iii M "-^-0^ W . 1 A -N- V . * o « e „ ^_ sr \ /' ... "V '°-'' .<^ .., <^ d" y '' ^- ■^OK ,?;_ ^■:..:^L-'^V xO-^^ ^^ t '^U^r-," ^^ : %J^ :m^' \J iV <'. ^o>^^ ^^^' •P -7-, .ov: •> V -1^ 5; 0^ '^ CANNON AND CAMERA L CANNON AND CAMERA SEA AND LAND BATTLES OF THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR IN CUBA, CAMP LIFE, AND THE RETURN OF THE SOLDIERS Described and Illustrated By JOHN C. HEMMENT War Artist at the Front With Index, and an Introduction by ir. I. LINCOLN ADAMS NEW YORK D. APPLETON AND COMPANY 1898 18532 Copyright, 1898, Bv D. APPLETON AND COMPANY. A// rights in Text and Illustrations are reserved. \ \oM^b3'b vAravJ^'^«^'i> JUebicatcb to mn tOifc, .^ f PREFACE I AM more familiar with the camera than with the pen. but my range of personal ex- periences has been so wide during the Span- ish-American War that I have been led to hope that this record of what I have seen in camps, on battlefields, and on shipljoard will prove of interest and value to readers. My thanks are due to a very old friend, Mr. A. J. Kenealy, who took my work in hand and kindlv saw the pages through the press. J. C. H. New York, October i, i8g8. f INTRODUCTION. The practical application of modern photography is daily becoming more wide- spread and useful. The camera is now a most important product of our nineteenth- century civilization. It is an almost indis- pensable instrument in nearly every profes- sion and all the sciences. Reproductive photography has revolu- tionized periodical and book illustration. The photo-engraver's camera has been for several years a most important agent in the preparation of the great daily newspaper, as well as the illustrated weekly and monthly magazine; and the improved hand camera is almost as important an implement in the out- fit of a special correspondent as his pencil and notebook. It is more effective and satisfactory than the sketching pad, and has consequently superseded it. X CANNON AND CAMERA. The camera has long been a favourite im- plement of the chase, capturing the image of game whicli it did not kill. But it remained for the author of this book to demonstrate its effectiveness as an instrument of war. Pho- tographs have been made heretofore of camp life, the fields of military operations, and naval manfEuvres, l)Ut so far as I know Mr. Hem- ment is the first photographer to obtain a complete pictorial description of an entire war, including not only the pictures of life in camp or on board the men-of-war, but also faithful views of actual engagements both on land and sea. Mr. Hemment has been a recognised lead- er for a number of years among the most skil- ful ])hotographers of the country, especially in instantaneous work. ha\-ing successfully photographed with his special ap])aratus — designed for him after his own directions — the most difficult athletic events. An athlete, also, himself, he was peculiarly well fitted to undert.nko the hazardous entor])risc of photo- graphing the scenes and deeds of the recent war with Spain. That he has done his \\()rk well and com- INTRODUCTION. xi pletely the following pages fully attest. His pictures and account begin with the exciting scenes which followed the destruction of the battle ship Maine, include characteristic scenes in the various American camps, de- pict the stirring deeds of our squadron before Santiago de Cuba, and end with the opera- tions which resulted in the fall of that city and the victorious close of the war. Mr. Hemment was not satisfied to photo- graph only those scenes which could be caught without danger to himself; he made some of his most successful pictures to the thrilling accompaniment of Spanish Mauser bullets. It is therefore to his courage as a man as well as to his skill as a photographer that we owe this very satisfactory pictorial ac- count of the war for Cuba's independence. W. I. Lincoln Adams. New York. CONTENTS. CHAPTHR PAGE Introduction by W. I. Lincoln Adams, ix I.— The blowing up of the Maine . . i My arrival in Havana — The wreck of the Maine— Welcomed by Captain Sigsbee and Con- sul-General Lee — Hostility of the Spanish volun- teers — Insults to Americans — An arrest and escape — Arrival of the Montgomery — The Board of In- quiry — The camera in the bull ring — With Senator Proctor among the reconcentrados — Brutal Span- ish soldiers — Our train attacked by insurgents — I bribe the custom-house officers and depart with photographs of the forts. II. — S0LDIER.S IN CAMP '. . . . . 40 Scenes at Hempstead — Effects of red tape — Drilling volunteers — Unsanitary conditions in camps North and South — Red tape and transpor- tation. III.— Off for the seat of war ... 61 My work in packing my photographic and other supplies — Lessons learned in Cuba stand me in good stead — Medical stores and comforts — My shipmates and my vessel — Our stay at Jamaica, where we buy polo ponies, and take in necessary stores. xiii xi^. CANNON AND CAMERA. CIIAITER PAGE I\'.— Landinc. in thk knk.mv's countrv . 70 _ Our first encounter with the American navy — Welcomed by Admiral Sampson and received by Ceneral Shafter — Interview with General Car- cia, of the Cuban army — Insurgents made glad by presents of rations — Delight of our troops at land- ing — The Red Cross Society begins its work of mercy. v.— WiiH Sh.aI'Ter .and his staff . . 87 I follow the general on a reconnoitering ex- pedition in the direction of Santiago, and photo- graph the graves of the Rough Riders — From the summit of a lofty tree 1 get my first view of Santiago — A tropical storm and difficult roads make tiavelling arduous — Where the Rough Riders were killed. \'I. — .\KT UNDER DIFFICULTIES ... 98 In the dark room on the Sylvia — Quick work in printing — Back to Santiago again — A despatch boat's devices. VII.— Bombardment of Morro Castle 106 The Sylvia in the thick of the fight— A visit to a wounded war correspondent on the Olivette. \T!1. - .Among thk Cuban pickets . . .114 Warfare of Cubans and Spaniards — Our men suqirised while bathing — A battle in undress — We repulse the attack — Disguises and am- bushes. I.\. TlIK MULE IN IHK ( A M I'AIC.N . . .1:4 I'ack trains and their drivers — Transporting stores and ammunition — The mule confirms his reputation for wisdom. CONTENTS. XV CHAPTER . PAGE X. — In camp with the soldiers . .130 Incidents during the advance on Santiago — Hard-tack sandwiches and cartridge pudding — Foraging for cocoanuts and mangoes — Evening amusements — The difficulties of letter writing. XI. — The siege of Santiago . . .135 Advance to the front under difficulties — Graves of the Rough Riders — Observations by balloon — Grimes's battery opens fire — Response by shrapnel — In the thick of the fight — Bravery of the Seventy-first. XII. — The charge at El Caney . . .164 Heroism of our colored troops — Bold dash for the fort — A correspondent's wound — A non-com- batant's prisoners — Victory at last — Some unex- pected horrors. XIII.— Our bold Rough Riders . . .178 Colonel Roosevelt as a fighter — He inspires his brave men — Heroes in the field — Sad scenes in the hospitals — Criminal incompetence or what ? — Burial of a soldier without benefit of clergy. XIV. — Sharpshooters in action . . . 194 Persecution by Spanish marksmen — Narrow escapes from death — The capture of the block- house — Life in the trenches — The roll call. XV. — The great naval battle . . . 206 How Cervera's squadron put out of Santiago and was destroyed — Photographing the stranded ships — A capture of Spanish prisoners. I xvi CANNON AND CAMERA. CHAPTER PAGE X\'I.— Surrender of Santiago . . . 229 General Miles prevents a retreat — General Toral yields to moral suasion and gives up the city. X\'1I.— Return of the Rough Riders . . 236 General Wheeler and Colonel Roosevelt wel- comed at Camp Wikoff — Suffering of troops at Montauk Point — Home coming of the Seventy- first — Contrast between naval militia and volun- teers. Al'I'KNDIX 263 Hints to amateur and professional photog- raphers. Index 273 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. FACING PAGE The Maine passing Morro Castle, Havana Frontispiece The wreck of the Maine Fort Punta, Havana ...... The Spanish admiral leaving the U. S. S. Mont gomery ...-•••• Spanish divers at work on the wreck of the Maine Board of Inquiry in session at Havana Chaplain Chidwick superintending the transfer of bodies to the Bach ..... Chaplain Chidwick offering prayer at the graves of the Maine sailors in Colon Cemetery A narrow escape .....•• The final thrust .....■• Among the reconcentrados in the interior. Making photographs from the fighting top of the Maine ........ Camp Black, Hempstead, Long Island Peeling potatoes .....•• Breaking in raw recruits at Camp Black . Larned, the polo player, one of the Rough Riders Sergeant Goff, died at Camp Wikoff . Bob Wrenn, tennis champion, one of the Rough Riders ......•• Guard on outpost duty, Camp Black Troop A drilling at Camp Black xvii 5 lO 14 17 24 26 29 32 32 35 3S 41 44 47 48 48 50 52 55 XVlll CANNON AND CAMERA. After drill at Camp Black The quartermaster's and commissary's department Seventy-first Regiment, Camp Black . Ready for company mess, Seventy-first Regiment Camp Black ....... Company H, Seventy-first Regiment, packing up On a transport bound for Santiago The New Orleans ...... Admiral Sampson ...... Michigan volunteers landing from transports at Siboney ....... Massachusetts volunteers landing at Siboney . Cuban soldiers watching the United States troop bathing ....... Cuban troops marching into Siljoney Garcia's headquarters ...... Cuban scouts going on outpost duty . Siboney, showing mountain climbed by the soldiers The engineer corps landing supplies . General Shafter and his staff General Shafter's headquarters at Playa Fort El Pozo, showing heavy dew and atmospheric effect after a rainstorm Developing negatives . In Siboney harbour The Texas . The Gloucester in action Morro Castle, Santiago A scout hiding under palm leaves Guantanamo Bay, Camp McCalla in distance A typical Cuban soldiers' tent . First blockhouse at Siboney, where the American flag was hoisted ...... Cuban scouts concealed behind stumps of trees Pack-mule train on the march .... FACING PAGE 58 61 63 64 67 70 73 74 76 78 So 83 85 87 S8 92 95 98 100 103 107 109 112 114 117 119 121 122 125 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. XIX FACING PAGE Pack mule overcome by the heat while taking am munition to the front ..... Bill Hill's pack-mule train ready to move A camp at Las Guasimas ..... Cavalrymen preparing an early breakfast Regular officers in consultation .... Second United States cavalrymen turning out a reveille ........ The Sixth Infantry near San Juan Graves of the Rough Riders at Las Guasimas . The Seventy-first Regiment crossing the river at San Juan ....... Part of the Seventy-first Regiment, near El Pozo awaiting orders to the front In front of El Pozo ...... Rough Riders reconnoitring in front of El Pozo Cuban soldiers dodging shrapnel while looking for dead and wounded ..... Wounded of the Ninth Cavalry waiting for ambu lances ........ At the graves of the troopers of the Tenth Cavalry The fort and blockhouse at El Caney Spanish soldiers in the trenches at El Caney . Spanish prisoners captured at El Caney . Refugees on the way from Santiago to Siboney Seeking refuge before the bombardment . Colonel Roosevelt addressing the Naval Reserves at Fort Hamilton ...... Carrying a wounded officer to the hospital Major Wood, at Playa, directing disposition of the wounded ....... Wounded soldiers awaiting their turn at the operat ing tents ....... Cubans, near San Juan, carrying a wounded soldier to the rear . ...... 126 12S 130 132 134 137 139 141 142 144 147 151 158 161 165 169 172 175 176 iSi 1S4 186 18S 191 CANNON AND CAMERA. A wounded Rouf,'h Rider being helped to hospital by Cubans ....... Members of the Seventy-first Regiment searchin for sharpshooters ..... On the hunt for Spanish sharpshooters near Sa Juan ........ The town of El Caney the day after the battle . Spanish lieutenants on the way to General Shafter' headquarters ...... United States trooper and Cuban scouts trailin Spanish sharpshooters . The wreck of the Viscaya . The wreck of the Cristobal Colon The Oregon in fighting trim Cuban soldiers awaiting Spanish sailors An interior view of the wrecked Viscaya Starboard-bow view of the Viscaya . Our party capturing Spanish sailors . The wreck of the Oquendo The Maria Teresa .... Lieutenant Hobson and commission boarding th Maria Teresa ...... Interior view of the Maria Teresa The wreck of the Reina Mercedes Port-side view of the Maria Teresa, showing gun without breech blocks ..... The New York signalling off Santiago Rough Riders assembled at Camp Wikoff on day of arrival ......... General Wheeler and General Young at Camp Wikoff Colonel Roosevelt greeted by Mrs. John A. Logan on his arrival at Camp Wikoff .... The Rough Riders' first meal at Camp Wikoff . Lieutenants "Yale" Greenway and Woodbury Kane writing telegrams ...... FACING PAGE KJI 198 204 208 211 213 214 216 218 220 222 224 226 229 231 234 236 239 242 244 246 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. xxi PAGE Hospital tent, Camp Wikoff 248 Carrying away the sick and wounded at Camp Wikoff ......... 250 The Seventy-first Regiment leaving the train at Long Island City ....... 252 The Seventy-first Regiment on the ferryboat arriv- ing at the Battery ...... 254 Honours to the Seventy-first Regiment on Broadway 256 The Seventy-first Regiment on Fifth Avenue . . 258 The depleted ranks of the colour company, Seventy- first Regiment ....... 260 CANNON AND CAMERA. CHAPTER I. THE BLOWING UP OF THE MAINE. My arrival in Havana — The wreck of the Maine — Welcomed by Captain Sigsbee and Consul-General Lee— Hostility of the Spanish volunteers — Insults to T^mericans— An arrest and escape — Arrival of the Montgomery — The Board of In- quiry — The camera in the bull ring — With Senator Proctor among the reconcentrados — Brutal Spanish soldiers — Our train attacked by insurgents — I bribe the custom-house officers and depart with photographs of the forts. The cable despatch announcing the l)low- ing up of the battle-ship Maine in Havana har- bour on February 15, 1898, came to me as a great shock. Of all the vessels in Uncle Sam's navy, she was more endeared to me than any other. I had known all her crew, from Captain Crowninshield down to the youngest apprentice boy. The ofiticer with whom I was perhaps most intimate was Lieu- tenant Jenkins, and just before the sailing of 2 CANNON AND CAMERA. llic vessel from the I'-rooklyn Xavy Yard 1 had lunclied wilh him in tlie warth-ooni. He spoke cheerily ahoiu the war ship's mission, as was his custom. If he had any premonition of peril in the comins;- trip, he effectually con- cealed it from me. .\s we parted at the gang- way, he wrun_c: niy hand cordially and prom- ised to look me up at my studio on his return. Little did 1 think then that the next time I was destined to see him would be when his almost unrecognisable body was brought to the surface of the harboin" of Havana by an American diver. I was familiar with every inch of the Maine, having photograi)he(l her from nearly every effective standi)oint. J^ach successive telegram from the scene of the disaster was eagerlv scanned by me for news of my friends aboard, and 1 was much af- fected when the name of Lieutenant jeid that the I'asaje Motel was the only high-class hostelry in lla\ana. We had heard of the Inglaterra, but u]) to that time the fame of the Tasaje had not reached us. The en- treaties of mine host, howe\er, were so win- ning, and it wris apparent that he had so strong a ■■ pull " with all the officials, that I yielded to his blandishments, and was led o(T an easv prey, lie reminded me of the typical S])an- ish innkeeper. portra\ed so vi\idly in Gil Bias and I^on Ouixote. ilaj)pily, 1 was nt)t alone; THE BLOWING UP OF THE MAINE. 