us not cease continually to pra}" — it certainly would seem He has laid upon this nation the solemn responsibility of unsheathing the sword of jus- tice. So be it, and God defend the right ! But in meeting this stern dut}^ let us see to it that all is done in the name of Him whom Moses called " Jehovah- Nissi, the Lord my Banner." Read Exod. 17, 8-16. Two conditions of success are indicated. The first ap- parent condition was the courage and skill of the com- mander and his troops ; but, and here is the great lesson of that conflict on the plain of Rephidim, it is courage and skill allied to and not separated from the fear and favor of Almighty God; in other words, dependence on the unseen spiritual forces of divine approval and help. And thus we have a second condition of success. Joshua fought while Moses was praying, and while he knew that Moses was praying. Both had a conscious hold on the strength of the arm of God. So it must be — so it is— in this present solemn crisis. The sure hope of victory is the assurance that God is on our side. Let it constantly be kept in mind that we have not sought war. We do not want it, we have nothing to gain from it ; it means the sacrifice of untold treasure and the awful cost of precious lives ; but neither must we shrink from the stern and solemn responsibility of putting an end, in God's name, to the intolerable oppression and shameful cruelty that so long have desolated the fair island which is our nearest neighbor. But also let us not cease to pray 30 MORR[STOWN IN THE that even yet, and speedily, God will intervene and bring deliverence out of all our troubles, and let the oppressed 2:0 free. REV. T. I. COULTAS. D. D. III. "The Battle of Manilla Killed Me, But I Would Do It Again." — Captain Chaides .Gridley, of the " Olympia," on His Death Bed. Patriotic Discourse delivered by Rev. Thomas I. Coultas, D.D., pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of Morristown, N. J., on Sunday raoruino-, April 24, 1898. Subject: '* The King and the Kingdom." TEXTS : John 18,37 — " Pilate therefore said unto him art thou then a King? Je.sus an- swered, thou sayest that I am a King." Matt. 6, 10—" Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Christianity is a system of peace. Its absolute triumph ushers in a condition of universal and unbroken peace. SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 31 But Christianity is a system of righteous principles, and the unbroken peace is to come as the result of the universal acceptance of these principles. But these principles find enmity in human hearts and conditions and that peace will not be fully established until that enmity is destroyed. It was because of this that the Prince of peace said " I come to bring a sword." It is possible that human suffering is ameliorated and decreased through the suffering of w^ar. It is possible that the shortest road to that condition when wars shall cease is through a few more battle fields. On this principle it is not impossible that God's "Kingdom may come " through human struggle and slaughter. But if a christian nation may engage in war it is cer- tainly only with a full consciousness of rectitude and with unfeigned sorrow. It is only when it is lifted above its passion by the fearfulness and solemnity of that in w^hich it is about to engage, and when it can appeal to heaven and earth with unfeigned confidence for the uprightness of its purpose. If a christian nation goes forth to war it should be as the champion of truth and justice, and as the minister of God inspired by the holiness of its cause. The words of Senator Hoar, of Massachusetts, have in them the ring of real christian patriotism: "When I enter upon this war I want to enter upon it with a United American people — President and Senate and House, and navy and army and Democrat and Repubhcan, all joining hands and all marching one way. I want to enter upon it with the sanction of international law, with the sympathy of all humane and liberty-loving nations, with the approval of our own consciousness and with a certainty of the ap- plauding judgment of history. I confess I do not like to think of the genius of the American people, snarling, shouting, screaming, clawing with their nails. I like rather to think of her in her honest and serene beauty, in- spired by sentiments — even toward her enemies — not of hate but of love; perhaps a little pale about her eyes and a smile on her lips, but as sure, determined, unerring, in- vincible as the archangel Michael when ho struck down 32 MORRISTOWN IN THE and trampled upon the demon of darkness ! " Such a spirit as this even when it takes up arms is not a warhke spirit ; it is the spirit of the Prince of peace rekictantl}^ drawing his sword in the defense of principle. If war is before us then, as now seems evident, there are some things pleasant for us to contemplate. There are some facts calculated to make us feel that we are the ministers of God for the accomplishment of his purposes. 1. The first is that it is a movement in the interests of humanit}^, engaged in by us at great cost and sacrifice. It is intervention for the deliverance of our fellow men from oppression, injustice and suffering. It is only doing that which we seem impelled bj' the ver}^ genius of our Christian civilization to do. It is onl}^ an effort to give to other struggling ones the great blessings of liberty and in- . alienable rights which God has given us. It would seem indeed to be the inevitable harvest of the Christian seed that has been planted in the soil of this govenunent. We have reason to rejoice that it is not a war of con- quest; it is not a greedy effort to enlai'ge our territory. The resolutions which passed the two Houses of Congress clearly disclaim "any disposition or intention to exercise sovereignty over Cuba except for the pacification thereof, and assert the determination when that is accomplished to leave the government and control of the island to its people," It is not even a war declared because our com- merce is interfered with except incidentally. It is not even a war of vengeance because of the destruction of the United States battleship "Maine," with 266 of its officers and crew. As fearful as was that atrocious deed within itself it would not have provoked war. Supremely and essenti- ally it is an interference peaceful if possible but by violence if necessary, to bring about the cessation of those " abhor- rent conditions which have existed for more than three years in the island of Cuba which have shocked the moral sense of the people of the United States and been a disgrace to Christian civilization." The stor}' of suffering and butchery in Cuba through the oppression and inhumanity ■a C p. K 34 MORRISTOWN IN THE of Spain is too well known to need repeating. That this shall come to an end is the manly and Christ-like declara- tion of this government. It is pleasant then to contem- plate the motives which actuate us in taking up arms. Is it said that this is none of our affairs ? that the Cu- ban people are not our people and that we have no right to interfere with the sovereignty of a great nation ? Such sentiments are unworthy to be spoken. They are only the repetition of the question, "Am I my brother's keeper?" They embody the inference that the Priest and Levite are more worthy than the good Samaritan. It may not be our business to care for everybody, for that is beyond our capability, but when the cry of the suffering and perishing is in the air from a people who are on our very borders, it js our business to give heed. Is it proper that a nation whose course for years has been marked by oppression, in- justice and butchery, a people who so increased the tor- tures of the inquisition that it was called the " Simnish inquisition," should practice many of its old time cruelties upon a people on our very borders, and we refrain from in- terfering ? Is it nothing that 200,000 innocent persons on that island have perished within the last few years ? Shall we blame " the powers " for not stopping the massacres and slaughter in Armenia and then permit this to go on ? Nay, it is rather to our discredit that we have so long tolerated it ! With the voices of the suffering and perish- ing in our ears, as with tears in our eyes we look up to Heaven and ask, " shall we go to the rescue of our fellow men ?" it would seem that we could not be inistaken when we conclude that we hear a divine voice respond, " Go and I will go with you." Another pleasant contemplation is, we did not begin this war. Actually the question before the Congress and the American people for the last few weeks of anxiet}^ has not been "shall we declare war V" but "shall we declare that war shall cease ?" War was begun long ago. It has been waged in Cuba, and in a barbarous way, for the last three years and even longer. We have seen it, and heard SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 35 it, and been shocked b}- it. Much has been said lately about firing the first gun. It was fired long ago and has been followed by others in the most cruel and barbarous way. The great question with us is not whether war shall be begun, but whether it shall be done. Essentially our declaration to Spain is not "we will war against you!" but "you must cease warring!" The actual attitude of the American people is not that of giving encouragement to the barbarism of war, but the Christian declaration that war must cease. Our position is that of intervention, without war if possible, and if by the sacrifice of hfe, no more than is absolutely necessar}". With such a motive actuating us, with such a method determined upon, having exhausted all the methods of peace, it would seem that we might go forta with the prayer in our hearts, " Thy king- dom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven." What then should be our prayer and intense desire in tlie present trying state of affairs ? First that war should be as brief as possible. It is horrible enough. God grant that it may be of short duration. Again, that God should so direct and overrule that there may be less suffering with, than without war. This is not an effort to increase the sum of human suffering. We have enough of that now. It is an effort to alleviate suffering and put an end to its causes. Again, that the chastening of the nations may purify them. Even Christ declared that he was made perfect by suffering. May our own nation come out of this conflict more perfect, its people cemented into a closer union, and ambitious for a higher civic righteousness. May this war be the bloody crucifixion that will bring Spain out into a new life, wholly unlike that which for so long has blotted the pages of her history. Again, and finally, may it lead to measures that will stop war forever. It has been said that an alliance be- tween those countries peopled by the Anglo-Saxon race could compel the peaceful solution of every diplomatic > 3 SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 37 problem and stop war forever. May it not be the intention of a gracious Providence by this struggle to bring Great Britain and the United States into such an alliance, that the prediction of the prophet may be fulfilled and the day of universal peace speedily ushered in ? If this warfare is fought in the name of God and hu- manity, He will bring us out of the fire purified, refined, and more truly bearing " his image and superscription." He will establish us as a great nation loving liberty and peace, and confirm our mission to deliver the oppressed of earth. Wherefore let us renew our