7 Others had joined me, ready hke myself to enchire with patience and philosophy any- thing that might befall. Our baggage was piled into one of those numerous mule wag- ons that swarm in every street, and we were ushered into a rather rickety coupe and started otT for the Pasaje. The first thing that struck me was the noticeable narrowness of the streets and the comparative absence of sidewalks. Obispo Street, through which we passed, was hung from side to side and end to end with what the natives were pleased to term their t^ag of " blood and gold." From every possible place the eye met the Spanish col- ours. Not a single Cuban flag was visible. x\fter passing through several streets crowded with queer-looking individuals, who seemed as though they would be benefited by a bath and a full meal, we arrived at the hotel. To us the landlord and his servants were all urbanity, bowing, scraping, and patting us on the back in a manner so effusive as to be offensive. We were shown to our rooms almost im- mediately. A l)ed surrounded by a mosquito 8 CANNON AND CAMERA. canopy occupied the middle of niv chamber. 'Ihi.s was (HscouraL;in^-. for if there is one in- .sect on earth wliich seems able to ])erforni cre(htal)]e sleuth work where 1 am the hunted object, it is the moscpiito. My room had no windows, a tiled floor, and a wooden ceiline^. It opened into a courtyard i)retty well hlled with .S])anis]i army officers, regulars and aux- iliaries. This liotel. by the way, was cpiite a liead(|uarters for the officers of tlie Havana vohinteers. Soon dinner was rumomiced. It was a puzzler for me. the bill of fare l)ein^- printed in .Spanish, and. as my Spanisli vocabulary was in inverse ratio to my appetite. 1 feared the worst. IIowe\er. 1 contri\ed to make known my wants to the waiter at our table. Idiis waiter was a character. While he served us with |»Teat j)oliteness, and was ol)se(|uious- ly ser\ile in our presence. 1 noticed that when lie went back to the kitchen a sinister sneer came over his swarthy countenance, which seemed to say, " ( )h. those pii^^s! " On my left and ri^ht, in front and behind, at nearly e\ery table in the restaurant, one or two Spanish ot'tlcers sat. The\' did not look as THE BLOWING UP OF THE MAINE. g though they were in Havana for war, but simply for pleasure. They were accom- panied by wives and sweethearts, friends and children, and were thoroughly enjoying themselves. The scene recalled the frivolities of Paris. After dinner I strolled up to the Casa Inglaterra. This hotel was the headquarters for the ol^cers and newspaper men in gen- eral, and everything that was going on was hrst known there. Having with me Secre- tary Long's letter to Captain Sigsbee, I went in search of him. On presenting my creden- tials, I cotild not help being impressed by his frank and earnest face, which bore well- defined traces of the fearful mental strain of the past few days. His was indeed an ardu- ous position, but he passed through the grim ordeal as a brave American sailor should, re- flecting credit on his coimtry and compelling the admiration of friend and foe. Captain Sigsbee knew that I had come to make photo- graphs for the Government. He told me that he would be pleased to help me in obtaining good pictures of the wreck of the Maine, and I am indebted to him and Lieutenant- lO CANNON AND CAMERA. Comniander W'ainwri^-ht, executive officer of the Maine, for many courtesies. At a tal)le in tlie dining room of the hotel sat General Fitzhugh Lee, the American con- sul general. When dinner was over and I had l)een presented to the general 1)\- one of the many newspaper correspondents. 1 took the opportunity to present a letter of intro- duction to him which I had from Mr. W. j. .\rkcll. The general shook me heartily by the hand. and. dul)l)ing me " captain." saitl that lie would be pleased to do anything he possiljly could for me. I felt at last as though I were at home again, and after a time I strolled hack to the Pasaje and went to bed. .\fter a good night's rest. I woke in the morning and came down to the breakfast room at al)()ul haH' past seven. onl\- to find that no breakfast was served so early. It is the Spanish custom to take but a cup of cof- fee, go to btisiness for two or three hours, ami to take breakfast at i i a. m. in Cuba scarce- ly any work is done in the middle of the day. the heat being so intense. Offices and l)anks close from i i a. m. until 2 \\ m. IffiiSISttM THE BLOWING UP OF THE MAINE. i i After breakfast I got my camera and plates together, and with my assistant stowed my- self away in a one-horse vehicle (my rever- ence for age debars me from attempting to describe it), which took us to the wharves and docks. There we found characters and scenes galore. I walked along the water front from the San Francisco dock to the Regla Ferry, making pictures of everything that struck my fancy. This part of Havana reminded me of ^^'est Street, Xew York. Here ships filled with all kinds of grain and provisions were being unloaded by Spaniards and Cubans. The rowdy element was pres- ent on all sides, and as I passed from dock to dock I not unfrequently heard the remark which translated means, " The dirtv Ameri- cans! " While they did not insult us openly to our face, sneers, jeers, and ridicule were everywhere encountered. My ignorance of the Spanish language prevented me from comprehending the mean- ing of their words, but I drew my conclusions from the malign expression of their counte- nances. \Xe came to a gang on a dock, all of whom pointed to the wreck of the Maine with 12 CANNON AND CAMERA. uiiniistakal)lc ])ri(lc. Ilicy niailc us under- stan could nut fail to realize the undercurrent of ill feel- ing;". I was one of the ])arl_\' on a (to me) memorable Sunday bound to the bullfit^ht with the intention of making photographs. I had applied to the management iur lea\e. The manager \-er}' t^ladly granted ])ermission. and told me that he wcnild do all he could to help me in my pur])ose. W hen the bullli^ht bc,L;an. the i^oaded bull was turned loose into the rin^', and 1 felt somewhat ner\-ous. 1 have photoL;raphed al- most e\erything from a doghi^ht to a funeral, but ne\er had I been so hii;'hly strung' and impatient as 1 was on this occasion. Know- in<;" that 1 was anions^' enemies, 1 tried by force of will to assure m\self that 1 was safe. The i)osition 1 had secured was favour- able in all but one ])articular, which was that the bull was all the time in the shade, instead of in the sun. To oN'ercome this it would be necessary for me to get into the ring: but I was told by the manager that he was liable to a tine if a pri\ate individual entered the ring during the light. 1 waited m\- oppor- tunit\- b\' the low fence which encircled the THE BLOWING UF OF THE MAINE. 29 ring, and, just as the matador was about to give the bull the final sword thrust. I leaped the fence, and before any one was aware of it had a splendid picture. This caught the crowd. Spaniards and Cubans, Americans and Englishmen — in fact, the entire audience — roared with laughter and gave me a hearty cheer. 1 was censured by the management and threatened with a heavy fine. Aly re- sponse was that the negative was worth it, and that if they wanted some good pictures I should be pleased to let them have them. That settled it. everything was lovely, and the game proceeded. In the judgment of experts who have taken part in these bull- fights, the pictures I secured that Sun- day were among the best ever made. Re- turning from the bullfight. I had ceased to be looked on as an enemy, and was quite a hero on the boat all the way to Havana. That evening I had the ])leasure of meet- ing one of Spain's greatest generals. Father Chidwick and I were invited through some Spanish friends to dine with General Arrolas at the house of Sehor Gonzales, the owner 30 CAXNOX AND CAMERA. of a lar<4'e tobacco warcliousc. llis family is among the most intUicntial in Ila\ana so- ciety, and it contains a charming young lady in the person of Sehorita Gonzales. General Arrolas is engaged to this beautiful girl, and it was rather amusing to see the old warrior enjoying I'atlier Gliidw ick"> ((uainl stories and my own costermonger songs through the medium of this charming intcr])retcr. It was e\-ident from the conxcrsatioii 1 had with the general that while he was not greatly em- bitteretl against the Americans, yet he con- sidered it his dut)- to stand up for the glory of Spain. 1 am indebted to Sehores Gon- zales and Gadalia for nuich information con- cerning Ctiba. W hen Senator Proctor arri\'ed in Havana to make his historic in\estigation of the con- dition of the reconcentrados, it was my ]jri\i- lege to accom])any him. 1 >a\\ all the hor- rors that existed in the hos])itals and among the reconcentrados of which Scn:ilor Proctor ga\'e a gra])hic report to Congress. 1 went with him to Matanzas, Pinar del Pio, and other points in the interior, and witnesse a s^reat nian\- ("nhan famihes who were fleeing front Havana, anticipating tronbles to come. W'lien we arrix'ed at (|narantine. in Xew \'ork harbour, we were placed under the re- strictions of the ti\e-(hiy rule, and had to report to the hoard of health to get otir re- lease. iJuring all this time things were growing warmer and warmer down Sotitli. Keports were freeh' and tre(|uentl\' circu- lated that (leneral I.ee had been assassinated, and that in disturbances created by the mob element anu)ng the Si)anish \olunteers American resident > had suffered. I ha\e ah'eady de>cribed the unruly ele- 40 SOLDIERS IN CAMP. 41 ment of the Spanish voktnteers, and shown their hostihty to the United States. Had they revenged themselves on General Lee, I should not have been surprised in the least. Those capable of blowing up the Maine would think nothing of killing a consul. As a matter of fact, the general's life was in con- stant peril as long as he remained in Ha- vana. His friends were disturbed in their minds until he had orders to quit. When General Lee and his party left Havana, a great many Americans and Cubans took their departure with him. Soon after this war was declared. In the meantime Uncle Sam had been making ready to meet the Spaniards. Camps were being established all over the country — at Hempstead, Long Island, Peekskill, Chickamauga, Tampa, Washington, Key West, and other places. The call by the President for volunteers was answered with remarkable alacrity. Our young patriots responded nobly. It was their first oppor- tunity to show the stuff they were made of, and right good stuff it was. The first camp I visited was Camp Black, 42 CANNON AND CAMERA. at Hempstead, Loi\g: Island. Here the \()1- unteer regiments of New \uvk State were being assembled preparatory to being shipped to the seat of war. This is where the Sev- enty-first, that gallant regiment, was first sent. Company 11 was sent down to organ- ize the camp and ])nt it into some "nd of condition. The\' worked with '.. ame might and will which they showffl at San |nan, and before they were ther lo" '.ley had a white-capped city of large and did proportions ready to receive the vo' "ers. Their troubles. howe\er. hail not yt. cc^n- menccd. St)on after their arrivrd the terrible wet weather set in. eciual in intensity to the L'nban rain\- season. Rainstorms and high winds deluged and blew down tents as fast as the\- were \n\\ up. Xight after night men were comi)clled to sleep on the wet ground in pools of water. This was but the first instance of criminal inefiiciency so pro- lific of mom-nfid results later on in the cam- j^aign. Cots were at a premium, and straw — even straw so cheap ancl so plentiful evervwhere — could not be had. The cause SOLDIERS IN CAMP. 43 I know not. What I know is that men slept or tried to sleep all the time they were in that camp with nothing in the way of bedding between them and the wet earth but their overcoats. Fever of the light malarial kind soon made itself manifest. Younr- men accustomed to the luxuries or comfc lL of life for the first time in their existence -^^-ere confronted with actual hard- ships, 'the nost harmful of which was sleep- ing iini'-nud puddles. They were ready and willir to make any sacrifices demanded by their country, and I was much impressed by their cheerful spirit, which rose exultant over all minor depressing circumstances. At this early stage of the campaign these generous souls were victims of departmental red tape and carpet-bagging corruption which were a disgrace to the Empire State. Our official incompetence has been duly exploited in our leading daily newspapers, not being one whit exaggerated, and the grim results now rankle in our hearts. Is the game worth the candle? Will this fearful lesson of inefficiency, un- paralleled since the Crimean War, teach the nation to do better in future? Will our 44 CANNON AND CAMERA. young men, with the cxi)ericnce of the Cul)an campaign so fre>h in their minds, resjjond with tlie same cheerfnl ahicrit\- to a new call f(M" \(»lunteers as did their hrcthreii to the patriotic missi\'e of {'resident Mckinley.'" Let us hope the\' will. .\mong the regiments at Camp I Hack were the Sevent\-tirst, I^'otnneenth, Forty- se\enth. Sixt_\-ninth, a ])ro\isional regiment. and cavalry troo])s .\ and C". which in all rep- resented, r shotdd estimate, a total of fi\-e thousand men. all at this time imder the connnand of ( ieneral Uoe. It nuist he re- memhered that these young and willing citi- zens had been taken frt)m comfortable homes to face inc\ital)le hardshi])S and perha])S death. The paltry sum receixed from the Cioxernment for their sei-\ice was certainl)- no inducement. In the various callings of ci\il life tlie emolnments are far larger, while the arm\- ration had no attraction to the man accustomed to a scpiare meal once a tlay. Men were detailed from the dilTcrent com- panies in camp to aid in the preparatit)n of the food at the (|nartermaster"s de])artmeiU. During their stay in camp the food was oi .^. \ TTS^^iJl.'?^^ V I QM-j "i \ *«»;v: '1 '.\ : X I SOLDIERS IN CAMP. 45 a fair fjuality — corned beef and cabbage, fresh beef several times a week, with good fresh bread and plenty of potatoes — plain food. ])nt wholesome, snitable for men in robust health. But even thus early in the campaign the sick suffered cruel privations, while those in good health endured much dis- comfort from the lack of necessary clothing. In the first place, no man should have been called upon to suft'er the hardships of camp life during the detestably wet weather which prevailed all the time they were there. This is especially true with regard to Xew York city, which is the proud possessor of so many costly armories — more than sufficient to ac- commodate all the regiments which were actually to serve as New York's quota. In these armories the men could have been in touch with their homes, and could have been better prepared for work in the field than at an ol3scure point on the line of the most decrepit of modern railroads. Take, for instance, the Forty-seventh Regiment of Brooklyn. This regiment was hauled off to the plains of Hempstead before its rolls were complete. There they waited in weeks of 46 CANNON AND CAMERA. wet weather before they had their ranks filled out. all the time sutTeriiii;- nnaecustonied hardships. W h\ eoiild not the authorities have withdrawn the^e men from the eamj) in Hempstead, and therel)y reetihed the error of judgment which sent them there, ])artieu- lail\ when the movement would ha\e been attended with less cx])cnsc, and drills could have been had in the armories which the weather ])re\ented at Hempstead? it is sit^- nilicant that ret^iments leaxin^- this cam]:) were sent away with half the men ha\inld man! 1 hear you ha\e been trying to stop BOMBARDMENT OF MORRO CASTLE. 113 Spanish bullets, and were successful. I trust you have passed the worst, and that you may never again experience what you did in the battle with the Rough Riders at Las Gua- simas. I trust you may have a speedy re- covery. Keep up a good heart, and reserve the cot next to yours for me, as I may be with you l)efore long. I am, etc." This remark proved to be prophetic, for in the first day of the next battle Mr. Creel- man was wounded very severely while enter- ing the l3lockhouse at El Caney and hauling down the Spanish flag. He was carried to the Olivette and placed on the cot next Mr. Marshall's. Chums in time of peace, they occupied adjoining cots in a time of mutual distress. CHAPTER \ni. AMONG THE CUBAN PICKETS. Warfare of Cubans and Spaniards — Our men surprised while bathing — A battle in undress — We repulse the attack — I )isguises and ambushes. After shellini^- the shore batteries and the blockliouses at Guantanamo, the navy sent a landing party ashore from the ships. These men were landed in cjuite an unknown region. Just l)chind the lii^ii ridi;"e of moun- tains which skirted the shore portions of the Spanish forces were encountered. During the shelling of (luantanamo the Spaniards fell back and concentrated llicir forces at a ])oint not far removed from the landing i:»lace. The method of warfare with which our soldiers were here opposed was ([uitc novel and verv destructive. The Sjxanish soldiers —and the C'ul)ans. too — practise the same means of deceptii^n. They cover themselves with large palm leaves or other dense foliage, 114 Copynght, 1898, by W. R. Hearst. A scout hiding under palm leaves. AMONG THE CUBAN PICKETS. 115 and in many instances they tie large portions of the high grass around tlieir Ijodies so as to prevent detection. By this means they effectually disguise themselves, and by stealthy crouching come into close quarters with the enemy before detection. While the l^alm trees offer no protection, they take all they can from other trees, such as the niango and others of a low bushy habit. They hide themselves in the branches and obtain an elevated view, from which it is easy for them to get a range of a mile or a mile and a half. It must l)e understood — and it is a fact not appreciated by most Americans — that the trials of our forces in this campaign were not few. It was not like the war of 1861, where open fields and large plains of prac- tically flat country were the battle grounds of the contending armies. In Cuba, warfare was on different lines, for there the fighting was conducted in a rolling country, at times swampy, and covered with tropical jungles. At one time the men would be fighting on the side of a mountain, and the following day they would be contending in the valley below, so that it can Ije seen that the advantao-e of Il6 CANNON AND CAMERA. open fi.G^htins;' was not lia had not gone far before we came to the place where the refugees from El Caney. Santiago, and other places in the I^O CANNON AND CAMERA. ncii;iil)()uiiu)()(l had found sliclUT under the ini])r()viscd tents and larL;e ti-ee> wliicli f^Tow in this low \-alley. 1-lverv one that passed alcjns;- this trail was greeted with more or less couunouplace recot^nition l)\' Citltans — men. women, and children. As 1 passed by some of them and saw strt)nj4-. aj^parently aijle-hodied men, I thotiL^ht how strano-c it seemed that these hii;-. lustv fellows should he lyin^- around in the shade in a manner apparently listless ;md unconcerned as to what was about to occtn-. while our men had travelled from Iwo to four thousand miles in some instances to flight for the freedom of the country to which these loungers belonged. It appeared to me that if these people were so anxious to have freedom from the thralldom of the Spanish yoke, and an o])portunity to repay the Span- iards in the same coin they had received from them in the way of cruel and unjust treat- ment, that here was a s])lendid op])ortunity which thev were neL^lectim;-. Instead of tak- iui;- u]) arms and li^htin^- the enemies of their countrv. they were ])ermittim;- disinter- ested friends of humanit\' to take all the suf- THE SIEGE OF SANTlACiO. 141 fering necessary to free them. And yet might not this very torpor of better feelings and conscience indicate the degraded state of ignorance they had been brought down to by tlie imposition of state and Church, and lience entitle them all the more to our sympathy? Perhaps they thought they had done their share for their country's freedom, and now that they were within hailing dis- tance of provisions to be had for the asking they imagined it useless to continue the struggle any longer. We continued our journey beyond and travelled some miles before we reached the junction in the road where the Rough Riders met with such dire misfortune. This place is called Las Guasimas. There are no dwell- ings or houses inhabited by any one around. The distillery where the S])aniards made their last rally can be seen in the distance over a small ridge of mountains. Here we passed the graves of the gallant troopers who died in this grand charge, beyond which we came to a trail leading toward Playa. The regiments which had been encamped on this or-round a dav or two before had taken 142 CANNON AND CAMERA. Up their tents and exacitated. It seenied rather lonesome as the sun slow!)' made its wav above the horizon, as though something big had happened, and given to this place a desolate and empt\' air. 'I'here was some- thing wanting. On the left and right of us the place had been occu])ied b\' the Xinth. I'wenty-fourth, Sixteenth, and Se\ent_\-lirst Regiments, and some troops of cavalry. Xow all were gone. Gone where? (jone closer to their enemies; working up to a ])osition which brcnight them face to face with those men Spain had sent there to teach the "' \'ankce pigs '" h<»\v not to meddle with lighting men, and wIkj had boasted so loudK' of their undx'ing bra\'- ery and efticienc)-. If. as historians ha\e re- ])orte(l, this race of people has done so much in the way of reUing upon their honour and bra\er\- and the justice of tlu'ir cause, why did the\- allow oiu" little l)od_\- of men to en- croach u])on the ground which tlic\- could not hold long enough to intrench tlK'm>cl\cs upon, because the acti\ity of the American forces made them retreat hurriedb' tt) theii" town and its fortitications? Sureh' thev i J' u u C l; » C \ ^ tr. # THE SIEGE OF SANTIAGO. 143 might have made a bolder stand and not have allowed ns to approach so near to the key of the situation- — Santiago. From Siboney to Santiago the distance is abont twelve miles. Our troops were now eight or nine miles from Siboney, which l)rought them within three miles of Santi- ago. The first, second, and third brigade of this army corps were now being formed into a crescent, which crescent was stead- ily advancing toward the intrenched posi- tion of the l)ravest troops of Spain. We had now gone about five or six miles; we were between Las Guasimas and Playa. On the right of us was a cavalry troop now breaking camp. I heard the bugle calling the men to "Attention!" The last note of the bugle was scarcely sounded before everv man was beside his trusted steed, carbine slung on the side, a revolver in his belt, all ready to mount. Once more the bugle sounded, and all threw themselves sprightly and alertly into the saddle. The command was given, "Forward!" and by fours they came down in front of us, blocking our way for a time. We halted to see these a'allant 144 CANNON AND CAMERA. fellows pass us and take position (^n the road. We followed alons^ in the rear of this troop until we reached (Jeneral Shafter's head(|uar- ters. Arrived tliere. we unloaded wliat stuff we had. includin<,^ the tent and eatables, and left our mule tied to a tree where we ex- ])ccted to pitch our camp that nis^ht. 1 then made for headquarters, with Mr. Hearst and Mr. Follansbee, to find out where and when the balloon was likely to go up. We were just as eager to find out as yokels at a coun- tr\' fair, where balloon ascensions are adver- tised as the main attraction. 1 was told that the balloon in charge of the general's start' was already a mile or two in advance. Hear- ing this, we proceeded toward El Pozo as fast as we could, and we had not gone \erv far before we saw the balloon in the air in front of us. Confound it! I thought, here is the chance of my life which I lia\c missed, a chance where possiI)]\- 1 migin have been of \alual)le as.sistance to our army; but I was doomed to disappointment. As we followed along in the wake of the men who were handliuL:' this balloon, I found it was not f^opyrigit, 189S, by W. R. Hearst. Part of the Seventy-first Regiment, near El Pozo, orders to the front. awaiting i i THE SIEGE OF SANTIAGO. 145 likely I should have a chance to ascend in it. It was now at a considerable height, and the men were making- their ol)servations in a businesslike manner, dlie balloon was han- dled by a detachment of eight or ten men, who held on to a light ])ole or spar about twenty feet long, to which were attached the guide ropes of the balloon. Thus the men carried it along from one point to an- other. Before long the balloon descended in order that the men might receive further instructions, about which I know nothing. 1 made all possible haste to ascertain its cor- rect location, but failed to do so. Shortly after the reascension the Spaniards thought our people had been ballooning quite long enough, and that it was time to choke ofif the play, so their infantry and artillery con- centrated their fire on it, and, after the bal- loon had been punctured quite frequently, it was drawn down and seen no more dur- ing the attack on Santiago. As we passed along the narrow trail which was the main road to the sugar house on the way to San Juan, it was filled with infantry and artillery troops. The men 18 14^ CANNON AND CAMERA. seemed an.\i()U> aiibe we will «'et it ne.xt. but 1 bet >omeb«-)dy gets it ivom THE SIEGE OF SANTIAGO. 159 me first! " Nothing daunted these men, for they jumped right into the place left vacant by a dead or wounded comrade. In travelling down the narrow trail on the right of the Seventy-first Regiment I came across two wounded men who were lying apparently lifeless. I had some of the bandages which are supplied among the arti- cles of use in first aid to the wounded, which I applied as best I could. After doing this, and stopping the rush of 1)lood, one of the men asked me to sit him up against an old tree stump. He said, " I know you can not take care of me, but put me against that tree in a position where I can see around me, and give me my gun and I will take my chances." I did as best I could for this poor fellow, the bullets meanwhile whistling around in close proximity. I did not know whence these bullets came, but I thought from their direction that they must have come from our troops, although the line of battle was fully a quarter of a mile in advance. I turned to leave this man, thinking that the Red Cross aids would soon come along, as l6o CANNON AND CAMERA. they were doin^' q-ond work among" the wounded, when 1 lieard a cry of as^ony. and I turned and saw tliis man fall face down to the earth, lie had been >hot, as 1 foimd later on. clean throui;"h the temple. These promiscuous shots, we found later. came from the sharpshooters, wlio were thick- ly planted in the trees all around the field of action. Se\errd instances ha\e been re- corded which did not come tmder ni}- per- sonal notice, but which 1 know to be facts, of many of the doctors and ived Cross nurses and aids who were attending to the wounded on the battlefield ha\-ing' been shot bv these treacheroits and cruel Spanish sharpshooters in the trees. Idie Rt^d Cross on a luan's arm ga\'e no inununit_\- against bullets when the wearer was an American, but rather seemed to invite these creatures to show their l)ru- talitw h'ollowing .along in the rear of the Third r.rigade. 1 made u]) m\- mind that I wanted some pictures, and 1 wanted them badly; btit no one can conceixe the dilTicul- ties of m.aking pictures of men in action, ])ar- ticularly where they are continually covered with dense clouds of sulphurous smoke. On THE SIEGE OF SANTIAGO. i6i several occasions I had very advantageous positions for securing good photos. In crossing the river early in the morn- ing- I had marched along with the Seventv- first Regiment of New York for quite a dis- tance; when we branched off for El Pozo I left them. Later in the morning, as I have said before, I followed in the rear of the Third Brigade, and came close up to where the Seventy-first New York Volunteers were now engaged in deadly combat. The fire w^as galling. It was simply awful, but I made my- self feel as much at home as I possibly could. I was directly on the right wing of this regi- ment, and saw them at close range during part of the time they were in action. A short time before noon I was peering through my glasses when I saw one or two companies in advance of the remainder of the regiment. I could not quite understand how this was, when suddenly I saw a halt in the advance of these men. They were de- ployed as skirmishers, and were sending in a galling fire upon the enemy which was very effective. These two companies had the old type l62 CANNON AND CAMERA. of powder, and every time they fired a shot it made a target at which the enemy aimed. I could see the officers every now and then runnini;' up and down the Hue of lire, urging the men o!i, when suddenly everything seemed to 1)ecome (|uiet. Presumably the officers had been killed or wounded, for I could no longer see any officer in charge of these two companies, now numbering be- tween one hundred and one hundred and fifty men, when suddenly 1 saw this group of men rise as if out of the earth and retreat to the rear in order to connect themselves with the main body of the regiment. As soon as these men raised themselves so that thev showed slightly above the high grass, the enemy's sharpshooters concentrated their lire upon them. Finding themselves in an ex]:)osed ])osition, they made as hasty and orderly a retreat as was i)ossible. Reaching the main Ixxly of their regiment, they im- mediately rallied and came uj) with their com- rades, fighting as they had done before. I have an impression from what I saw here — my opinion being formed from mv ex- perience as a national guardsman — that THE SIEGE OF SANTIAGO. 