allegiance to the divine King and pray more fervently that His "king- dom may come." IV. I've Got Them and They Will Never Get Home." — Commodore Win field S. Schley, on Guard at Santiago Harbor. Patriotic Discourse, Delivered by Kev. Samuel Z. Batten, A. M., Pastor of the Baptist Church, Morristown, N. J., on Sunday, July 3, 1898. THE MEANING OF AMERICA. And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing. - Genesis, 12: 2. The history of the United States some one has said may be roughly divided into four epochs. The first is the co- lonial period, the time of settlement and nation making, when foundations are laid and materials are gathered. The second, is the constitutional period, the time in which the nation sets up in life for herself and enters upon a new and independent life. The third period covers the time of the antislavcr}' agitation and closes with the civil war and the emancipation proclamation. In this period the nation comes to self- consciousness and learns that it is a unit, with one past, one present, one future. These three epochs represent the three great ideas which may be said to repre- sent the great American idea: Religious liberty; civiL hberty: industrial liberty. REV. SAMUEL Z. BATTEN, A. M. SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 39 But history is proi^ressiv^e. We cannot as a nation re- peat the past or Kve on past achievements. I beheve that we are entering upon a new and wonderful epoch, and that in this epoch our American ideas are to have a wider field and a keener trial. Let me call your attention to two thoughts as we pass on to consider our nation's dut}^ and destin3^ I. The first is what we may call the principle of solid- arity. We are slowly gaining what is called the sense of humanity. We are steadily coming to comprehend the great truth in the words of the Apostle that God hath made of one blood all nations of men. We have learned the lesson of solidarity in the family life; we have learned that we are one, that we are bound together by ties that we did not make and that we cannot break; we have learned that the good of one is the good of all, and the hurt of one is the hurt of all. We have also learned this with respect to the nation, and Lincoln spoke out of his deep insight into things when he declared that we could not be one-half slave and one-half free. In a hundred ways this principle is finding recognition, and m^n are coming to see that the saving of one means the saving of all, that a hurt to one is a hurt to all. In a hun- dred ways the truth is coming home to us that the ages and the nations are bound up together in the one bundle of life, and that in the gain or loss of one man all the rest have equal share. We of to-day are the stronger or the weaker for the virtues and the vices of men long dead. The world is one great neighborhood and no longer can one nation resolve that it will have no dealings with its fellow. Prices are determined not alone by the local sup- ply. A run on a bank in London causes a panic on the other side of the globe. Coinmercial interests are making us see how really and truly tiie world is one great market. England is interested in the prosperity of America, for her citizens have millions of dollars invested in this land. We are interested in the condition of things in far off India and far distant Arabia. Whether that little Mohani- 40 MORRISTOWN IN THE medan village is sanitary and moral, concerns us more than words can tell; for out of that little village may come the plague to bring sorrow into a million of homes. The policy of isolation is flying into the face of the universe. China tried that polic}" and doomed herself to stagnation. Nations have tried this and they have stagnated and de- clined so far as they have succeeded. The wisest states- manship is coming to see that the true policy for States that would live and prosper is diffusion and wide relation- ships. The world is one great family and we cannot build a wall around ourselves and resolve that we will have no dealings with the rest of the world. For mankind is one in spirit, and an instinct bears along, Round the earth's electric circle, the swift flash of right or wrong ; Whether conscious or unconscious, yet humanity's vast fame. Through its oceans — sundered fibres feel the gush of joy or shame. In the gain or loss of one race, all the rest have equal claim. Our national policy thus far has been personal and A merican, and this was necessary no doubt in the period of formation and growth. But those who would continue to make it provincial and narrow are not the best friends of America. We have had statesmen who have advo- cated a narrow exclusive national policy; they have lived by the theory that America is sufficient unto herself and that she owes nothing to the rest of the world. For the future this policy will not avail, and will be no longer pos- sible. We are a nation among nations and we must bear our part in this world-fellow-ship. The fact is that we can grow ourselves and fulfill our manhood only in and through these wide relationships. II. The second truth is that power to its last atom means responsibilit3^ It has long been a commonplace of Ameri- can thought that we are an elect nation. Let us believe O w 2 C S- -*^" 'Z " 42 MORRISTOWN IN THE this and then seek to make our calling and election sure. What Cromwell said of England is even more true of America: " We are a people with the stamp of God upon us." And Carlyle in his note on CromwelFs speech de- clares that " The Bible of eyery nation is its own history." Having accepted this truth we now proceed to ask : What is the meaning of our election ? Unto what work are we called and chosen ? Election is never election to privilege but to service ; men are blessed that they may be a blessing. We are a chosen and elect people. Chosen for what end ? Elected to do what work ? As we answer this question shall our future and our destiny be, Many would tell us that we are chosen for our own sakes, that we may become the richest, strongest nation on the earth, and that we may be set "on high among the nations. That is just what the Jew of old said, and because he said that he lost his election. No, we are chosen and ordained to serve the world ; we are elected to do God's work among the nations ; we are blessed that we may be a blessing. Let us in humility and consecration accept our mission and then give diligence to make our calling and election sure, by rising up to meet the new obligations and by playing our part in the world's struggle for life and progress. I believe that the American name is called in the Provi- dence of God to represent a new idea among the nations of the earth. This war in which we are now engaged is one ALFRED DeGROOT, Company A, Eighteenth U. S Infantry. SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 43 of the turning points in our nation's histor3\ No one can regret the necessity of the war more than I. For war is an evil thing, and can be justified only bj^ plain and palpa- ble necessity; it can be justified only when the interests of human ity^ are at stake and all other recourse have failed. As some of 3"ou know, I have pleaded for a peaceful settle- ment of the difficulties in Cuba. But I have pleaded also for the rights of humanity, and have believed that we can- not pass by on the other side while Cuba lies bleeding and dying by the roadside. The misery, the injustice, the op- pression in this little island have touched us all, and soon or late we must intervene. The logic of events wrought out the conclusion, and we entered upon the war with a once friendly nation. The existence of civil war and mis- government in Cuba affected us in many ways. It cost our government great sums of money, it hurt our trade, and above all it offended our sense of humanit}'. And so we pledged our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor in behalf of the liberation of this people from the 3'oke of bondage. In this war there has been a recognition of the two principles that I have named. We hav^e come to see that the interests of Cuba are our interests; we have come to see also that power means responsibility. There is some- thing fine and noble in all this, something that stirs our hearts and warms our blood. But out of this war are coming results that no one an- ticipated. There is a strange Providence in this war, and no one can yet foresee what the outcome will be. The thing we started out to do has not yet been done ; the Cu- bans are yet starving and dying. But other things we did not expect and could not foresee have been done and will be done. As a war measure we have destroyed the Spanish fleet in the Philippine islands ; as another war measure we have blockaded Porto Rico. The war will not end now till the Spanish rule is broken forever in Cuba, the Philip- pine islands and Porto Rico, and no one can say what other islands. Now that we are in the thick of the war we must fight it out to a finish. And when the war is 44 MORRISTOWN IN THE ended, as it will be soon, what shall we do ? We must never return these islands to Spain; we must accept the full responsibility that is thrust upon us, and must bless these lands so long cursed by misgovernment and tj'^ranny. On the other hand we must not annex these islands, with- out the full and free consent of the people themselves. We arc not fighting for territory, bat for hamanit3^ We must not annex these islands, and we must not return them to Spain. Rather we must establish a protectorate over them and take to them the blessings of our civilization, in the hope that they may become fitted for self-government themselves. We must, in a word, accept the responsibili- ty thrust upon us, and redeem these islands cursed so long b}" tyranny and priestcraft. Spain has proved her unfit- ness to rule these islands by four centuries of trial. Now we must take up the burden that falls from her shoulders and bear it manfully, not for our profit, but for their bless- ing. Several things are required of us in order that we may meet the new occasions and may fulfill the new obliga- tions. What the outcome of the war shall be no one can say; but the event is in the hand of God. There are how- ever, several near and urgent duties. I. We must prosecute the war with energ}^, wisdom and hopefulness. The exploits of our soldiers and sailors have thrilled us all and have brought the tears to our eyes. Dewey's exploit in Manila Bay shows the stuff of which our sailors are made; and believe me, that exploit on that early May morning will live forever in American history. Hobson's daring deed shows that there is iron in the American blood. But these are only representative deeds. You recall that when seven volunteers were called for to go with Hobson into almost certain death, that four thou- sand men volunteered and clamored to go. A people with such a spirit as that can never be conquered, and Spain is foolish beyond the power of words in longer prosecuting the war. Men have been telling us that the victories of peace have enervated the Anglo-Saxon stock, that we have .