163 these men, finding themselves in an exposed position and without officers or support, de- cided that it was better to fall back where they could get officers to take command, and thereby obtain the assistance which was ab- solutely necessary in this instance. I feel positively assured that as these men came back they got, in a great measure, mixed up with the Sixteenth and other regiments, whose officers took charge of them, and went back to the firing line with them. Anything such as these men l)ecoming stampeded and showing the white feather is absolute folly. It was simply a case of no leader, and that there was no leader on hand was no fault of theirs. The men of the Seventy-first for their gallantry during the day's fight received high praise from the regular officers. That those brave fellows should have been accused of cowardice by irresponsil)le idlers was a cruel calumny, to be refuted when the truth became known. CHAiTEK Xii. THE CHARGE AT EL CANEY. Heroism of our colored troops — Bold dash for the fort — A correspondent's wound — A non-combatant's prisoners — Victory at last — Some unexpected horrors. Leaving the First Mivision of the Fifth Army Cor])s, we niahmen at a cotuitv fair, who, armed with shillalahs, crack every head ahove the horizon. But these men. on the whole, certainly were mer- ciful. As soon as the order was sounded ever\- man was ujion his mettle and the wounded were cared for and the others dis- armed at the earliest possible moment. ( )n the right, and where the charge was made by the Seventh or Seventeenth (I can not say positively which; 1 think both), on the blockhouse on the heights of the hill was a fort, and James Creelman was the first to gain this fort. He rushed in, backed up l)y several of our troopers, and. grasping the halvards of the torn and tattered Spanish Hag, he ])nlled it down and told the luen in the iovi that if the)- did not stirrender they would be shot down. As he was about to leave the fort ami call io the troops to come THE CHARGE AT EL CANEY. 171 forward, a Mauser bullet from some unknown source struck this brave newspaper corre- spondent in the left arm. The ball shattered his shoulder blade and came out of his back just under the shoulder. A corporal from the Seventh Regiment caught him as he was about to fall and carefully laid him down, when his friends arrived and carried him to a place of safety. All was now excitement in and around this fort. Shots quite numerous were being fired from the town, until a com- pany had to be sent there to capture or kill whoever refused to surrender to the Ameri- can forces. It was now becoming quite late, and cloudy in the extreme. In fact, for the past two hours the weather had not been good for making photographs. But what a dehght- ful scene this would have been! Here the pen had the advantage of the camera's eye. What an inspiring picture to have impressed upon a negative — the soldiers making this noble charge! Fate, however, was against me. After getting the details of the battle and the story from Mr. Creelman as he lay 172 CANNON AND CA.MKKA. wounded on a litter. Mr. Hearst inmiediatcly made for Siboney with his report, so as to get it off to his paj^er at the earUest possible moment. I\Ir. Follansbce was anxious to do something-, although a non-combatant and one who had gone out merely for adventure. He eagerly volunteered to go with twenty- five men and search the \'illage and take all the Spaniards found who had been combat- ants. Speaking the Spanish language quite lluently. and having boys behind him made of the right stuff', they were just adapted for this work. They went from house to house, taking prisoners here and there. At one dwelling they found standing outside the door five or six ?\lauser ritles — a sign that their owners had surrendered. The ca\alry- men who accompanied Mr. Follansbee, with their revolvers drawn, were quite energetic in searching e\'cry little nook and corner where it w;is ])()ssil)le for men to be hidden. Several of the men who had been defending the trenches and l"'l C'aney against our forces that da\- had hurriedly retreated to the houses where their families were and changed their clothing, so that they looked spick. THE CHARGE AT EL CANEY. 173 span, and innocent when found, but they were known by the Cubans to have been engaged on the other side a short time be- fore. For this reason they became our pris- oners. In entering one house, which was a httle dry-goods store, the woman in charge was so frightened in anticipation of some harm com- ing to her that she brought out several bot- tles of wine to give to our troopers. They politely excused themselves and went for- ward on their errand. Finding a door that was barred and locked very securely, they asked the woman for the key. She told them she had no key; they told her that unless the door was unlocked they would batter it down. She then said there was no one there. Mr. Follansbee ordered the troopers to batter down the door, and, with a cocked revolver and a lighted candle in hand, he peered into the darkness of the cupboard and discovered five Spanish gentlemen, all, of course, full to the brim with bravery and honour, hiding from the inevitable. They were pulled out unceremoniously and placed with the rest of the prisoners. IJ4 CANNON AND CAMERA. The prisoners were being marched down a back hme when they were accosted by a coloured Cuban, who went in among them and grasped their hands quite warmly. Mr. Follansbee, thinking this man might be one of their number, took him prisoner also, for be it known that a great many Cubans as well as Spaniards were fighting against our forces. Every man or boy that was able to carry a machete or handle a rifle was forced to declare for one side or the other. Thus we were not fighting the Spaniards alone, Ijut Cubans wIk^ were Spanish sympathizers. When this Cul)an black was taken as a pris- oner he resented it very strongly, and, with uplifted head and eyes rolled up toward the sky, he uttered the most frightful yell I ever heard. He called to his God for protection, and uttered the most imearthly cries it was ]:>ossible to imagine. \\ hen ordered to desist from this air-tearing iiractice. he declared he was a Cuban officer. When asked to show his conunission, he plunged his hand down into his pocket and dre\v forth a dirty parchment, and ])ro\ed that he was an ofiicer belonging to the Cuban arm\". THE CHARGE AT EL CANEY. 175 This was a strange case, to say the least, but it was explained afterward that previous to our invasion the Spanish and Cuban of- ficers had been known to be on quite friendly terms, and it was not an infrequent occur- rence for these officers to spend the days and evenings in social games of one kind or an- other. The capture of El Caney revealed many horrors. It was not only the refugees who suffered. My heart bled for our own brave men. Clad in uniforms utterly unsuitable for tropical climates, the heat of the sun com- pelled them to throw aside their kits and blankets when the order to engage was given. When the cold night dew fell on them they had nothing to protect them. Chills and fever resulted. The hospital serv- ice was pitiably inadequate. The IMauser bullet was in a great measure responsible for this. Under the old system of fighting there were four wounded to one killed. Under the sway of the ]\Iauser there were nineteen wounded to one dead. The wounded require care; the vultures look after the killed. This unexpected number of 176 CANNON AND CAMERA. wounded heavily taxed our hospital re- sources. It is a ])ainful subject to dwell on. That our sick and wounded slept in swamps with- out shelter is too true. That our camps were unsanitary, that disinfectants were sorely lacking, is also beyond dispute. The theo- retical camps on pai)er. where all precautions were to be taken for preserving the health of our troops, proved to be myths. The regu- lations concerning the boiling of water be- fore drinking, the disinfection of the trenches, the prevention of men from sleeping on the bare ground, were all disregarded, the result being the popular indignation now raging as I write. If these battle-field and camp hor- rors of llie American Army are the outcome of the regime of politics, then let politics have a needed and thorough shaking u]). Let the field artillery commence a bombanl- ment of the rascals and blow them out of existence, as they deserve. The sight of the refugees at El Caney was most harrowing. Wounded and starv- ing men dragging themselves twelve miles from the front to the hospital at Siboney, Copyright, 1898, by \\ . R. Hearst. Seeking refuge before the bombardment. ii THE CHARGE AT EL CANEY. 177 dying l^y the wayside, and becoming- prey for the vultures and buzzards, was bad enough. But when it is borne in mind that women, old and young, wath children, from babes in arms to their teens, formed part of the same mournful procession, the hor- rors accumulate. They had fled from Santi- ago in dread of bombardment. The vultures had a grim and terrible banquet. CITArTr'.U XTIT. OUR BOLD ROUGH RIDERS. Colonel Roosevelt as a fighter— He inspires his brave men- Heroes in the field — Sad scenes in the hospitals — Crimi- nal incompetence or what ? — Burial of a soldier without benefit of clergy. Tx the progress of the battles on July ist and _h1 a great many deeds of heroism came to mv notice. The men were told l)efore going into battle that their one mission and aim was to kill, to defeat the enemy, no mat- ter wdiat the consequences, as long as it was done in an honourable way. This admoni- tion was in every sense of the word strictly and religiously adhered to by our troops so far as I know; but. oh, how freciuently the rules and customs of civilized nations for reg- ulating warfare were violated by the dons! Soon after the engagement of Jtdy ist. and e\en before the men were actually called to the line of battle, the shrapnel was doing its OUR BOLD ROUGH RIDERS. lyg deadly work in our lines. Men waiting their turn to be ordered to the fighting hne to do execution on the enemy were smote down by the shrapnel and stray bullets, whose fire they could not return. It was interesting and sad to see the men brought in to the field hospital in the rear of the line. The first wounded man who came under my notice was a Rough Rider, who had been on the second skirmish line, but not on the fighting line that day, being held in reserve. While acting as supports to the left of the First Brigade shrapnel were drop- ping around in large numbers from the ene- my's artillery, fragments of which when they burst maimed and wounded quite a few of the Rough Riders. During this period of wait- ing Colonel Roosevelt was going up and down the line of his regiment, seeing that his men were ready and thoroughly equipped for immediate action should they be called into play. This man is a wonder in many ways. He seemed to be absolutely ignorant of the nature of fear, and regarded the entire situa- tion as but belonging to the conmionplace as he went swinging up and down the line, stop- l8o CANNON AND CAMERA. \nni^ here and tlierc t(i make a remark to one of his officers. W lu'U he observed a face turned to liim with an in(|tiirinL;- look, he would g"i\e a nod ot recognition. He said to his men: "' PjOvs. this is the dav we repeat what we lia\e done Ijefore. ^'()U know we are surrounded 1)\' the regu- lars. They are round us thick and heavy. Don't forget where you heloUL;'. Don't for- get what you are fighting for. 1 )on't forget. bovs, that \()ur reward is not in the inune- diate pre.sent, but think of what will come in the future." To me Colonel l\oose\elt a])|)eared to be in thorotigh tcnich with e\ery man in his com- mand, and really he seemed to ha\e a personal ac([iiaintance with e\ery man from major to cofTee grinder. He had gained the esteem and confidence of e\ery man in his regiment. He had made himself "" one of the bo\'s." and the}' knew it. and 1 was certain that, no mat- ter where this man would lead them, they would follow, regardless of what the results might be. 1 le ini]>arted to his men tiiat won- derful determination and courage which he himself ])ossesses, and which is contagions OUR BOLD ROUGH RIDERS. I8l under the inspiration of a born leader. The possession of this attribute assures victory. It is beyond description. Only those who saw and felt it could understand his influ- ence. It did not need a command through a megaphone and a shout and flash of the sword to get the men to move, but the simple wave of his hand was sufficient for e^•ery man who could see him to know that he 'was going ahead and that he wanted them to follow, it mattered not where. As I observed Colonel Roosevelt thus going among his men. inspiring them with the same burning enthusiasm with which his whole being was aglow. I was reminded of a memorable event some months before in which he was the central figure. The scene was Fort Hamilton, New York harbour, and the occasion was the calling out of the New York naval militia for its annual parade and inspection. Colonel Roosevelt was at that time Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and was making things " hustle " with his usual dash. The men were formed in hollow square, and the colonel delivered one of his charac- l82 CANNON AND CAMERA. teristic speeches, full of patriotic fire. He reminded the younj;- men whom he addressed that there was a good deal of dilYercncc be- tween '■ funning " and fighting ; that, while the Government was pleased to afTord a little aquatic amusement and diversion to the mili- tia in time of peace, it would demand in re- turn nuich self-sacritice. devotion, and endur- ance when the dogs of war were let loose. All this he jerked out in short ejaculatory sentences, emphatic and epigrammatic. He impressed me as being dead in earnest. From that hour 1 respected Colonel Roosevelt. It had been said before the first battle in which these Rough Riders took part that the men were doubtless si)]endi(l fighters, but fighters who were ])roficient chielly in their individual capacity. It was predicted that collectivelv they would n(U do braver or more ef^cient dut\- than other men. for the reason that they were not cai)able of org;uii/.ation and effective united action — in a word, that each man would tight for himself. 'Idiis did not pro\ e to be correct, for e\er\- man stood ])racticall\- shoulder to shoulder with his com- rade, and when an order came to adxance or OUR BOLD ROUGH RIDERS. 183 charge or fire it was done as by one man, and nothing could have been more precise and miHtarv than all the movements of the Roueh Riders in every instance. Along the road leading to San Juan early in the morning it was my chance to meet one of the Rough Riders, who was being helped along by two men. As he approached me I levelled the camera at him, and made my first shot at a wounded American. \Mien he came by me he said: " I think I am a poor subject. I am certainly an un- lucky one." I said, " How is that, messmate? " " Why," he replied, " I haven't had a chance to fire a shot. I was simply lying there when I got touched." " Are you hurt very much? " " Oh, no; this arm, however, refuses to do duty, and I must now report to the man of pills and lotions and let him find out what is the matter." A little farther on I met several Cubans who had improvised a stretcher made from a piece of canvas stretched over the limb of a tree. In this arrangement they were carrying 1 84 CANNON AND CAMERA. a wounded officer, and tlicy had already car- ried him ])ossihly a mile. After making- a ])iclnre of this curious incident, as the of^cer was in terril)le agony. 1 volunteered my service to help them along a little. I took hold of one end of the litter while the two Cubans took the other, and we hastily car- ried the officer toward the hosi)ital. Suddenly he opened his eyes and saw me, and said : " My friend, I am afraid I shall never reach the hospital. Won't you please let me rest here? " I asked him where he had been shot, and he answered. " In the side." I asked him if he had been bandaged, and he said: " Xo; but I have my hand on the place, and 1 dare not let it go, for 1 fear I should bleed to death." This of^ccr to my knowledge held his hand upon this wound, niade by a Mauser bullet, while he was being carried a distance of two miles. Such cases. howe\er, were not frequent, for generally whenever a man got woimded some of the Red Cross aids were soon close bv in attendance. They 1)andaged the men in the best way they could uiuil the field ambulances came aU)ng and took them u OUR BOLD ROUGH RIDERS. igc to the hospital. At the hospital on the first day when the wounded arrived the scene was one of total confusion. Thev were scarcely ready at that time for the work of healing and attending the w^ounded. Operating sur- geons were very scarce, and, while Major Wood was turning everything almost upside down in order to make the men comfortable, it was absolutely beyond his power to do them all service. In some instances anaes- thetics were administered by persons ignorant of their use. Our losses were very heavy, for the stream of wounded men being brought in was almost continuous. There were several operating tents, each with two or three operating tables in them, and these tables were all occupied until long into the night. Amputations and minor surgical operations were numer- ous. The heat of the day was awful. A driver of a provision wagon who had brought in a load of wounded men from the front, and had left them before one of the operat- ing tents at the First Division Hospital, before taking his seat on the wagon to go out for another load went to his fore horse 22 1 86 CANNON AND CAMERA. to adjust some little (lisarrangement of the harness, when I saw him suddenly wa\er and fall almost at my feet. This man had been doing heroic duty in helping the wounded to the place where they would receive atten- tion and be cared for when he was suddenly overcome by sunstroke. This seemed a pity, but it was the fortune of war. In a moment another man was at the ambulance, up on the seat, and off with the wagon as though noth- ing had hap])ened. Helping hands raised the poor stricken dri\-er, took him to a shady nook, and there accorded him attention. While taking a picture at one of the op- erating tents of a man's leg being amputated, I had made two j)lates when suddenly I heard loud sobs. 1 turned to ask my assistant, Jim, for another holder, when I noticed tears streaming down his cheeks, his whole l)ody shaking and trembling. Seeing that he was about to fall, I gi'asped him and asked him the cause of his trouble. " Jack," he said, " I can stand to see these men shot. I saw them fall in battle; but this is something beyond my endurance." With that he colla]:)sed into my arms. It OUR BOLD ROUGH RIDERS. 187 was not the sight of a single amputation which taxed his powers, but the other scenes of the poor, helpless wretches sitting around and biding their time for an opportunity to come under the edge of the knife or the grind- ing teeth of the surgical saw with an expect- ancy and desire as strong apparently as that of the gallery gods at the side ^loor of a popu- lar playhouse waiting the hour \\ ,- they can be admitted to purchase their tickets and see the performance. They were all anxious to have it over, and in some cases they displayed eagerness to undergo an operation which meant either Hfe after suffering or death while suffering great pain. After a man left the hands of the surgeon he was taken out from the operating tent an'' ^jlaced in ' jceiving tent, where he was supposed to get the necessary care and nour- ishment which his case required. As I went among these brave heroes, I was asked time and time again for a " drinl- something that would buoy them up, something that would give them a little iife. This v sadly want- ing in this ^■'-st Division Hospital. A man after un'ing from the Brook- lyn, the Hagship of Admiral Schley, for Ad- miral Sampson was al)sent, having gone to the eastward as far as Siboney to have a con- sultation with (ieneral Shaft er; therefore the duty of destroying the Spanish fleet fell to Admiral Schley and the captains of the vari- ous shi])s, and how admiral )l}- thev did it the world knows. The last time I saw the Ocpicndo and the \'iscaya was the evening u])on which I sailed out of Haxana harbour and so defiantly wa\ed the Stars and Stripes of America. Xow they were about to do what brave Ca])tain Eulatc had said when he \isited Xew York some time ])rior to the declaration of war — namelw that if the time e\er came to show the power of the N'iscaya, the .\merican j^eo- THE GREAT NAVAL BATTLE. 209 pie would be surprised at her efficiency; but, alas! she was doomed to a sad fate, and Eu- late to a like disappointment. Whatever his plans or whatever the ideas of victory the Spaniards nursed within their swarthy breasts were soon brought to naught. At the time the fleet emerged from be- yond the fortress of the ^lorro the ships seemed to be heading for the gallant cruiser Brooklyn. It looked as though thev intended to concentrate their force on this fast cruiser, crush her by overwhelming odds, and then speed oft' with what remained of their fleet, leaving the slow-going battle ships to follow- after them as they disappeared. But it takes two to make a plan, and the more is this to be considered when the two concerned are not on terms of amity. They had heard of the Brooklyn's speed; they knew of her ef- fectiveness; they knew she was their main op- ponent; and they thought that by disabling or destroying her they might make their escape. From us, a long distance away on the Sylvia, it appeared that they were mak- ing directly for the Brooklyn, with the inten- tion of annihilating her before she had a 2IO CANNON AND CAMERA. chance to recoxcr from the first surprise and onslaui^ht. Ikit soon this seemingly hazard- ous position was changed into one of ag- gressive activity. Captain Cook, of the Brooklyn, was not to be caught napping, but by a series of splendid manoeuvres he got the Brook]}!! into a position where she be- came a formidable aggressor instead of the object of attack. Things changed in such short order that it was absolutely impossible for one like myself, unaccpiainted with na\"al tactics and evolutions, to comprehend the ob- ject and i)urpose of the movements, and yet how plain the advantage when it was all com- pleted! At a distance of three or four miles 1 watched the annihilation of this Cape de Verde fleet. Coming out of the harbour of Santiago, the following order was observed: The first ship flying Spain's flag was the Maria Teresa, the flagshi]) of Admiral Cervera. She was fol- lowed l)\- the X'iscaya, the Cristobal Colon, the Almirante Ocjuendo, and the two torpedo boats. Furor and IMuton. As soon as they were outside Morro the\' oi)cncMl tire. 1 he forts assisted the fleet, and it seemed to (»:>; ner w ■^ 'i ? 9 f *"**■ 'i?ia|| THE GREAT NAVAL BATTLE. 21I me as though the American squadron was doomed to serious loss. They exchanged shots in rapid succession, when all at once the Spanish fleet altered their course and made off to the westward in an attempt to escape. They had not proceeded more than three or four miles before the ]\Iaria Teresa was in a helpless condition and made for the beach. The men under Admiral Cervera on the ]\Iaria Teresa fought gallantly, as far as we could see. After she had surrendered and the Gloucester had run the two torpedo boats ashore, the Oquendo quickly followed, and, after an unequal battle. Captain Eulate, of the \"iscaya, was compelled to do likewise. This left but the Colon, and the Brooklyn was in hot pursuit of her, the Oregon and the Texas also following. This was a most rapid chase, and a slow boat was nowhere in it, and could not even keep sight of these flying ocean batteries. As the Brooklyn bounded after the Colon, it was a sight to make glad an American soul. She abso- lutely leaped through the water at a speed almost unknown hitherto ; flames poured forth from her smokestacks, and it was evi- 212 CANNON AND CAMERA. dent tliat the men in llie lire wnnu were doino- their (lnt\- like true men on this occa- sion. It seemed as tlmuuh they were pour- ing oil on the coals instead of ordinary fuel, so as to get all possible speed out of the ves- sel. 1\'ilk about having a hone in her teeth- she had several. Captain Cook did not in- tend to lose this pri/.e. therefore all steam and power were ])ut on. The men at the batteries were firing as they gradually closed in on her, when suddenly they came abreast and the second.arv batteries of the Ih'ooklyn could be seen pouring a most destructive tu'e into the Si)aniar(l. After a chase of about two hours and a half the Colon was cornered, and at about half past one she ran her bows on the beach at Rio Tarcjuino, about tifty miles from San- tiago. Captain Cook sent a boat to the Colon to receive the surrender. The captain of the Colon asked him under what ccMidi- tions the surrender was retjuired. The reply called for an unconditional surrender. The Spaniards then gave three cheers for the brave .1 inrricdiios. and the crew of the Brooklvn answered back with three hearty 25 THE GREAT NAVAL BATTLE. 213 cheers for the Spaniards. When the men were taken prisoners and removed to the dif- ferent boats a great many of the men and of^cers were taken on board the Resohite, formerly the Ward Line steamship York- town, other prisoners being sent to the flag- ship New York and the Vixen. The New York, Texas, and Oregon stood by the de- feated ship for some hours, the Brooklyn leaving in a hurry, as she had received word from some source or another that a Spanish war ship was seen to the southward. Her men were hastily called to quarters, and they were prepared for another battle, only to find after a long run that the boat sighted was not a Spanish, but an Austrian cruiser. The Oregon returned then to Santiago. On her way back I had the pleasure of making one of the most striking pictures of a battle ship that it has been my pleasure and good for- tune to take. The men were all in high glee and the ship was in fighting trim, and she looked the very bulldog of the American nav> that she is. The sunken ships — but scarcely can we call them that, for, while they were beached. 214 CANNON AND CAMERA. they were not much submerged — were sent on to the beach head foremost, and were lying in two or three fathoms of water. When thev were run on shore a great many of the sailors and minor officers swam ashore and escaped toward Santiago; tnhcrs who tried to escape had made for the l)each at Aser- radero. A ])arty of Cubans who were doing scout duty in and about this point saw some Spanish sailors escaping, and as they ap- proached the shore the Cubans shot them in the water, and the water was stained with the blood of tliese fleeing wretches. Many of their bodies were washed ashore by the surf, and thev were taken charge of ])y the Cubans and spread out as a feast for vultures and buz- zards. Returning from the Colon late in the afternoon, she and her consorts presented a dilapidated and terrible sight. What had once been the bright and buoyant hope of the Spanish na\)- were now helpless hulks strewn along Cuba's southern shore. The next day was the 4th of jul\-. We awoke about live o'clock in the morning, Iving off the \'iscaya. Captain L"lark had en be THE GREAT NAVAL BATTLE. 215 run the Sylvia out to the Viscaya, so that we might be on hand the first thing in the morning to get some good pictures of this wrecked vessel. We passed close to her and took views from all possible positions, after which we put ofif in a whaleboat and boarded her. As we came alongside the Viscaya, in climbing up the sea ladder, we found it al- most too hot to place our hands upon her. Our party consisted of Mr. Hearst, Mr. Fol- lansbee, the ship's mate, and several others, and we boarded her and saw the terrible havoc that fire and shell had wrought. The girders which supported the main deck were twisted into every conceivable grotesque shape. The gun deck and the superstructure were totally demolished ; all the woodwork, which had been so beautifully cleaned and polished, was destroyed. Nothing combustible could be found. The charred remains of many of the sailors were strewn around, some hanging from the iron girders and beams in all sorts of positions. Carcasses of animals were also to be found. We made a thorough investi- gation and secured a great many souvenirs, consisting of Mauser rifles, revolvers, and 2i6 CANNON AND CAMERA. bunches of keys. From one of tlie fourteen- centimetre tiuTets I took a roster the glass of which had heen cracked into smaH bits by the intense heat of the tire on the X'iscaya. Below decks holes had been ripped through her sides, and one or two shells had pierced her ])rotected belt. In her forecastle terrible ha\-oc had been wrought by a large shell. luther a magazine or a torpedo had been exploded Ijy this shell, and the foremast had been entirely u])rooted and thrown across the bridge, totally demolishing it. The u])])er gun deck and the smokestacks and the places where the rapid-tire guns had been mounted were literally blown to pieces. The forward ten-inch rifle was seemingly in perfect condition. It was pointed at a rather high elevation, and possiblv this ac- counts for the many shots going over the vessels at which she aimed. .\s we proceeded along the full length of the \'iscaya we came to the (|uarter-deck. and there saw most hor- rible havoc. The deck was as bare as a bil- liard ball. Everything was consumed; every- thing had been made aw'ay with that was in- flannnable. The after ten-inch ritle was in THE GREAT NAVAL BATTLE. 217 the same condition as the gun forward, but it was loaded. The men had evidently left it in a hurry. On the starboard side an abra- sion was plainly visible, and it looked as though she had been hit here by one of our shells. I raised myself to the top of the after turret, and made several views of the interior; I also made several views looking forward to- ward the bridge from the quarter-deck. The mainmast had been smashed, and had fallen obliquely across this after gun. The beauti- ful decorative work which made the Viscaya so conspicuous when she was in New York and Havana harbours had been torn off her stern, evidently to disguise her, as her name was very conspicuous on this decorative work when I last saw her. Everything of this kind had been ripped from her, and nothing had been left but a small wreath, on w'hich was the word " Viscaya." Several large holes, appar- ently made by shells from the eight-inch rifles on our ships, were seen on her starboard quarter. After this w^e left the Viscaya and proceeded to the Oquendo. As we reached the side of the Oquendo the Suwanee hove in sight, and Lieutenant 2i8 CANNON AND CAMERA. lUuc and a boat's crew put off for the shore ill answer to the signal of a while tlai; on the l)each. As they a|)i)roached the shore, the breakers and surf were so hea\y tliat Lieuten- ant r.hie was thrown from tlic boat into the water. All efforts made to land here were without a\ail. and after a time they gave up the idea and returned to their vessel It was at this point that I found great difficulty in our launch trying to make pictures of the ( )(|iiendo. The breakers rolled in with tre- mendous force. I succeeded, howexer, in making a \iew" from the launch showing the terrible hammering on the starboard plates of the ()(|uen(lo. About amidshi])s the work of our l)ig guns was strikingl\- mani- fest. Ihe sponsons of the rapid-fire gims were completely demolished, and the guns were hanging down o\er the side ready to drop at an\' moment. .