«K O " P. '^ "^ % iJ ?0 56 MOREISTOWN IN THE by the call for the meeting, it was decided to appoint a re- cruiting committee to pass upon the present roll and secure new names, the committee appointed being Messrs. Cory, Everett and Woodruff. It was also voted to recommend to the organization and the public the renting of a hall in the new Lij)pman building for drilling purposes, and that the first meeting of the company for organization and elec- tion of officers be held on Monday evening following the second public meeting. This committee also met with the Advisory Committee on Monday evening before the open- ing of the public meeting. III. *' Don't Swear, Boys. Shoot!" — Colonel Wood to Rough Eiders. SECOND PATRIOTIC MEETING. The meeting of Monday evening, April 25, was also large and enthusiastic. Major Dalrymple presided and reports of the secretary and the special committee on or- ganization were read and accepted. After some very gen- eral discussion Dr. Stephen Pierson was called upon, and, reviewing briefly the stirring events of sixty-one, and the methods adopted in the organization of militarj^ companies, he suggested that the Mayor of the city be requested to call a public meeting in order that the matter might be properly presented to the people, whose endorsement and influence and support could easily be secured. Resolutions were then adopted authorizing the recruiting committee to proceed in the enrollment of names, and instructing the general committee to request the Mayor to call a public meeting for the purpose above stated. It was stated at the meeting that Mr. McAlpin had offered the use of the hall in the McAlpin block for the use of the company. The enrollment list was kept open at Wilde & Cory's office, on High Street, where any who desired to do so could sign it. Inasmuch as it seemed improbable that Governor Fos- ter M. Voorhees would accept a militarj- company from EDWARD A. QUAYLE, Mayor of Morristown, N. J. 58 MORRISTOWN IN THE Morristown, since the three New Jersey Regiments fur- nished under the President's call for 125,000 volunteers al- ready had the full number of company organizations, the committee appointed to wait upon Maj^or Edward A. Quayle, and request the calling by him of a third public war meeting, before which the matter of organizing such company should be laid, took no definite action ; and as subsequent events demonstrated their conclusion was a correct one. Several young men of Morristown and vicinity however, enlisted in the New Jersey regiments whose company organizations were as yet incomplete, and also in the New Jersey Naval Reserve; and a few were already serving in the United States Regulars, and in the Navy. Several young men from Morristown joined New York State regiments— the Twelfth, Fourteenth, Sixty- ninth and Seventy-first ; and two or more enlisted in Penn- sylvania Batteries. The names of these and other volun- teers from this city and vicinity will appear in the list of "Defenders of National Honor" — to be found near the close of this volume. " Who would not gamble for a New Star in the Flag.''" — ^Cap- tain Buckley O'Neill, of the Rough Riders. On Saturday, April 30, 1898, the Convention of the " National Society of the Sons of the American Revolu- tion " opened in Morristown, N. J., the public exercises being held in Lafayette Hall. At the opening of the after- noon session a resolution was unanimously adopted en- dorsing the policy of the government in the management of the conflict between the United States and Spain, and copies of the resolution were ordered sent to the President, Vice-President, Speaker of the House and Secretaries Alger and Long, of the Army and Navy respectively. Each of the gentlemen who spoke to this resolution em- phasized the righteousness of the war, and the lofty aim of the United States in raising its powerful hand for humani- ty and liberty in the unselfish interest of its neighbor. SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 59 General Fitz Hugh Lee was also eulogized, and a memorial calling upon the President to appoint him a Major-General of Volunteers was adopted. At the banquet held in the evening in the McAlpin Hall, several patriotic speeches were made, from which the following by Rev. J. M. Buckley, D. D., is selected as bearing more directl}^ upon the war then inaugurated : Dr. Buckley's subject was, " Three Degrees of Patriotism;" and in substance he said : " I am a descendant of both sides — my maternal grand- father having fought in the Revolutionary army, and my father's grandfather in the British army. " M}' first degree of patriotism is represented in the American citizen who goes straight along, minds his own business, supports his family and pays his taxes^ He is the bone and sinew of the land and will do if only he wakes up once in a while when his country needs him. A second degree patriot must have these qualities and a genuine and continuous enthusiasm, so that no matter where he is, in time of war or peace, the very name of his country stirs him. If he happens to go to Europe and hears a sneer at America he must be a man and stand and fight it out. A walk of six miles in any country of the Old World would give him occasion to prove that his country is superit:)r in freedom, intelligence, territory and rapidity of progress to any nation on earth, and to say all that, a man requires genuine patriotism. It is my opinion that there is only one thing in the world worse than a sneer, and that is an ' English grunt. ' " A third degree patriot puts his country before all others and is willing to sacrifice everything for his native land." Speaking of the war between the United States and Spain he said : " I was against war until the Congress declared it existed ; but now, it is my duty as a patriot of the third degree to join in the support of my country ; and, therefore, as a patriot I am ready to have flour, butter or anything else go up, and to put stamps on all I use, and, if necessary, to fight for my country. A patriot of the third degree, when the time requires it, will neglect his CO MORRISTOWN IN THE private affairs for the sake of his country, for if the country goes what will become of every man's private affairs ? " CHAPTER VI. "to hell with breakfast ; let's finish 'em now a yankee gunner to commodore dewey at manila. A GEEAT NAVAL VICTORY AND IT'S CELEBEATION. Dewev's Naval Victorv in Manila Bav — How Movristown, N. J., Celebrated Dewey's Victory May 7. 1898. A GREAT NAVAL VICTORY. WHEN, on the 25th of April, 1898, the United States Congress formally declared war against Spain there lay at anchor in the harbor of Hong Kong, China, the "Asiatic Squadron" of American warships in command of Commodore George W. Dewey. On the same day that war was declared Dewey received orders by cable from President McKinley through the Navy Department at Washington, D. C, to proceed at once to Manila bay and either capture or destroy the Spanish fieet under Admiral Montejo; and, on the morning of April ;50, the American squadron was at the narrow en- trance of Manila bay, fifty miles from the city of Manila. In the darkness of night of the same day the squadron, led by the flagship " Olj'mpia," and followed, wnth a distance of about five miles between by the other ships, stole into the harbor. W^hile passing the Spanish fortifications at the harbor's entrance a few shots were exchanged, and a return shot from the " Boston" is said to have disabled a 62 MOREISTOWN IN THE Spanish gun and killed about forty men. Among the crews of Dewej^'s squadron it was generally supposed that at least one of the ships would be destroyed by the Spanish sub-marine mines planted in the harbor, in the effort to reach Montejo's fleet; and the ship leading the squadron was considered the one that would be sacrificed. Subse- quent developments, however, have shown that Commo- dore Dewey's fuller information received from English naval officers concerning the location and neglected con- dition of the sub- marine mines, materially reduced, in his own estimation at least, the risk of destruction and justi- fied the flagship "Olymi^ia" in leading the American squadron into the harbor on that memorable night. At about five o'clock on Sunday morning. May 1, Dewey's squadron was within five miles of Manila, and a few min- utes later the Spanish guns at Manila and Cavite opened fire almost simultaneously on the American ships. Under this cross-fire Commodore Dewey deliberately prepared his ships for action ; and, at about quarter before six o'clock turning to Captain Gridleyin command of the "Olympia,' he calmly said: "You may fire when you are ready," and a moment later a shot from one of Gridley's 8-inch guns in the forward turret started straight for the Spanish flagship, the "Reina Christina"; and there began the naval battle that has given undying glory to every participant, and placed the United States among the foremost sea- powers of the world ; for it was unquestionably one of the most brilliant and remarkable naval achievements of all history, properly ranking with Nelson's victory in Trafal- gar bay and Farragut's in Mobile bay. As the battle pro- gressed there spread from ship to ship of Dewey's squadron the significant slogan, "Remember the Maine"; and the thundering cheer that followed betokened victory for the ad- vancing squadron. For nearly three hours the battle raged, resulting in the annihilation of Montejo's fleet; and so terri- fic was the combined cannonade of the American and Span- ish guns ; so deepl}^ exciting the scene, and so thrilling the experiences of participants during the engagement; and so SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 63 highly exuberant the mingled rejoicings of Dewey's sailors when it became known that victory was achieved, that after a lapse of eighteen months, one at least of its partici- pants, as he modestly declares, fights the battle over again in his dreams. " How I ever came out of that battle alive and uninjured is more than I can understand," is the lan- guage of this same returned American sailor; supple- mented by the reverent remark, " It must be God's hand was in it." The second engagement, following breakfast, and re- sulting in the capture of the Spanish naval station at Cavite, was only the conclusion of the battle which began with Dewe3''s instructions to brave Gridley. When sub- sequently questioned as to Admiral Montejo's statement that he lost the battle in Manila ba}' because his guns were of insufficient calibre to reach the American ships, one of the crew of the "Raleigh " indignantly exclaimed : " Why, the fact is, many shots from tbe Spanish guns passed com- pletely over the ■■ Raleigh', and Uad they been accurately aimed would have destroyed her. Poor marksmanship" — this same participant declared — " on the part of the Span- ish gunners was what saved our ships, some of them at least, from destruction. Dewey effectually prevented the Spanish gunners from keeping the range of his ships by frequently changing their rate of speed as they passed and repassed, in elliptical course, the terrific storm of shot and shell desperatel}' hurled at them from the Spanish warships and land batteries. " Indeed, an English naval authority had prophesied of the Spanish sailors: "They are capable of dying at their guns with marvelous heroism, or in fact of doing anything with them or at them, except to point straight at a given point." The announcement through Spanish sources of Dewey's remarkable naval achievement in Manila bay, which reached the United States in the afternoon of the same daj% thrilled the hearts of America's patriotic millions and compelled the admiration of the en- tire civilized W'orld. The talk of European intervention to save Spain from inevitable defeat and national mortifica- OS 8: The very first information received in this vicinity rela- tive to Commodore Dewey's brilliant action in Manila bay J. CONDIT SMITH, Battery A. Misso\iri Li^'it ArtiUerv SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 07 on Maj' 1, was bulletined on the