\s we were ho\"- ering around the ( )(|uendo an explosion occurred from one of her guns, caused evi- dently by the intense heat, foi" she was still on hre and smoking badlw It was im])os- sibk- to board her at this time; we were, in- deed, cautioned not to go on board her, as THE GREAT NAVAL BATTLE. 2IQ her magazines were likely to explode at any moment. We next proceeded toward the Maria Teresa, which lay closer to the Morro. Close by her we saw a large party on shore, which through our glasses appeared to be a party of Cubans. They were waving a white flag, and as we hove in sight they tried their best to attract our attention, in which effort they succeeded. We went in as close to the Maria Teresa as was safe, and made several pictures from the Sylvia, after which Mr. Hearst, my- self, and my man put off in the steam launch and made for the surf to investigate the fel- lows ashore. As w^e approached the beach we could plainl}^ see that these men were more naked than clothed, and we hesitated for a while before deciding what we should do. We saw also that a great many of the men were armed with machetes and Mauser rifles, and thus it w^as doubtful whether they were Spaniards or Cubans. At last we made up our minds to run the chances, and if these were Spaniards to take them prisoners. After a lot of tossing and being thrown about by the heavy breakers, we landed. When we 220 CANNON AND CAMERA. reached the beach we found these men were sailors who had escaped from the Spanish vessels. Nineteen were from the N'iscaya. three from the Ocjtiendo. seven from the Maria Teresa, makinj^: a total of twenty-nine. After makinf^ an impression up(jn these poor wretches and tlashinj^- our tirearms we ^i;-ave them to miderstand that they were our pris- oners. The Cul>ans helped us to get the men into a boat, and they were soon on board the Sylvia. During our stay on the beach waiting the rctiuMi of our laimch se\'eral bodies from the Maria Teresa were washed ashore. We took these bodies into the woods and buried them as best we could. The wreckage that was being thrown on shore was varied in its nature. I foimd a six- inch shell case, and also a i)air of marine glasses. These I value as mementos of this great and glorious naval engagement. After getting these men to the Sylvia, we pro- ceeded in our boat and thoroughly over- hauled the Maria Teresa. When we got on board the Maria Teresa a sight met our eyes which was nuich worse than anv we had 26 !i THE GREAT NAVAL BATTLE. 221 experienced while on board the Viscava. Charred bodies of many of the sailors were plainly visible on all parts of the gun deck. Xo matter where yon went, there you would find them. On the port side of this ship the guns were all empty and the breech plugs missing from all the guns, having been thrown overboard before the surrender. On the starboard side the guns were in position and loaded, with the breech blocks in posi- tion. It was evident that they had no chance to lire the guns of the starboard battery, for as she proceeded along the coast from Morro, going in a westerly direction, nothing but her port battery was exposed to the Ameri- can fleet. We heard from the sailors who had been taken prisoners that the men had refused to serve at the guns when they saw it was a hopeless case, and, instead of the men in the fire rooms of these vessels remaining at their posts and pouring in their fuel, as did our men, they were continually running to the upper deck, looking for a chance to escape. They positively refused to serve at either the guns or the engines. \\'e were told by our 222 CANNON AND CAMERA. prisoners that the officers had shot with their revolvers nineteen men who had refused to comply with the orders which were given by the achiiiral on his flagship. The foremast of the Maria Teresa had been uprooted l)y some cause, possibly by a large shell, for it fell directly lengthwise of the boat toward the stern. In the fighting top of the Alaria Teresa 1 found a magazine full of cartridges that belonged to a rapid- fire gun ; also a partly burned pack of Span- ish cards which had been almost totally de- stroyed, but just in the middle of the pack where the fii"e, although it had been smould- ering' for hours, had not effected its work, there were five or six cards almost as perfect as when new. but dirty and begrimed from constant use. It may have been that during the idle moments on board the flagship in the harbour of Santiago the men. ha\ing nothing else to do, whiled away the hours in plaving the limit with these Spanish cards. I took these cards, thinking what a uni([ue memento they would make. We now retm-necl to the S\l\ia to find ottt how our Spani>li prisoners were getting Il THE GREAT NAVAL BATTLE. 223 along. We found them on the forward deck, being cared for by our party and the crew. Their wounds, bruises, and broken bones were being attended to by our party, who had turned themselves into a corps of hospital attendants. It was here that I met a Spanish sailor whom I knew. He had been Captain Eulate's orderly while the Viscaya was in Havana Bay, and during my stay in Havana at the Pasaje Hotel it was his duty to bring despatches and orders to the ofificers stay- ing there. He recognised me as I came on board the Sylvia, and told me how pleased he was that it was all over. I asked him if they expected to escape, and he said they certainly did not. and their only hope was that they would go through the fight with as little loss as possible. They were glad to be rid of the strain and anxiety they had undergone for so many weeks, and they were also glad to be in the hands of such tender and generous foes as the Ameri- canos. Just then the good fighting Texas hove alongside. W'e had signalled her that we had some prisoners on board, and she informed 224 CANNON AND CAMERA. US thai, while she cuuhl not take them, it would be best for us to transfer them to the St. Louis, whicli was a1)out t(j sail for Key West. As the Texas was close to us, 1 told our Spanish ])risoners that the American boys would like them to give three cheers for the (lay. as it was the glorious 4lh of July. In- dependence Day of the Americans. One of the Spanish prisoners who understood Eng- lish, and doubtless belonged to the repub- licans of his country, said the sailors would gladly join in cheering the Americans, for while the day commemorated an anniversary of Independence Day with the Americans, that he looked upon it as independence day for his countrymen. 1 mounted the rail with the S])anish ])risoners. and waving the same little flag that I had flaunted in their faces on leaving Havana when seeing the \'iscava and Oquendo in a more noble comlition than was now presented by them, the same flag that covered the graves of the Maine heroes in Colon cemetery, the same little flag that was placed on the grave of that brave Rough Kider llamilton ImsIi. who died for his coun- try at Las Guasimas. these Spanish j)risoners THE GREAT NAVAL BATTLE. 225 gave three as lusty cheers as ever came from men's throats. The boys on the Texas appreciated it, and, as the echo of the three cheers for " George Washington and Old Glory " were dying out the boys of the Texas took it up and gave three more, with a " tiger." Mr. Hearst then ordered that these prisoners should have plenty to eat and drink, and after they had their wounds dressed and they were clothed in the best we could give them, many of them being naked when we found them, we steamed alongside the St. Louis and trans- ferred them. Mr. Hearst getting a receipt for them. We now proceeded to Siboney, where we found that Mr. Creelman had been brought from the field hospital by Mr. Follansbee, and they were waiting our arrival. After taking them on board, we proceeded to Port An- tonio with the pictures we had made during the last two days. I was now busily engaged for some time in developing my plates, and it was an anx- ious moment to me as we went bounding over the choppy waters of the Caribbean Sea. 226 CANNUN AND CAMERA. Seasickness did not bother me then, as I was too anxious to see the resiiUs of the nega- tives made on such an im|)()i"lant occasion. I found I liad got some great resuhs. and before \vc had reached Port Antonio tliey were all ready for jirinting. The next day, Tuesday, July 5th, 1 made some i)rints from them, which we sent by mail, and wc then returned to Siboney. At daylight on the morning of July 7th we low- ered a boat, and 1 and my man once more went on board the ]\Iaria Teresa to get some interior views. While thus engaged the lit- tle Gloucester hove in sight, and she put off a boat, which came alongside the Maria Te- resa, when to my surprise who should I see jump out of the boat but Lieutenant 1 lob- son, who had been exchanged, and was now accompanied 1)\' the board of inspection who were to report on the condition of the wrecked vessels and the advisability of mak- ing efforts to raise them. 1 could not resist the strong ini])nlse to gras]) the hero of the Merrimac b\- the hand when he reached the deck of the \esscl, or rather not the deck, for there was no deck to the vessel now, but the THE GREAT NAVAL BATTLE. 227 iron beams which had once supported the deck. While standing here, Lieutenant Hob- son gazed around him and said, " Indeed, this is a terrible wreck." He was bareheaded, having lost his hat overboard, and the sun was pouring down its rays very severely. I offered him my hat, and he said, " Oh, no, the men will recover my hat as soon as the rest of the commission are on board." It was here that I had an opportunity to get a good chat with Lieutenant Hobson. I asked how the Spaniards treated him, and he said that, considering everything, the treatment was very fair. He said he did not learn of Cervera leaving Santiago harbour until several days afterward, when he was ex- changed, and heard it while passing through the Spanish lines. He told me his reception by the troops of the army was something he was proud of. something he never had an- ticipated, but which would leave a lasting and profound impression upon him. He said it was a triumphal march practically from Santiago to Siboney, with his hands being shaken all the way and questions poured on him from all sides. Reaching Sibonev, he was 228 CANNON AND CAMERA. taken off in a lanncli to the tla^sliip of Ad- miral Sampson, and, after spending- the night there, he started to duty with this com- mission. I went with him in and about the Maria Teresa, and saw a great deal of this vessel. Lieutenant Hobson told me then that he thought it possible to save this ship, as she was not injured below her jirotective deck to any serious extent, and that the w^ater now in her came from the tube of the after tor- l)edo. On Sept. 25th. the Maria Teresa was floated and towed to Guantanamo Bay. proving that Lieut. Hobson's judgment was correct. He said that he regretted not ha\-ing seen this l)attle, but he was very pleased ^' ' he had been safe from the bom- bardmeuc of Santiago, which had occurred a few davs previous. Tt will be rememberetl that Admiral Cervera had caused Hobson and his conu^ades to be remoxed to a post far distant from our line of tire some days before the bombardment began, by Admiral Sampson's demand. 27 CHAPTER XVI. SURRENDER OF SANTIAGO. General Miles prevents a retreat — General Toral yields to moral suasion and gives up the city. General Miles's arrival at Siboney, and his appearance at the headquarters of General Shafter, where they had a long consultation, put a different face upon affairs for our troops lying in front of Santiago. General Shafter, according to the reports in camp, for several days had been contemplating a retreat. The rank and file had been made aware of his ob- ject and were strenuously objecting to it. As one officer remarked. " Wli^t possible benefit is to be derived from a retreat at this time? " There were no fortifications upon which they could fall back, and the only de- fences in the rear were the breastworks thrown up by the men in the trenches. They had fought their way from Siboney, 229 230 CANNON AND CAMERA. commencinii;" with the hattle of the Rough Riders and ending with the taking (^f the heights of San Jtian. The base of stipphes was in no peril of captitre; there was no dan- ger of being cut off by tlie enemy; there was absohitely nothing to warrant a retreat; and would it not have l)een a case of " rattles," ignorance, and cowardice jumbled together to ha\-e ordered a retreat? Those officers who had looked the matter over could see no ad\'antage to be obtained by falling back, ddiey had gained a fortihed position, and there was no ground for fear that they cotild be dri\en back from this position, for they al- ready had repulsed a sexere attack. General Shafter had been told, it is said, that the ene- m}- was ])resent with a much larger force than he had at his conunand; he w;is told that they had supplies and amnumition in abundance. Hence his desire to fall back. Xow, had this information been receixcd b\- a soldier of the ability oi (leneral Miles, a man whose phy- si(|ue does not burden him in warm weather, he would doubtless ha\'e recoimoitred for himself. lie would then ha\o taken the \iew that as his men had gaineil the position SURRENDER OF SANTIAGO. 231 as^ainst the most stubborn resistance of the enemy's forces, they could doubtless with- stand any attack upon the fortified place they were then occupying. General Shafte-r was looking for help from the fleet under Admiral Sampson, but at this time the ships were powerless to aid. They could not assist General Shafter and the land forces, for had they used their great guns in shelling the Spanish position they would have placed in great danger from their fire the United States Army forces in the trenches before Santiago. Possibly, if some of the siege guns and field artillery furnished to Shafter and transported to Cuba in the steamers which carried the troops had been landed at Siboney, instead of being stupidly carted back to the United States, it might have put a different aspect on affairs. Had General Shafter gone among the men from regiment to regiment, and brigade to brigade, and ascertained their spirit, he pos- sibly would not have contemplated falling back. I say that it was very fortunate that General Miles arrived when he did. General Miles, with his experience and skill, saw at a 232 CAXXOX AND CAMERA. glance the false jiosition in w liicli ( icneral Shafler wonld place the American armv by orderint;- a retreat. General Miles made n]) his mind that no retreat should take place, let the consecpiences l^e what they mio;ht. Un- der a flag of truce a connnunication was made with General Toral, asking for an audience. The granting of the audience was another point gained ])y General Miles. He decided to '* work a bluft' " on the Si)aniar(ls. and therel)}' gain a \-ictory without loss of life. \\'hen General Miles told (ieneral Toral of his wishes, the magnitude of the demands seemed to ])aralyze him. General Miles in- formed the Spanish general that he was then landing at our l)ase of supplies a large armv of re-enforcements, with which he could anni- hilate any and all forces that could be oi)posed to them by Spain. The trans]:)orts arrived at the same time with (ieneral Miles, and they were now Ixing between Santiago and Sibo- ney. They were in ])lain sight of the signal tower on Morro Gastle. This arrival and show of force had been signalled and made known from Morro to the arm\- of Sjjain, and it was known brt)adcast that we were SURRENDER OF SANTIAGO. 