afternoon of that date by the " Chronicle." Since that event its frequent daily bulle- tins have been carefully scanned hour by hour by manj'' hundreds who were impatient for relial)le and fuller ac- counts concerning the hero of the Philippines. On Saturday last, Maj' 7, these electrified an awaiting world ; and the "Chronicle" came again to the front, within a few minutes after the receipt of special dispatches, this time with an extra that spread broadcast the glad and welcome details of the great naval victory so gloriously won at Manila Immediately upon the appearance of the *' Chronicle's" thrilling message of victory our patriotic Mayor ordered the big flag to be floated from the loft}" staff on the green, and when the " Clironicle's " extra, with unprecedented promptness, supplemented the enthusiastic situation the papers were bought up from the leather-lunged newsboys nearly as rapidly as they could be flashed from the press. Within an hour the boj's had covered every portion of the ■city, of Madison and of many villages. The information received by this office from its special correspondents, though necessarily bi'ief, was entirel}' ac- curate, and was abundantly verified from official sources; and laconic as it was, it was yet, as man}' put it, "Quite long enough, and just what we want— hurrah for Dewey and his gallant tars ! " The extra gave forth the substance of Commodore Dewey's dispatch to President McKinley from Hong Kong, where it was received from the clispatch boat " McCulloch" of the Commodore's squadron, and confirmed the earliest bulletin of his gallant naval combat in the far East. It told of the complijte American victory ; of the great losses of Spanish warships and iricn, and added the thrice wel- come announcement that not an American was killed, though six had suffered slight injury. The "Chronicle" extra also contained an excellent portrait of Commodore Dewe}- and faithful pictures of the ships composing his triumphant "Asiatic S• Thursday, July 7, 1898. ) Eds. Banner : — We arrived at Santiago this morning at 11 a. m., having been detailed to the splendid Hospital Ship " Relief." We had a pleasant trip all the way down SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 149 until we ran into some heavy seas in the Windward Pass- age about 2 o'clock this morning, and every man on board was aware of the changed conditions. Old Neptune did not intend to let us Yankees believe we are absolute Kings of the Sea, no matter what Montejo, Cervera and several thousand dazed and demoralized Dons of lesser degree may think about it, and thus it was that — well, my own head is not absolutely leveled up yet, and the ocean kicked up such a bobbery that it did not agree with many of the boys. After leaving New York harbor we only made one stop — at Fortress Monroe, where we arrived Sunday after- noon and remained from 4 until 8 p. m. We took on fif- teen men there, mostly surgeons, but among them was Mr. Nicholas Fish, who went down to bring back the body of his son, one of the Rough Riders and among those first killed in that terrific assault made by our troops on the Spanish intrenchments. It is a great sight to look out on shore and see what, no doubt, are the effects of our war vessels' bombardments- in great masses of rock strewn around a hollow in the ground, m attacks on block houses, points on the railroad, &c. By the way, I am glad to say this railway is being run by American engineers, and at the distance from which we see it, it appears smooth and handsome like the Riverside drive in New York, only the mountains along its base are very high and the sight is really magnificent, the ocean running right up to this rock-bound coast, from which tall mountains covered with tropical verdure rise to great heights. We did not know of the destruction of Cervera 's fleet until this afternoon but you would think something had happened if you could see the occasional dead bodies float- ing about. It is an awful sight — we are told that hun- dreds of dead and wounded went down with their ships. It was a magnificent victory, but an awful, a horrible de- feat. Now let me tell you something about this splendid Hos- EMERSON A HEDDEN, Company H, 2ud New Jersey Volunteer Infantry. SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 151 pital Ship, the "Relief." She is large, roomy, and mag- nificently equipped. We have 240 bunks ready for im- mediate use for sick and wounded, 175 more ready to be put up, and 100 cots to be placed on the hurricane deck if necessary— thus over 500 of our brave boys can be splendid- ly cared for on this one vessel, and kept out here on the ocean where there is almost a continual breeze and always the life-giving sea air. We have an ice plant that turns out three tons of ice a day, a carbonating machine for making seltzer, ample cold storage rooms, electric fans, hot and cold water baths and shower baths, the ship is lighted by electric lamps, and we have an operating room upon the equipment of which nearly $3,000 was expended. Thus you see we are a hospital indeed, in the fullest and most modern meaning of the word. We have two drug- gists on duty, one during the day and one at night. I had the good fortune to be appointed to duty at night. Thus far, however we have had very little to do. Send me a " Banner " to remind me of the real good times at home, and believe me. Yours truly, J. Harry Boniface. SiBONEY, Cuba, Post Office Station, No. 1. > July 8, 1898. f Dear Mr. Roy:— As things are getting interesting down in this warm country, which is very warm just at this time, will tell you a little war news, although you can find out more and much more quickly than from one here. We are seven miles from Santiago, and can hear the firing from the big guns of the war ships very distinctly. We have a grand sight right alongside of us. Just im- agine sitting down to a nice dinner of roast beef with the operating room right across the aisle, and some one bring- ing in an arm or leg. That is what happened twice to-day. 153 MORRISTOWN IN THE Well, everj'thing goes, and if I'm not a butcher when I come home, I don't know what I will be. If you want to see dead Spaniards this is the place. One of our doctors took a photograph this afternoon of one spot in the water of over one hundred dead bodies. They were floating around in the water like so much rubbish (of course that's what they are. ) We get good eating on the boat, and have nothing to complain of at all, but we get lots of hard work. We have two druggists — one on night and the other on day duty — both receiving same pay. I am head drug- gist, having been appointed yesterday by one of the Majors of the army. I am also at the head of the surgical ward, which contains sixty-four beds. I have twenty-nine in the ward now — nine to be operated on to-morrow — so that keeps me hustling. You ought to see the wounds the Mauser bullets make. You would think a fellow had been struck with a chain of lightning. There are over five hundred men lying on the sand along the shore, some under tents, others between logs ; some with their arms or feet off, others with a whole leg gone — most of them lying right out in the hot sun, with nothing but an army blanket around them. I went on land this afternoon here at Siboney, which is the headquarters of the army on the island. I went in- to one of the tents where the doctors were operating. One fellow, who had been shot in the eye, the bullet coming out through the back of his head, was sitting up, waiting for the doctors to clip his head so they could dress the wound. I went up to him afterwards and asked if I could do anything for him. He said no, he could not complain, but could eat something if he had it. So I went back and got him a can of soup and a pair of pyjamas. Well, if you had given a child a new toy he could not have been any happier. I watched him ; he looked it all over three or four times, then looked up at me. I could see tears come in his eyes, so I bade him good bj^e and told him I SPANISH- AMERICAN WAR 153 would see him again. So it is, but you never hear a word of complaint anywhere, for the army is doing all it can. Yours trul}-, J. Harry Boniface. On Board Battleship " Indiana," / Santiago, July 5, 1898. f Dear Sister :— We had a fight on the ord of July; about 9.40 a. m. we saw the Spanish fleet coming out of the harbor and then the fun bpgan, and lasted for about forty-five minutes, and when the smoke cleared away we could see three ships afire on the beach. You ought to have heard the cheers; all went wild. The report is about 1,500 killed and wounded, and there may be more. Well, we have revenged the "Maine." They fought hard, but they couldn't hit a flock of barns. We had some prisoners on board and they were a sight to see ; some were badly wounded. We were waiting for that fight and we got it at last. We were hit once. We disabled one ship and two torpedo boats. There was a hot time on the "Indiana" and every one is happy over it. They talk about the Manila fight, why it wasn't in is with this. Cervera was a brave man to come out and show himself, but he did not last long. We had a bombardment last night and we were struck on the quarter-deck. A mortar shell tore through the deck and set her on fire; the damage was slight. That was the first one that did any damage. These are the ships that were in the battle: the " Indiana," "Oregon," " Iowa," " Texas," " Brooklyn " and the small gunboat " Gloucester." The " New York " came up when the battle was over. Edward J. Mason, Stoker, U. S. S. "Indiana." 154 MORRISTOWN IN THE Address all mail Co. M, 71st Infty. N. Y. Vols, in the field. Near Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, ) July, 12, 1898. f My Dear Mother: — It is now a long time since I have had the chance to write you a letter, having had my time pretty well occupied since landing in Cuba, and then another reason for not writing is that I am entirely out of writing paper; this is a small dirty scrap that I have bor- rowed from my friend Howell, so I will not be able to write you as long as I wish I could. Now, mother, will 5^ou send me as soon as possible a tablet, so that I can do some writing; get one as thick as you can. You need not be particular about the quality of the paper as you know any kind will do to write on with a pencil ; and send also some envelopes. Well, we have now been about three weeks in Cuba and from what I can see of it I think it quite a nice place. We are having a wonderful amount of rain ; we have a heavy shower every day, but last night was the first night during which it has rained since we came here ; but oh ! how it did rain. I never experienced such a night before in all my life, and I was on picket duty about five hundred yards from the Spanish entrench- ments, but truly if the enemy had made an attack I could never have seen them until they were right on me. Well, I suppose by the time this reaches you, you will have read all about the battle of July 1st, and mother, I never realized what war was until that battle. I can tell you our company had a hard time of it; we lost four men killed and thirteen wounded in about ten minutes fighting. It was a terrible sight to see the dead and dying scattered all around. I think we lost ten or twelve hundred killed and wounded. I will write a long letter and give all de- tails as soon as I receive the paper. I am enjoying very good health, and I thank God for it, and also for keeping me through the dangers of that fight, for I can tell you I never want the bullets to come closer than they came that SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 155 day. Well, mother dear, how is your health now; the layt I heard from home yon were not so well as usual. I hope you are better now. How are all the folks? How I would like to see them all again. How 1 will enjoy my home- coming, and I hope it may be before very long. Saturdaj' I received a number of letters and they were all welcome. Father spoke of sending a box, and I wish he would send it. 1 think it will be safe to send it, others receive boxes all right; but tell him I think it best not to have the box too large ; and if he sends any canned meats, please ask him not to send any roast beef, for they have been feeding us on that until I am sick of the sight of it. Now, mother, I have filled this sheet of paper so will have to stop writing. With much love to all, and j^our own dear self, I am your own dear "Jack." (John H. Talmadge.) FROM MILITARY CAMPS IN THE "SUNNY SOUTH " AND IN THE WEST. Camp Cuba Libre, | Jacksonville, Fla. f Dear Jerseyman: — Our trip South was one that will long be remembered by all. At 6.30 last Thursday morn- ing our camp at Sea Girt was the liveliest we had experi- enced since we were in camp. At 9.30 we were on ihe field for regimental drill for the last time at Sea Girt. The rest of the day the boys were kept busy in packing up their equipments and bidding good-bj'e to their friends. The boys were all in good health and glad that they were going to the front. At 6.30 p. m. we marched to the sta- tion, where a special train was waiting for us. We start- ed on our trip at 8.40 p. m., stopping at Baltimore and Washington, D. C. Our first excitement was at Quantico, PATRICK HACKETT, United States Protected Cruiser " Raleigh.' SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 157 Va., where the boys espied a car-load of watermelons to which they helped themselves liberally, and when we left there was one car-load of watermelons less. The rest of the trip was very interesting to all of us, passing principally through the cotton and tobacco-grow- ing country and Southern forest, reaching here at 12.30 Saturday. Once more the Jersey boys met with a fine reception as they entered Jacksonville. On their way to camp they were reviewed by Gen. Lee at the Windsor. The streets were crowded with soldiers from otiier regiments, who looked with amazement as the Jersey boys marched through the street. Many remarks were made as to the fine ap- pearance they made. Without their equipments they could not have been distinguished from regularly drilled soldiers. " A more perfect line never passed through the streets of Jacksonville," said Gen. Lee; "they are boys to be proud of." There was a battalion from the 2d regiment at the sta- tion with drum corps to escort us to camp. During our march a severe storm drenched the boys thoroughly, but they all enjoyed a pleasant Sunday attending the Y. M. C. A. and writing letters home telling of their trip and how they expect to enjoy the sunny South. Yours truly, Charles W. Bodine, Co. M, 2nd N. J. Vols. Camp Cuba Libre, f Jacksonville, Fla., July 18, 1898. f Headquarters Co. M, 2nd Regt., N. G. N. J. Editor Chronicle :— I send a brief account of what we did in camp last week. Monday, drills omitted owing to hard rain. Those soldiers who had no floors in their tents were swamped, as even the streets were flooded. 158 MORRISTOWN IN THE Tuesday — The drills omitted again owing to rain. Board floors have been placed in the rest of the tents. Wednes- day — Rifle inspection, no drill. A large number of our old rifles condemned as being unserviceable. The boys have all received Springfield rifles of the make of 1884. They have a ramrod bayonet, fixed by pulling the ram- rod part way out. The recruits were instructed in hand- ling arms by Lieut. Roff, all participating in dress parade later in the evening. Thursday — Captain Petty of Co. M, drilled us in the morning. The paymaster put in an ap- pearance about noon and before night we had received our pay for the month of June. Friday — Nine regiments paraded in review before General Lee and staff. The rumor that one regiment was to be transfered to another corps has not been confirmed as yet. Saturday — No drills. A train load of soldiers, including a number of Morris- town boys, went to St. Augustine. We found the most "Ancient City" of our land the prettiest place we have yet seen in the South. It has many historical houses and as- sociations ;. we visited the old Spanish cathedral and the oldest house in the United States; both are still in a good state of preservation. The streets are broad and finely laid out, with a number of magnificent hotels. The gardens are resplendent with palms and semi-tropical plants. Our visits also included a sight of the ancient Spanish cannon and the furnace formerly used to make hot shot. Sunday — No drills. A large number of soldiers attended the churches, and although the congregations are not large the services are impressive and interesting. Monday — This morning the Second Division, of which the Second New Jersey is a part, marched two miles and were drawn up in a battle formation. After field drill we were march- ed back to camp again. The Morristown boys are all well. Charles E. Letcher. SPANISH- AMERICAN WAR 159 Camp Cuba Libre, / Jacksonville, Fla., Julj- 19, 1898. f Dear Jerseyman: — Another week has passed and the boys are {getting more used to camp hfe, although they have had to endure the intense heat during the past week. On account of the heat the drills have been very short, nothing but company drills, dress parades and reviews. There being no drill last Saturday, about 1,500 of the boys enjoj'ed a trip to St. Augustine, starting at 9 a. m. and re- turning at 8.30 p. m. Companies of four secured carriages and were shown the city with all its historical points of interest. Among some of the most interesting were Old Fort Marion, once occupied by the Spaniards, the city gates which are about three hundred years old, the old Spanish grave yard, in which many noted Spanish people are buried. Many rumors are afloat that the 2nd N. J. Vols., will be moved to Porto Rico but nothing definite confirming these statements can be had. Col. Wm. Jennings Bryan is expected here on Friday with his regiment from Nebraska. The first death in the '^nd Regiment was that of Quarter- master Howard Kaisler, Co. H, of East Orange. While out for a walk in Jacksonville he had a sunstroke and when found was unconscious. Mr. Kaisler leaves a wife and four children. His body was sent to East Orange by rail in charge of Sergeant Osborne. The boys of Company H, immediately made up a purse of $150 for his bereaved family. This shows how they loved their brother soldier who died for a just cause. The boys are feeling well and waiting for the command " forward march." Your truly, Charles W. Bodine. 160 morristown in the Camp Cuba Libre, ( Jacksonville, Fla., Ju\y 25, 18y8. [ Dear Jerseyman : — The boys have enjoyed the past week better than any since they have been in camp, the weather being much cooler, and we have only one drill a daj^. We have had brigade review twice during the week, the 3nd N. J. carrying off the honors each time. A wel- come greeting was given Captain D. S. Allen, Chaplain W. H. McCormick and Mrs. E. L. Petty, who arrived here on Saturday on the " Seminole " of the Clj'de Line to paj" a short visit to Captain E. L. Petty of Co. M. Morristown boys on guard during the week were Wm. Mack, Clias. Letcher and Frank Holloway. Those de- tailed for guard to-day are Geo. Berry, James Babcock and Chas. Bodine. The first detachment for rifle practice has just gone out to the rifle range for the day. Fifteen men from Co. M, are included. All expect to qualify and return sharp shooters. Louis Barnes, of Co. M, while down in Jacksonville about noon yesterday, was given a hardtack which he ate. On his return to camp, he became unconscious, was taken to the hospital, and the doctor on examining him, found he had been drugged. He is improving and will soon be around again. The boys are all glad when the Jersey- man arrives in camp, and we feel very thankful as we al- ways are glad to read of home. All are feeling well. Yours truly, Charles W. Bodine, Co. M, 2nd N. J. Vols. Jacksonville, Fla., Aug. 15, 1898. Dear :• — It is said we are to have a two days' march this week, starting Wednesday morning for Pablo Beach, and if we go I will write from there. Captain Petty is on furlough now, and expects to be in Morristown SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 161 on the 20th. We do not just know whether we will go to Havana or back to dear Old Jerse}-. We expect to strike a blow for "Old Glory" instead of lying here at Jacksonville ; but we came to fight for Uncle Sam and will go where he sends us, though we would like to see the good people in Morristown just the same. I will send a small alligator along pretty soon. Yours truly, George L. Berry, Co. M, 2d. Regt. N. G. N.J. Jacksonville, Fla., Aug. 15, 1898. Editor Chronicle :— Although there has been en- thusiasm displayed over the news of peace with Spain, we are sorry to say some of our boys from Morristown are on the sick hst. Charles Letcher, who was taken quite ill last Saturday, was removed to the hospital on Monday, but is improving. He had a slight attack of malarial fever. With the good care he is receiving, we hope he will soon be again on duty. William Hayes, who has been in the hospital with the fever, is to be removed to Pablo Beach, about twelve miles from Jacksonville — an elegant place on the sea shore where most of the patients are sent as soon as they are able to be moved. James Babcock, who has been complaining with stomach trouble, was sent to the division hospital to-day. Another sorrow befell our boys in the Second New Jersey Regiment. John J. Katzenberg of Company C, aged 20 years, died at the Second division Hospital, Friday night, August 12, of typhoid fever. The body was embalmed by Clark and Burris, undertakers, and the funeral services were held at their parlors Saturday evening. Chaplain Jones of the Second conducted the services, and the body, with an escort from his company, was sent to his parents' at Rutherford. Being a fine young man, he will be miss- ed by his comrades. The boys all expect to hear good MAURITIUS JENSEN, Company A, i2th New York Volunteer Infantry. SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 1G3 news on General Lee's return from Morristown. On Sat- urday the first Alabama regulars arrived here from Mima, and the Sixth Missouri arrived to-day from Jefferson Bar- racks, v^^here they have been in camp. Berr}^ and Mack took their turn at guard duty last week, which we do not like to see come around very often. Captain Petty and wife. Sergeant Rodda and Thomas Conklin sailed yesterday on the " Seminole " on a fifteen days' furlough. The weather not being so warm here now, the boys are much more comfortable. With regards from all the boys to friends and parents, and hoping our sick ones will keep on improving, yours sincerely, Charles W. Bodine, Co. M, 2d Regt. N. G. N. J. Camp Wells, Fla., Aug. — , 1898. The papers and books recently received were very ac- ceptable; time passes very quickly when one's mind is occupied. The books are passed around and greatly ap- preciated by all. We have a regular priest now attached to our regiment, whom we all like — the Rev. C. A. Enis, a member of the Order of St. Dominic. There is always a pleasant breeze from the ocean, but some of the worst showers I ever saw ; we are well protected, however, and keep extra