233 making a big demonstration. When General Toral told General Miles that he was willing to surrender but had not the power to do so from Madrid, General Miles told him that there was no time to waste, and that he had no intention of waiting for communications from Madrid; that our forces were then in posi- tion to demand an unconditional surrender. General Toral murmured against the terms and General ^liles said: " Do you realize this is a war undertaken by my Government in the interests of humanity suffering at the hands of Spain? Do you realize the country with which you are at war — its vastness and re- sources? Do you realize that for you to con- tinue this unequal fight would be brutal — you would be making men face certain defeat and death? Do you realize that history would record your refusal to surrender under the circumstances as a crime against your com- mand? If you had a chance such as is pre- sented in an equal combat I would be the last to urge you to surrender. I would say. ' Fight, and fight to the last.' Surrender would never come up as a thought in my mind if the forces were equal. But look at 234 CANNON AND CAMERA. what we have done. We ha\e landed here in }uur C(.>untr_\'. and in llic face of yonr op- positi(jn and the chmatic difficulties we have routed }ou from }our \ery strongest posi- tion; and if we could rout you from this position you can scarcely drive us l)ack. W'e are now in a position to demand your ab- solute and unconditional surrender. There- fore, if you do not surrender we shall force you to do so. But it is my duty, being in charge of this in\ading armw to end the fight as humanely as possible, Init to end it." After General Miles had made himself fullv understood. General Toral considered the matter and did the best thing possible under the circumstances. He surrendered on July 17th. Mark you, J do not say it was the best thing for General Toral. for when our troops entered Santiago, when the surrender was made ])()siti\e. it was seen that the Span- ish forces were plentifully furnished with am- munition and supplies, and it is my opinion that they could have held out nmch longer. I'.ul it was this man of will, this man of force, this man who went and saw and coiupiered — SURRENDER OF SANTIAGO. 235 the man to have in command in time of war. This man was General Miles, whom the United States can thank this time and hence- forth for the short and sweet campaign neces- sary to take Cuba. chapti-:r wii. RETl'RX OF Till': ROUOll KIDKRS. General Wheeler and Colonel Roosevelt welcomed at Camp Wikoff — Suffering of troops at Montauk Point — Home coming of the Seventy-first — Contrast between naval mi- litia and volunteers. The selection of Muntaiik Point as a camp site for the soldiers retnrniiis;- from San- tia^'o was supposed to be an ideal one. At first it was thought that the troops who had gained Santiago would l)e sent into the mountains of Cuba to recuperate and then be transported to Porto Pico, btU it was de- cided at the last moment, through a forceful letter from Colonel 'idieodore Roosevelt, to send them north. C"olonel Roosevelt ])osi- tively stated in his comnumication thai it the troops were not al once shipped from the fever-stricken tlistrict of Santiago and the surrounding country to some heallh\' and sanilar\- camp I hey wt)uld die olt like 236 RETURN OF THE ROUGH RIDERS. 237 sheep. Although these men were sent away ahiiost immediately after the statement of Colonel Roosevelt, yet the events recorded after their arrival at Alontauk Point — the deaths from illness and starvation — show clearly and in as strong a light as possible that wisdom and practical sense of uncom- monly high order are attributes which Col- onel Roosevelt possesses in company with his other better known qualities. Our men died like sheep afflicted with a plague. But if this fate befell them in the comparatively whole- some surroundings of Camp Wikofif, what unspeakable horrors might not history have had to record had the army been suffered to remain in the pest-laden camps of Santiago de Cuba! Here is an instance of the general incom- petence displayed which came under my no- tice at Camp Wikofif: A transport engaged to take troops and stores to Santiago at the time the army of invasion was lying at Key West brought back troops to Montauk Point. The story goes that the captain of the vessel sent word to the department from which his order came that he had something- in the 238 CANNON AND CAMERA. hold of the shij) for dehxcry scjiiiewhere, but the exact spot he chd not know. On investi- gation it was found that some held artillery had been stowed all the time in the hold of this ship. By rights it should have been landed at Siboney, but it was carried back to the United States in this vessel without being touched. This is but one example of the slipshod manner in which everybody's business j)roved to be nobody's business. After dumping our troops into these " prison hulks " and pest holes, of which so much has been written and said that there ex- ists no need for me to add more, they arri\ed in course of time and debarked in an ema- ciated and debilitated condition at Camp Wikoff. After all the opportunity for gain- ing experience that the heads of the different departments at Washington had had, one would conclude that Camp Wikoff at ]Mon- tauk Point would ha\e been a splciidiiUy equipped and organized camp for the return of our troops from Cuba. The contrary was the case. When the sick and wounded reached Camp Wikoff the hospital tcnls were unlni- k/ (iLTicral Wlicck-r and Gciicrul Young al Camp Wikoff. RETURN OF THE ROUGH RIDERS. 239 ished, and even tents of the ordinary type were not there in snfficient number to give these men good and necessary sheher from the weather. Still the boys were glad to be on Uncle Sam's soil again, and right well did they enjoy it. Those who were able to make it known did so, and those too weak to make any demonstration showed in their pallid and suffering faces their delight to get back home once more. In marked and pleasing contrast to the enfeebled and emaciated troops landed from the pestiferous transports at Montauk Point was the condition presented by the three hun- dred men of the Naval Militia of New^ York and Brooklyn as they marched u]) Broadway on September 3d. These men had been in service since April 24th, when they embarked on the Yankee (formerly the Morgan liner El Norte), participating in the bombardment of Santiago and the seizure of Guantanamo Bay. On June 13th the Yankee chased and sunk the Spanish gunboat Diego Velasco, and later on did excellent duty, winning honour in nine separate engagements in Cuban waters. The Yankee was chosen to take part in Com- 240 CANNON AND CAMERA. modore Watson's proposed expedition to Spain, and her brave sailors were much disap- pointed when the peace negotiations rendered that demonstration unnecessary. The Yan- kee returned to New York on August 28th with a clean bill of health. The sailors, as they marched through the city on a broiling afternoon, looked in the pink of condition, healthy and hard as nails. Heads erect, eyes bright, faces tanned, ex- pressions animated, every movement full of vitality, they did credit to the navy they served The poor soldiers presented another and sadder phase of the campaign, utterly dis- creditable to the military authorities respon- sible, of which the Se\enty-first was perhaps the most pitiable and forcible example. Probably the return of the Rough Riders was the event which excited more popular in- terest than the return of any other single regi- ment. Part of the First Cavalry which had been left behind at Tampa had already ar- rived at Camp Wikoff and had selected a camp in a l)eautiful location. I say a beauti- ful location because it was on a high hill sur- RETURN OF THE ROUGH RIDERS. 241 rounded by a nice little pond where there was a chance for the men to take a bath and oth- erwise have access to ocean breezes and other health-producing conditions. Camp \\'ikoft' is not an ideal camp, for an ideal camp would have possessed some large shade trees. If a man wanted shade at Camp \\'ikoff he had to remain under the folds of his tent, for once outside he was in the rays of a sim as intense as those he met at Santiago. On the morning of the arrival of the trans- port Miami at ]\lontauk Point things were in a state of intense excitement. Colonel Roosevelt and his men were/ on board, as were also General Wheeler and part of his stafif, so that the landing of this boat and its comple- ment of troops was quite an interesting scene. The Miami came alongside the dock about 1 1 o'clock. Colonel Edwards had charge of the dock, and he formed around it and the shore a heavy guard of the regular coloured troops. It was impossible to induce these troops to permit me to gain admittance to a much coveted position on the dock. A freight train, however, had backed up into po- sition near the landing place, so I hastily made 242 CANNON AND CAMERA. for the lo]) of a freis^iit car and secured a good position, from which I took pictures of the troops as they came ashore. A large crowd of friends of the Rough Riders and soldiers had gathered at the dock, some coming in by the morning train, as the reports in the morning j)apers had made known that they were ex- l^ected to arrive at this time. Among the very first to land from the Mi- ami after she had made fast were General Wheeler and Colonel Roosevelt. General Wheeler was greeted with ])rotherlv affection by General Young, while Colonel Roosevelt was met by his brother-in-law, and thev hugged each other like schoolb(\vs. Everv one pressed forward, and it looked as though the line of soldiers would l)e Ijroken bv the surging crowd. Soon Mrs. John A. Logan, the widow of " Old Black Jack," was seen making her way through the lines, and with the permission of the general in charge met General Wheeler and Colonel Roosevelt, and congratulations were extended to both by this venerable lady. As General Wheeler ap- proached, some one in the crowd yelled, " Three cheers for General Wheeler and San I u RETURN OF THE ROUGH RIDERS. 243 Juan!" This was taken up and the three cheers were given lustily. The general doffed his little white helmet in due apprecia- tion of the courtesy. The troops as they marched off the transport seemed very weary and careworn from the hardships undergone. The ranks of some of the companies were sor- rowfully depleted and showed the sad havoc of the fever, exposure, the Mauser bullets, and the terrible warfare they had passed through. Some of the worst ailing, who were not able to make the landing unaided, were assisted by their comrades, and many a sorrowful sight met the eyes of the bystanders, who wanted to go in and take on their shoulders these help- less heroes who so well deserved it, but the guard line was too strong to permit of any such breach of discipline. Although there was no fever on l^oard the troops were marched off to the detention camp for the time being. When the men arrived in camp I went in and around and visited a great many of my old friends whom I had known for years. I first came upon " Yale " Greenway, the man who had been so prominent in Yale athletics 244 CANNON AND CAMERA. for years, lie had Ijeen the mainstay of the baseball and football teams — in fact, he had been a leader in all branches of athletics in his college. He also distinguished himself with the Rough Riders in Cuba, and he looked as healthy as though he had never ex- })erience(l a hardship. His athletic training and his physical condition induced by his ath- letic exercises carried him safely throtigh this trying ordeal. Lieutenant \\'oodl)ury Kane was also there, and welcomed me with a glad smile. While he was writing a tele- gram to some of his friends to a])prise them of his safe return I took a shot at him, and I am now the proud possessor of the nega- tive. Among the others I saw and who had re- turned with honours were Craig Wadsworth, the Knobloch l)rothcrs. Bull, of Harvard, also those sterling athletes Larned and W'renn. It was a treat to see these m^n anxiously grab the loaves and fishes that were dished out for their first meal. They were at home again, and glad of it. They made nuich of this first afternoon. Camp was l)eing put into condi- tion, and many hampers and packages of deli- u RETURN OF THE ROUGH RIDERS. 245 cacies were received by these the most popu- lar troops of the army for the invasion of Cuba. Many and varied were the wants of these brave fellows. The most urgent need was to fill out various aching cavities about the waist line; next was the anxiety to inform their friends and relatives of their safe arrival and the condition of health which the close of the campaign found them in. The telegraph companies had instituted no regular service at this point sufficient to the needs and re- quirements of tlie place, as they should have done. The regular telegraph station was several miles away from the detention camp; therefore, when I made known my willing- ness to take any telegrams for delivery that they desired to send I w'as surrounded by a lot of anxious soldiers. They came from every troop. The first I had occasion to be of service to was Lieutenant Woodbury Kane. As soon as he had written his tele- gram, " Yale " Greenway got in his little work, and so it kept on for an hour or so. The sentiments expressed were as varied and characteristic as the troops themselves, 29 246 CANNON AND CAMERA. aii-1 tliev went in all directions over the Ignited States — some to the iiiansioiis of the rich at Xewport, others to the prairie home of the cowboy. One of the most original of these telegrams I will quote, omitting, of course, the sender's name, in order to show how a gallant Rough Rider telegraphed his sentiments to his sweetheart. It was as fol- lows: " Darling Kate: Stopped no bullets; caught no fe\er. Jim." One of the Rough Riders who would have been as anxious as any of the others to send a message to his home folks was the late la- mented Rough Rider Sergeant William Tif- fany. After the battle of San Juan he was detailed to j^roceed to Siboney to ])itrchase a few luxuries for his troojx It was my ])leas- ure on my way in from Playa to overtake this gallant Rough Rider, and we came along the last ])art of the journey together. He wanted to know where he could obtain something in the way of refreshmeiits, and I told him that I should be pleased to take him to our head- quarters and let him share what we had there, lie was overjoyed at the pr()S])ect of once more sitting- with his leo's under a table, and RETURN OF THE ROUGH RIDERS. H7 as he sat down to the bacon, eggs, and fried potatoes which comprised our meal that night he remarked on the strangeness he felt in once more handling a knife and fork. Porridge never tasted so good to him before, and bacon and eggs never so palatable; his appreciation of this meal was greater, he said, than any he had ever had. This was because he was hungry. After apologizing for call- ing for a second plate, he said that on his re- turn to Xew York he should be pleased to reciprocate by playing host for the crowd at any restaurant we chose to name. He was then anxious to i:)urchase some tobacco, cigarettes or cigars, or whatever could be obtained in this line. After scout- ing around the camp and the many different places where we were likely to get such things, I obtained a small quantity, for which he was very thankful. Brummell, who was the boy of all work around the Journal head- quarters, made himself quite handy and of service to Sergeant Tift'any at this time. He helped him to get a few of the necessaries he was in search of, and after feeing this boy with a tip that would make the head of a Delmoni- 248 CANNON AND CAMERA. CO waiter swim with dizziness, Sergeant Tif- fany returned to his troojj with a better feel- ing at his heart. This occurred on July 8th, and after enjoying the repast which to him at that time was a sumptuous meal, he strolled out from the Journal headcjuartcrs. I oti'ered him a cigar, which he accepted with the thanks of a gentleman. It seemed to me at the time that he had suffered much from the rigours of this campaign, for he was not the same man 1 had seen about fashionable re- sorts in New York. His face seemed pinched and drawn, and it had that sallow appearance which IS the forerunner of fever in this cli- mate. His step was not sprightly and springy as of yore, but he was in fair spirits and was thankful for any courtesies. The treatment of the men of the Seventy- first Regiment Xew York \"olunteers on their return from Cuba was not the same as that which they experienced when they first occupied their little tents at Camp lilack before the war commenced. It was now (juite a dilYerent life. Many (^f those who had been exultant in their anxiety to carr\- a rille and to revenue themselxes for the dastardlv i I RETURN OF THE ROUGH RIDERS. 