clothing for change when caught out. It looks as if we might be sent to Cuba, but the probabilities are a trip homeward by October will be nearer the truth. The picket line extends twelve miles in a circle round the cit}^ and it can't be passed without a regular permit. * * * I have just paid a visit to the Morristown boys in Co. M, at Jacksonville. The box of books, papers and pads sent by the Morristown ladies were so welcome. I received mine on Sunday. Man}' of the magazines have the donors' names on them and we feel that we are not forgotten. We have good food and ever\' one gets plenty. * * * j^w the Morristown boys are well excepting Letcher, Hayes 164 MORRISTOWN IN THE and Babcock, who are doing nicely, though still in the hos- pital. There have been four deaths this week in the Jer- sey regiment, but they were men who were not rugged and who did not report sick until too late. If we only have a headache we are supposed to report to the doctors who make the rounds of the companies every morning. It looks from present reports as if we would be sent to Ha- vana; we have been measured for our tropical uniforms, which are made of canvas, and a great deal cooler than those we are now wearing. Yours truly, John Dempsey, Co. M, 2d Regt. N. G. N. J. Camp Cuba Libre, ) Jacksonville, Fla., Aug. 18, 1898. f Dear Friend : — We get the Jerseyman, Chronicle, Banner, Iron Era and Morris Journal, so you see that Morris County news is not lacking. Yes, Wm. Hayes has been very sick with malarial fever, but is now able to be up and walk around his ward at the hospital. James Babcock, Charles Letcher and three fellows from Co. M are in the hospital now, but all are improving except Bab- cock, whose fever was up to 104 to-day, (106 is the limit). He is very low, but we all hope that he will recover and be able to go out on the drills with us soon. All the rest of the recruits are getting used to camp life. The boys are playing all kinds of tricks on one another, such as pulling one out of his tent when he goes to sleep. We spread our blanket out on the board floor, and some of the fellows come along, grab the blanket and pull us into the street. They get access to our tents very easily, as we are com- pelled to leave the flaps open during the night owing to the intense heat. There is another trick they work on the colored civilians who come into our streets after some of SPANISH- AMERICAN WAR 165 the boys' washing. There is a fellow in one company named GiUigan and he plays the "deaf act" on them, and "chews the rag" with them sometimes for half an hour. We are having but one drill and dress parade each day on account of the heat. We are all getting acclimated now, and don't mind the heat so much, but we know the difference between the parade ground and the shanty end of com- pany's cook-house, where all the boys hang out when they are at their leisure. There is a rumor afloat that we are to go to Havana by Sept. 1st. I don't know whether it is true or not, but we were all measured this morning for our duck suits, and it seems quite certain that we are booked to go. We are to have the Mauser rifles when we go down there. I just came off guard duty j'esterday morning at 9.30 a. m., going on the day previous at the same hour. I have caught four tricks of it so far. There are 3 reliefs and the bo3's are relieved every 2 hours. They then have 4 hours off to sleep and lay around. There are 8 hours actual duty and 16 hours off. There are about 16 States represented here now ; 1 company and sometimes 2 from each State. We have had two sham battles since we were here, the opponents being the North Carolina regiment, and we didn't do a thing but flank them and bang away at them as long as our shells lasted. We also took a lot of their men as prisoners. We got the decision, and were all glad of it, too, for there isn't a regiment in the camp here that likes them. We just came in from dress parade, and Co. M got the applause of the spectators, who come up from the city every night. The prisoners from the different companies of the 2nd Regt. have built a large guard house, under the super- vision of one of our corporals, for "drunks " and the fel- lows that stay out after "taps." I haven't had a dose of it yet, and don't want it either, as those that get any sen- tence have to go out every day and cut pine stumps. They JOHN M. B PAYRE, Company A, 2Sth U. S. Volunteer Infantry. SPANISH- AMERICAN WAR 167 are trying to fix up our parade ground, such as cutting out old stumps and filling up the hollows, and those fellows that go in the guard house are compelled to put in their time at this kind of work. We sleep three in a tent, and don't have any more room than we want, for they are very small. We can hardly stand up straight when we get in them. I built a rack for our guns, fixed up a line from both centre-poles for our towels, blouses, etc., and built a long closet for all our little articles, and now it looks as if somebody lived here. There are tents on both sides, facing each other, and the space between is called a company street. The Captain's quarters are at one end, and the cook-house at the other end of the street. Every company has two rows of tents. All the boys here send their best regards to the Jersey- man office. Frank A. Hollow ay, Co. M, 2nd N. J. Vols. Jacksonville, Fla., | August, 1898. ^ Dear Just now the boys are having but one drill a day on account of the heat. Last week we had our first sham fight, a North Carolina and a Virginia regi- ment against the Second New Jersey, the former to drive the latter from the ground. Though there were two regi- ments against them, the Jersey boys did not give an inch. Each man was given five blank shells, and while they lasted things were warm. They say it seemed like old times back in 1861 — only there was no one hurt. That was the first sham battle we had, and I would put the Jersey boys up against any regiment in the army for fight- ing. We signed the pay roll this morning and expect to be paid this week, so the boys are happy. All are glad to 168 MORRISTOWN IN THE hear that the Naval Aid Society and the Lincoln Guards are going to send us something from home. I know the boys would enjoy some good reading, for that is a thing we have very little of. There is talk of moving our camp about a mile, but we received word this morning to wait a while, for there are great hopes of being sent to Porto Rico. One of our boys has some syrup from Jersey which he received this morning. It was a great treat to dry bread three times a day. Yours truly, George L. Berry, Co. M, 2nd Regt., N. G. N. J. Note. — A box of comforts and eatables collected by the Lincoln Guards and their friends ivas sent, on Wednesday, August ^4, to the Morristown boys at Jacksonville, Florida. The box included soaps, tow- els, jellies, pickles, catsup, olives and even several cakes baked especially for the trip by some of the mothers at home. Camp Thomas, \ Chickamauga, Tenn., Aug. 25, 1898. [ Editor Chronicle: — I have read the "Chronicle" ever since I've been here, and have read the letters sent by different Morristown boys about their respective camps; so I thought I would write something about this regiment, though it is not from Jersey. There are quite a number of Jersey boys in it. The first thing we hear in the morn- ing is the bugle at 5.30, sounding first call for reveille. We get up in a hurry and assemble for roll call. The tent is thoroughly policed and the blankets are taken out, shaken and aired. Then, at 5.45, comes the doctor's call for all sick men to report at the hospital tent, where they receive pills for all ailments. If you have sore feet you SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 169 get pills ; if you have a toothache, backache or earache, its all the same, you get pills. Then at 6 o'clock, comes the most glorious call of all — mess call. Sometimes we have rice that is burnt, or fried sow belly, with coffee and bread or hard-tack. At 7 o'clock comes police call for the guard of the preceding day and special details to report at the guard house, to be assigned to the different fatigue duties of the camp. Then drill at 7.55. The drills are not as bad as the}- were, being shorter by about an hour; they pass ver}' quickly. We are marched back to our com- pany streets and dismissed. At 11 we hear again that be- loved call and march to the kitchen in single file for our pork and beans, or beans and pork, as the case may be. We have roast beef on Sunday, with potatoes, and some- times we have beef stew or hash during the week; but' pork and beans seem to be the most popular dish; at least we see it oftener than any other. We have coffee with every meal, sometimes with sugar, more times without. On very rare occasions we get steak or canned salmon; that is the extent of our bill of fare. At 3.55 p. m. comes first call for guard mount. This is a duty which is very much disliked b}^ the boj^s, though it is not hard. We go on at 4 o'clock one daj" and come off at 4 the next ; we have two hours on and four off. But when you get up at midnight to do two hours' guard in a lonel}' spot it is very trying, as it is necessary to be al ways on the alert, the of- ficers being up to all kinds of tricks to try the men; and it will go pretty hard with a man if he is caught napping while on guard. At 4.50 p. m., we assemble for dress parade and inspection, and woe unto him who neglects his general appearance; the first time he will get off with extra police duty, but the second offense means the guard house and a fine. At dress parade we are marched into position; then we are put through the manual of arms, after which we are marched past the Colonel in review. At 5.30 we get another one of those beloved mess calls, which generally means dried apple sauce or canned tomatoes, or something else of a similar nature; so that we don't over- 170 MORRISTOWN IN THE load our stomachs before going to bed. At 8 50 we have first call for tattoo; we all assemble for roll call, after which we go to our quarters and to bed. At 9.15 taps are sounded ; that means lights out and go to sleep. Though the Hghts go out, I'll not vouch for the going to sleep part, as there are many interesting experiences and adventures told after taps. The above is pretty nearly a correct account of one day with the 14th N. G. V. Regiment at Chickamauga Park. Respectfully yours, Charles H. Wechsler, Private of Company F. PORTO RICO. Ponce, Porto Rico, Aug. 21, 1898. Dear Cousin: — It is with pleasure I send you aline from the front. We arrived at Porto Rico last Monday noon on the steamship "Chester." We had a hard time leaving New York. Our engine broke down a few times and we were held there for repairs. Before we started Company E had to pitch in money for food and medicines, otherwise our men would have died. Our rations for a day for a man were six hardtacks, one-quar- ter of a pound of bad corned beef, and two quarts of con- densed salt water ; and our beds were in with the mules — 2 hammocks, one above the other, and that was the way we slept. One of our men is in the hospital now from eat- ing the corned beef. This island is a beautiful one, but we have too much rain ; it rains every little while and very hard each time. Our tents are up now; we did not have them at first. There are no floors in them and we have to lay in mud. Last night at 1 o'clock we woke up and were floating THEODORE F. THEILE, Company E, ist U. S. Volunteer Infantrj'. 172 MORRISTOWN IN THE around the street in water ; it was about 4 feet high ; we then walked around until morning and waited until the water could be drawn off. We all look a sight, although we are "in it." If we want to a:o for a drink of water outside of the fence we have got to have a pass. They have all kinds of fruit here and lots of it, but we cannot buy any kind we like, for they make us throw it away until we are used to the wet weather. The people here at present do not live; they just exist. Everything they do is just the opposite way of doing things. They wear light clothes, mostly all white, some wear shoes and others go without them. They are fair looking people, some are very good looking, but all are slim. They never marry — just live together. About the war I could not tell you. When we fight, or if we ever fight, it is hard to tell. There are 9,000 Spaniards about ten miles from where we are, and we are 25,000 strong, and some are killed every day. They had a fight last night in St. John. I will have to close now as I want to level up the ground in mj- tent, and gather a few sticks to lay in the mud, so we won't sink down too low. I ani still well and am feeling very good, but my feet are wet all the time. I am not kicking as long as I can stand it. I hope this letter will find you all with the best of health. Yours truly, Theodore H. Theile, Co. E, 1st U. S. V^l. Engineers. San Juan, Porto Rico, Feb. 7, 1900. My Dear Friend : — The mail will leave at 7.30 a. m., so I will write you a general letter. I suppose you re- ceived my last letter some days ago. Well, I am first-class at last, so I have been ashore. I visited the "Morro" and "San Cristobal Colon " forts. San Juan is a peculiar city to our unaccustomed eyes. I don't know as I can tell you about all the queer sights we saw, but many of them are fresh in my mind, and I will SPANISH- AMERICAN WAR 173 tell them just as they come to m}' recollection. In the first place, people here don't wear much clothing. I encjuired of a washwoman at what age they begin dressing children, and she replied " at five or six." So one sees lots of naked babies running about the streets, some as black as rubber dolls and others of lighter color. The railroad has cars about as large as our old horse-cars, and only two and a half feet guage. We jumped the train at full speed and off again ; ran after it and caught it too. Then we took a ride across the ba}^ to Catana, in a native boat. There we saw the fandango danced by native men in the street. We saw the queerest little ferr3'-boat — it has gangways to let down at each end. We saw the sugar plantations too, but it being Sunday they were not grinding cane. San Juan itself is a walled city and the highest point on the island on which the city is build is a corner of fort "San Cristo- bal Colon." From this height the view of the breakers way down below is simply grand. It rains here fre- quently, so that vegetation is luxuriant, and the hills are a beautiful green. The famous military road of which 3-0U have read starts from this city and runs to Ponce; it is very hard — constructed of broken brick and cement. The forts are massive and must have cost an incredible amount of labor and money to build. The places broken during the bom- bardment by Sampson's warships are very noticeable; as are also the shell-holes made by the British in the 18th century. There are a great number of soldiers stationed here, too many, I think; for the people are very orderly as far as I could judge. The native troops are excellent. In the United States service, a native band discourses music in the Plaza in the evenings, and all the city turns out, of course. The streets are paved and very neat, but hilly. We saw some bananas growing over a wall, and going nearer to investigate noticed an entrance to a cathedral. We went in and saw the priests going to the altar, but no audience as yet had arrived. Passing on through we came to another square, and so you find yourself always. There 174 MORRISTOWN IN THE are no back yards as we have, but closely built houses. The walls are about 18 or 20 feet in height for comfort. Hearing a piano being played in a house we went in and up stairs, but found it was a private house. (We thought it might be a club-house.) We apologized, and as we were going out an American woman called us up, and so we re- mained a few minutes listening to some good piano-play- ing. Well, we went on down to the Marine barracks, which are fine ; right on the sea-front, too. They have a librar}^ of some 3,000 volumes, and have only a few tons of coal to guard ; so that duty is light and most of the fellows like it well. Wine is cheap here ; two cents a glass, so they say, and that is a great inducement to most marines. The people here dress in white all the time, and live well. Mr. Lucas is in command ; I did not see him, but will do so to-mor- row, D. V. Two of my shipmates from the "New Orleans " are here, also some Brooklyn lads. It is quite warm here — like July at home, but there's always a good breeze. We have coaled up and scrubbed down since we came here ; in fact just finished. We have swimming three times a da}^ and have great fun in the water. A great deal of commerce is carried on at this port, but no mail has come for us yet. Oranges cost 20 cents per dozen on the ship, and cocoanuts 3 for 5 cents ashore. Bananas ai-e not ripe now — just blooming I believe, although we did see a httle set fruit. We will have Admiral's inspection it is reported. The "New York" will be here on the 12th inst; we will remain until that time. To-day we had plenty of drill-fire, collision and abandon ship, and this time we abandoned her. It took just about half an hour to "fit out" and " away," but then the boats were all out before hand. I have a number of ribbons for you but will not send them until later. I have a few coins, too; all Spanish copper is punched to prevent its being sent to Spain. I have five pieces in all. We are trying our search-light to-night, and playing them on the town, which looks very pretty under it. There are no arc-lights in the SPANISH- AMERICAN WAR 175 city ; onl}^ gas and incandescent electric. There are not many Americans here yet except soldiers, but a number of the Porto Ricans have picked up some Enghsh. Our dol- lar brings $1.63 2-3 in Spanish coin. Quite a number of the marines are married to native women, and many of them Hve outside the barracks. The " Uncas," formerly the " W. A. Luckenbach" and the "C^sar," collier, formerly of the Hull Steamship Company, are station ships. Most of the houses in the city are of masonry and it is very hard; I have a few chips from the forts to show that. There appears to be a large reception and hving room in front, and a kitchen and dining-room combined at the rear, with other rooms between. Few houses are more than one story, and none have the iron bars common in Cuba ; in- stead they have shutters with a small opening about the size of this sheet — 4 1-2x7 inches — and you can most always see some one looking out of these. The streets are nar- row — about 20 feet, or even less, with sidewalks about 2 feet in width. As we were passing down one street we stopped to talk to some soldiers and a girl reached out of one of the small openings in the shutter and took my hat in before I was aware of it. I had to go in the house to get it and had quite a laugh over the episode; she thought she knew me, and said something about the doctor, but I could not save it. I got my hat without any trouble but kept clear of the windows after that. We took our dinner in an American restaurant and returned aboard at 12. Well, I have told you everything that came to mind and must close. I hope all have been well. I do not know yet where we shall go when we leave here. I will write you again later on. Yours very truly, Joseph F. R. Boniface. 176 MORRISTOWN IN THE FROM THE BOYS IN THE PHILIPPINES. Manila, September. 1898. Editors Banner : — When I last wrote you we were stationed at Cavite, across the harbor from Manila. In this place we had to sleep on the floor of the barracks from which the Spaniards had been driven. After staying in this place for a week we went across the harbor to Camp Dewey, within a few miles of Manila, and here things seemed a little like war. We had a firing line to keep the Spaniards from advancing on our camp. Each Company had to go out to the firing line for 24: hours at a time, taking their turn in order. The first week a few of our men were killed, but intrenchments were soon made so perfect that we didn't lose a man. On Friday night, Aug. 12th, we were given an extra hundred rounds of ammunition and told to get two days' rations. There was ver}^ little sleep that night you can bet. In the morning, the llUh. we started to advance towai-d Manila and it was a long march through mud and water knee deep, with the rain coming down in buckets full; at last we reached our intrenchment. Our Company took the firing line about seven o'clock. About ten o'clock the fun started, and at twelve o'clock Dewey opened up fire on them. Some of the batteries were alongside of us and it was so pleasant to hear those bullets and shells sing- ing over our heads! Dewey hadn't opened up on them but a few minutes before he knocked the mischief out of their forts. It was then that we received the orders to de- ploy as skirmishers in the open fields, which meant plough- ing through mud and water, but the Spaniards soon sur- rendered and we marched into the city of Manila, where we have since been having nothing but guard duty to per- form. The Spaniards can't shoot a little bit or they would have given a better account of themselves. TENT SCENE, Company G, 3rd New Jersej', at Pomplon Lakes. 178 MORRISTOWN IN THE Manila is very picturesque, with its old buildings, two and three stories high, surrounded by beautiful palm trees. The population is awfully mixed. There seems to be as many Chinese here as there are natives. I have thought how awfully shacked our girls at home would be should they see one of the girls here coming down the streets with a basket on her head, swinging her arms and smoking a cigar. They all smoke and chew, even the little girls. There are no big wagons here to carry heavy freight, &c. The natives and Chinese carry it on bamboo poles across their shoulders, and it's really surprising to see what heavy loads they can carr}" in this manner. Then too, they use a two wheeled cart drawn by the water buffalo. Have lots of fruit here. The bananas and oranges do not compare with those that you get — not so big and not of as good flavor. Around our barracks are several ban- ana trees ; from one of them w e cut a big bunch the other day and they were the best I have seen on this side of the globe. Enclosed you will find a Spanish ten-cent stamp. I found it in the Spanish barracks just as they were leaving. I have some bullets which I picked up in the first Spanish fort we captured, and many other relics that I will try and send you or keep until I return. I will send you a paper that they are printing here for the boys in blue, called " The American Soldier." You should see the street cars here, they can never climb a hill until they stop and put on an extra horse. Alfred A. DeGroot, Co. A, 18th Infantry, U. S. A , Manila, P. I. Angeles, Philippine Islands, } September 18, 1890. f Dear Friend : I think it is time to send you a few lines in order to give you an idea of these far away islands, SPANISH- AMERICAN WAR 170 their people aud customs, as a soldier sees them. There have been many attempts made in the past b}- newspaper aud magazine writers to describe them, but they have been greatly exaggerated. The climate is very unhealthy, and what nature has lacked in making it so, the natives more than make up. At the present time 20 per cent, of the regiment which I belong to is sick and unable to perform duty. I have been sick quite often since we landed here. The worst foe we have is the deadly climate, which kills and maims twent}' times as man}- as the rifle or sword. In our regiment we have lost in battles and skirmishes be- tween 60 and 75 men. Our losses are small considering the number of men engaged and the strong positions held bj' the enemy. On account of the superior markmanship of Uncle Sam's soldiers there are twenty Filipinos killed for every American. It is unnecessary to go into the details about our engagements, as you have no doubt read the daily papers which get that part of the news with some exaggeration. The Filipino soldier has been greatly under-estimated, for nature feeds him, if " Aggie" (Aguinaldo) doesn't and he is well armed with a gun as good as our own. The rebels use smokeless powder and hide behind bam- boo hedges, and of course are hard to locate. They prob- ably believe in the old maxim, " He who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day," when we make a charge on them. We were not aware of the fact that they pos- sessed artillery until last evening, when the}' turned five smoothbore field pieces on our camp and made the atmos- phere quite unhealthy for a few moments, but when our guns got started they promptly ceased firing. We are now in possession of this town, the extreme end of the north line, 55 miles north of Manila. "Aggie's" soldiers contested every foot of the ground all the waj' here, and tore up the railroad for 10 miles. The army operating on the south of Manila has onh' advanced 15 miles. Labor is quite cheap here. Chinese coolies get from 15 180 MORRISTOWN IN THE to 25 cents a day for 12 hours' work, and skilled labor, such as carpenters and masons, from 25 to 50 cents a day. There are great opportunities here for capital. The Fili- pinos and the Chinese as a rule, live mostly on rice, which is very cheap. Meat and bread are luxuries which only the well-to-do can afford. Most all the natives, even to the better class, eat with their fingers. They are lazy and never do to day what they can put off until to-morrow. The principle occupation is rice cultivation. There is quite a large amount of sugar cane raised, but they don't seem to have any improved way of crushing it. Just at present there is very little of anything raised, on account of the war, of course. The Filipinos look like mere boys, so frail and delicate, but are very tricky. They resemble the Japanese more than any other race ; they are very fond of music and dress ; that is, the better class. The reason we took this town was because it will give us a better base for operations and supplies. It is one of the richest towns north of Manila. The city of Manila is like other Spanish built cities, a place more to breed dis- ease than for habitation. I hope this war will soon be over. I will then return and enjoy the spring water and milk which only Morris county can produce. Hoping I have not exaggerated any- thing in these few lines, I remain your friend. Corporal Patrick Moore, Company G, 12th Infantry, Angeles, P. I. 8tli Army Corps. New York, August 19, 1899. Dear Mr. Sherman : — Yours received * * * * I tried very hard to enlist in the Second New Jersey Vol- unteers from Englewood, N. J., but failed, and took my chances of seeing active service with Company M, Seventy First New York Volunteers. * * * » VICTOR BROWN, Company F, 28th U. S. Volunteer Infantry. 182 MOREISTOWN IN THE I am proud of having been one of the few who were able to go to the front to defend right from wrong ; but in going to the front and offering my hfe I was only being- loyal to my country and the old flag, for which I would be willing to die. You have seen it floating over Union ramparts in 18(51, and I have seen it floating defiantly over oitr trenches before Santiago de Cuba in 1898; and you can appreciate the love I have for the flag. I am very trul}^ J. Wakren Howell. ( CONDENSED LOG OF THE "BADGER." Newburg, N. Y., I August 23, 1899. f Rev. a. Magouan Sherman, Morristown, N. J. Dear Sir : — In answer to your request, that I send you my photograph for publication in " Morristown in the Spanish- American war ;" I would say that the only one I have (in uniform) would hardly do justice to the book. However, if absolutely essential, I could send it to you. I would prefer that you mention my name as one of the crew of the " U. S. S. Badger." The " Badger " was formerly the Ward Liner " Yumuri," and after being transformed into an auxiliarj^ cruiser was manned entirely by the New Jersey Naval Reserve. Commander A. S. Snow, U. S. N., and Lieut. H. C. Gearing, U. S. N., were from the regular navy, otherwise the personnel were vol- unteers. The crew were mustered into the service May 17, 1898, at New York. On June 8th, we left the Brooklyn Navy SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 183 Yard for Provincetovvn, Mass. After spending some time off the coast of Maine witu the Patrol Fleet, the " Badger " sailed for Key West arriving there July 2nd. From there she went to the Havaun. blockade sighting Morro Castle at daybreak on July 4th. A week was spent here, and the ship was then ordered to blockade the port of Nuevitas, about three hundred miles to the eastward. The ship remained at Nuevitas for a month stopping suspicious craft, and finalh^ capturing a large sea going tug, and two sailing vessels. The prizes were taken to Dry Tortugas, and quarantined for the proper length of time, after which the two sailing vessels were sent to Havana; the government not wanting the care of the prisoners, and the vessels not being especially valuable; the tug, which was a very fine boat, was sent to New York in charge of a prize crew. The " Badger " went to Key West, coaled up, and sailed for Guantanamo, on the soutliern side of Cuba. She staid at this place about two weeks, during which time the bunkers were filled with coal, and the crew visited the first battlefield of the war. About the last week in August we sailed north, having on board Companies I, K and L, of the 34th Michigan Volunteers. They were landed at Montauk, and the ship went on to Boston where she lay during the month of September. xlbout the first of October, we sailed for Philadelphia and on Oct. Tth were sent by rail to Hoboken, and muster ed out on board the " U. S. S. Portsmouth." The above is a very condensed log of the experiences of the "Badger," and of her crew; for what applies to the ship, applies also to the men. Yours sincerely, Edgar E. Burnet. liable of Contents CHAPTER I. Causes of the Spanish- American War . 1-5 Destruction of the Maine in Havana Harbor. Burial of the Crew. Naval Court of Inquiry. Suspicious Circumstances. War In- evitable. The Conditions of Affairs in Cuba Intolerable to the American People. The Cuban War Must Cease. CHAPTER II. Cuban Insurrections '^-l-i Discovery and Settlement of Cuba. Spanish Cruelty. Broken Promises. Struggle for Independence, Cuban Leaders. Weyler's Barbarous Methods. Removal of Wey'er. Appointment of Ramon Blanco. American Indignation Thoroughly Aroused. CHAPTER III. Diplomatic Correspondence lG-2-t Removal of Weyler. The DeLome Episode. Millions for National Defense An Armistice Suggested Efforts for Peaceful Settlement Fruitless. Spain Notified to Quit the Western Continent. War Declared. Cuban Ports Blockaded. Volunteers Called For. Prompt Response. Remarks of Hon. Mahlon Pitney in the House of Rep- resentatives, March 8, 1898. CONTENTS CHAPTER IV. Patriotic Discourses •^?-48 By Rev. Albert Erdman, D.D., Pastor of the South Street Presby- terian Church, Morristown, N. J. By Rev. Thomas 1. Coultas, D.D., Pastor of the M. E. Church, Morristown, N.J. By Rev. Samuel Z. Batten, A.M , Pastor of the Baptist Church, Morris- town, N J. CHAPTER V. War Meetings 49-60 Held in A. T. A.Torbert Post Rooms, Washington Streei. Speech of Rev. J. M. Buckley, D.D., at the Convention of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. CHAPTER VI. A Great Victory and Its Celebration . 00-70 Dewey's Naval Victory in Manila Bay. Dewey Demonstration in Morristown, New Jersey. CHAPTER VII. Important Morristown Events .... 71-84 Patriotic Young Men Organize a Military Company. Local Branch of the Naval Aid Socieiy Organized. I,ocal Branch of Red Cress Society Organized. CONTENTS CHAPTER VIII. A Brilliant Record 84-1 Ki The Santiago Campaign. Morristown Celebrates the Capitula- tion of Santiago. Patriotic Meetings Under the Auspices of the Local Y. M. C A. Hobson Visits Morristown. Convalescent America! Soldiers in Town. Lincoln Guard's Reception to Re- turned Veterans. Humane Engine Company's Banquet to Re- turned Soldier- Firemen. CHAPTER IX. Defenders of National Honor .... 11G-14G Roll of Men who Enlisted from Morristown and Vicinity in the Spanish American War, with the Record of Each. CHAPTER X. Letters from the Boys 146-183 From Cuba. Porto Rico, Philippine Islands, Log of the U. S. S. " Badger," Etc. Xlst of 1Hlu8tration6 Sham Skirmish at Pompton Lakes, N. J. Frontispiece Captain Capron's Battery in Action iii Block House on San Juan Hill . iv Section of American Trenches before Santiago vii Solid Comfort vii Group of Morristown Soldiers viii James R. Sutton ...... G Charles W. Bodine 6 Joseph F. R. Boniface .... 9 Joseph H. Boniface ...... 15 U. S. Hospital Ship " Relief " . 15 Hon. Mahlon Pitney 22 Rev. Albert Erdman, D, D. 27 Rev. Thomas I. Coultas, D. D. . 80 George L. Berry ...... 33 An Improvised Barber Shop 33 Theodore F. Kinsey ..... 30 William H. Force, jr. .... 36 Rev. Samuel Z. Batten, A. M. . 38 David C. VanGilder 41 William Mack 41 Alfred DeGroot 42 Thomas Anderson ..... 45 Robert Trowbridge . ... 45 Major Henry M. Dairy mple . . . > 50 Isaac R. Pierson ...... 51 Dr. Stephen Pierson ..... 52 Frederick B. Cobbett .... 53 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Barber Shop used by American Soldiers in Georgia Walter S. Tyson .... Mayor Edward A. Quayle . U. S. Auxiliary Cruiser "Badger" Ferdinand J. Titus .... Frank S. Meeker .... Allyn H. Thompson . . . . J. Condit Smith ..... Squad of American Soldiers C. Fred Stopford .... William Keepers .... U. S. Cruiser "Alliance" . . . Augustus W. Smith .... Bomb Proofs on San Juan Hill . J. Edward Van Dyke .... Raoul A. Lavalle .... John H. Talmadge .... J. Warren Howell .... Camp McCalla, Guantanamo, Cuba Morro Castle, Santiago Harbor . Reina Mercedes, Sunk near Santiago Harb On Guard at Headc^uarters . Leaf- Covered Tent .... Valley Before San Juan Hill, Cuba Muzzle Loading SpanisL Cannon Company M, 71st N. Y. on San Juan Hill Guarding Comrades' Graves Taking Body of Soldier Ashore for Burial Herbert E. Collins .... Edward J. Mason .... Charles H. Woschlor .... Theodore F. Kinsey .... J. Horace Towlen .... William J. Jordan .... A Family in Greenville, South Carolina , Guantanamo, Cuba .... Camp Scene in Co. G, 2nd N. J. Volunteers Frank A. Holloway ..... 54 54 57 Gl 61 64 64 C)0 68 70 73 73 76 76 78 78 81 81 83 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 96 99 99 101 101 104 104 107 110 IK) 116 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS James E. Babcock ...... 118 Dennis F. Cooney 123 George W. Cook ]25 William H. Hayes, jr. 129 Charles E. Letcher 134 Sergeant Patrick Moore 137 Thinking of Home 146 Emerson A. Hedden 150 Patrick Hackett . 156 Mauritius Jensen 162 John M. B. Sayre 166 Tent Scene in Company G, Pompton Lakes, N. J. 177 Victor Brown 181 /Iftemoranba