249 deed which had been perpetrated on our brave and gallant sailors who went down with the Maine, were now helpless and unable to show any signs of that spirit with which they were imbued when they sailed for Cuba. They re- turned to find that liberty was not theirs; to find themselves in a position scarcely toler- able to men who had done so gallantly for their country. ^lany a man returned to the States without his "bunkie"; many of the companies returned with ranks depleted to such an extent that they formed but the skele- tons of companies and regiments. This de- I)letion was not caused by our real enemies, the Spanish forces in Cuija, but by army contractors, political thievery and incompe- tence on the part of those having the medical and commissary departments in their care. Not to the Mauser bullets, not to the shriek- ing shrapnel from the enemies" batteries, but to starvation which brought on sickness, not to say the neglect and willful cruelty where incompetence was not the only fault of the medical ofticers. Even had the provisions been rushed to the front by the commissary branches of the corps then in Cuba, what phy- 2 50 CANNON AND CAMERA. sician — nay. what schoolboy of fifteen years — does not know that fihhy greasy pork which has been salted down for so many years that the stench escaping when the barrels are opened is sufficient to act as a strong emetic on the average individual's stomach, is not onlv not proper food in the tropics, but is ab- solutely poisonous under such circumstances? The crime perpetrated on the American vol- unteers by a tribe of military contractors who received from the Administration awards of large contracts should be avenged. The conduct of the so-called physicians and sur- geons who have but a kitchen interest in their art and profession will react, I fear, in future responses for volunteers. Let us hope not. The men l)rought to Camp WikotY re- ceived none of the attention and care which they would have received had they been per- mitted to join their families and be under the affection, love, and nursing of mothers, brothers, fathers, sisters, and friends, instead of being left to the mercy and ])()llution of the vultures who would have made less money had tliev been mustered out promptly or 1-V„, _ „ .^*.^!.:fe»3si^^„ I RETURN OF THE ROUGH RIDERS. 251 given sixty or even thirty days' furlough, dur- ing which time the men \voul, C r. O V P > „ RETURN OF THE ROUGH RIDERS. 259 parently recovered. Poor Bill! He is buried right in front of the American en- trenchments on the slope of the hill facing Santiago. Right back of him are the inden- tations made by Captain Capron's battery. We acted as their support during the last bombardment. " Billy proved himself a brave and fearless soldier all the way through. He was acting corporal on July ist, and brought his squad up on the hill together. He was right with me when we arrived on the extreme top, and if I hadn't jumped in front of him at the last moment would have been the first man in the regiment to reach the blockhouse. We were right together throughout, and I really think that he, Chalfin (an old regular-army man), and myself fired more deliberate shots at actual moving Spaniards than all the rest of the Seventy-first Regiment put together. I don't say all this boastfully, but to try and give you some idea of Billy's sterling quali- ties. " Decker, of our company, was killed right alongside of Billy, but he was so intent on his work that he hardlv knew it. It is all too 26o CANNON AND CAMERA. had. i can hardly realize it as yet. Well, 1 trust to get North and see you some day. " Good-hye. " From Gene Goff." But to come hack to Canij) W'ikoff: Its unsanitar}- condition soon hegan to foster fever, and the neglect of the soldiers in the hospitals, where they were literally starving — for they could not eat the coarse fare pro- vided — raised a storm of indignation through- out the country. Some of the most outra- geous evils were rectified, hut Camp W'ikoff, which was evacuated 1)\ all the Nolnnteer regiments hy September _'4tli, ])ro\ed the deathplace of hundreds of hraxe men who might have been alive to-day had proper care been given them. And now my task is hnished. My en- deavour has been to describe scenes in the war which I myself witnessed. 1 ha\e not attem])ted to give a histor\- of the campaign, but have simply dealt with na\ al and military events which came within m\- own personal obscr\-ation. I lia\e felt it ni\- dut\- at times to criticise quite freely the gross mismanage- I RETURN OF THE ROUGH RIDERS. 261 meat which characterized the war from be- ginning to end, bnt in no case have I l)lamed withont cause. It is hard to lose dear friends by the bullets of the enemy, but it is far hard- er to realize that hundreds perished in our own camps and transports of starvation and disease, caused by the criminal negligence and incompetence of those in charge. Where is there an American who can read without righteous indignation the report of General Sir Herbert Kitchener, the victor of the campaign in the Soudan just brought to a triumphal close? The sirdar writes in cor- dial commendation of the commissarv, medi- cal, and transport departments and the " ex- cellent rations which were always provided and kept the men strong, healthy, and fit to endure all the hardships of an arduous cam- paign, enabling them at a critical moment to support exceptional fatigue, continuous marching, and fighting for fourteen hours during the height of a Soudan summer.'' What a shameful contrast is presented by the ])itiable results of our own campaign! 31 APPENDIX Hints to Amateur and Professional Photographers. To the professional and amateur photog- rapher I wish to say a few words in concluding my narrative of the events I witnessed in the war between the United States and Spain. I wish to say something that every photographer may derive benefit from. My experience in this campaign has been quite varied and interesting from the view point of the photographer. It was mv first experience of this character, but I trust it will not be my last. Practical experi- ence, as all know, is one of the best teachers, and it is something which a man can not ac- quire from books. Not only does it give the method, but it also gives the skill and efficiency. I do not mean to state that the few suggestions I am about to give will make a photographer of one unskilled in the art. A photographer must necessarily experience these things in order to 263 264 CANNON AND CAMERA. bccijinc proficient; l)Ul 1 do want tu impart to my fellow-workers some hints which may pos- sihlv help them sIkjuM the_\- undertake anything of this kind. There are man\- older heads in the profession than mine, and those who have rendered greater service to the art than I have ; but, as the old saying goes, there is something to be learned from every fool and every child, so possibly there may be something learned from me. 1 wish to state that, while it is necessary to have good lenses, good cameras, good plates, and, in fact, everything good in the line of tools and imi)lements incidental to the proper practice of the profession, still there must be something more than this. The camera is like the gun of tlie war slii]) : while the gun c 11 d) the deadly- execution, while slujt and shell are brought to a state of ])erfection by our skilled artisans, the man unist be behind the gmi. So it is with the camera. 1 do not wish to give the impression that I am iJic only ])hotogra])her: my desire is sim])l\- to state that 1 consider myself fortunate in being one of the few ])hotograi)hers who have had the privilege and opportunity to re])ro(luce the stirring and spk'udid pictures of this exciting APPENDIX. 265 time and its incidents which I am proud to have been a spectator of. I shall recall these scenes in future and associate them with all ideas of the life and dash in a man's composition — scenes which have called a man to his senses in more than one instance. To go through a war and depict the scenes with which one momentarily comes in contact is to do something for which I can hardly find a fitting comparison. The life there depicted is full of trials and tortures, experiences which would almost rend a man's heart asunder. A man Ijecomes callous after witnessing the wonderful exhibitions of exalted courage and action which mortal man can endure in mo- ments of martial inspiration. NTo man can go on a field of battle and witness such things with- out becoming callous. I do not mean to say that a man loses all his sympathy, but he tem- porarily parts with his nicer feelings in the ter- rible realities that he passes through. As I have said, it is absolutely necessary to have good tools with which to do one's work. When you have these, then you can go ahead with might and will. Tn the first place, the kind of climate one finds in Cuba is not at all 266 CANNON AND CAMERA. favourahlc to the photo.ij^raijluT in the prosecu- tion of his caUinij. While 1 a(hnit tlie Hi^ht is ahiiost ])erfect. yet there are drawljacks almost impossible to overcome. In the earl\- morning there is a (lam])ness in the atmosphere, which is apt to make your jilates or films, whichever you use, useless, and sometimes to render them ab- solutely worthless. The greatest care nuist be taken to protect your i)lates and films from this damp atmosj^here. While I should not advise everv one to do as I have done (because I have since seen where my experience taught me some- thing by which I could in future profit), I would say that the future photographing of war scenes will be done with cameras (|uite difTerent from those I used in this campaign. T have already laid m\- ])lans and ordered new cameras in an- tici]:)ation of what history may l)ring forth. All through this war T carried glass plates in large c|uantities, and in travelling from i)lace to ])lace 1 found them a very heavy l)urden. They could not be stowed away in small places or with the convenience of films, therefore I should ad- vise that films be used wherever a long journey is ex])ecte(l. No doul)t glass plates have some advantages in their genuine lasting (jualities APPENDIX. 267 which the fihiis do not possess. The support of the fihii — the ceUuloid — has something very defective in its composition which has not up to this time been eradicated, and it afTects the sen- sitiveness of the fihii, but this, I hope, chem- ical experts may control or entirely overcome, in the near future. To the professional photographer who goes to the front to depict anything and everything that may occur I would give the advice to use as small a camera as possible to render his pic- ture properly discernible. To go more minutely into details, I would advise the use of a rapid- working lens, no matter whose make it may be. as long as it has that necessary and requisite property of dealing with a large, plain field, good depth of focus, and plenty of brilliancy. A lens that is not exactly a landscape lens, but one be- tween the two. a lens more on the portrait style, seems to be more adaptable, as it works with a larger aperture, and is applicable to all kinds of work, and we know that portraits and figures are the most important parts in photographing such a subject as I have here before me. A camera not larger than five by seven is the most convenient to use. If it is adapted for 268 CANNON AND CAMERA. films as well as plates so much the better. A camera C(jnverti])le, tu use with either lihiis or plates, in my opinion is the ideal camera. If you are j^oinj^ on a short journey I say take plates and use them, iov the results i;ained will repay you for the extra labour ycju may perform in carryini^" them with yhot by, 214. Custom house, Havana, 6; spies from, 36; bribery of ofhcials of, 37. Dark room, 35, 100. Decker, Private, killed before .Santiago, 259. Disguises of Spanish and Cu- ban pickets, 115, 122. Divers on wreck of Maine, 23 ; body of Lieutenant Jenkins recovered by, 24. Downs, Colonel, of Seventy- first Regiment, 255. Corsair, yacht. See (;U)uces- j Edwards, Colonel, 241. ter. I El Caney, charge at, 164 (-/j-fV/.; INDEX. 275 capture of, 165 ; bravery of Spanish officer at, 167 ; suf- fering and starvation of Cu- ban refugees at, 176 ; sur- render of blockhouse near, 200. El Pozo, violent storm at, 92, 144 ; old fort at, 146, 153- Engineer Corps, good work of, at Siboney, TJ^ Eulate, Captain, in command of Viscaya, 208, 209, 211. First Cavalry, 237. Fish, Hamilton, 224. Flag, American. See Stars and Stripes. Flag, Cuban, presented by General Garcia to Mr. Hearst, 83. Flag, Spanish, 7 ; shot from ramparts of Morro, 109. Flushing, ferryboat, 253. Follaiisbee, J., member of expedition, 66, 13S, 144, 146, 172 ; captures Spanish soldiers, 173. Forty-seventh Regiment, New- York Volunteers, 44. Fourteenth Regiment, New York Volunteers, 44. Furor, Spanish torpedo boat, 210, 211. Gadalia, Seilor, 30. Garcia, General, arrival of, at Siboney, 80 ; visit to, 80 ; co-operates with General Shafter's forces, 81 ; pre- sents Cuban flag to Mr. Hearst, 83 ; photographed in group with Mr. Creel - man, 83 ; departure of, from Siboney, 85. Gloucester, formerly yacht Corsair, chases Pluton and Terror ashore, 211. GoiT, Sergeant Eugene W., 48, 50 ; letter from, 256. Gonzalez, Senor, 30. Government, United States, instructions fro.-n, to photo- graph Maine, 3. (heenway, "Yale," Rough Rider, 243. Grimes, battery of, 95 ; in ac- tion, 148, 149. Guantanamo, 74, 114; our troops surprised at, 117, 130, 134. Guerilla warfare of Cubans and Spaniards, 118. Hard-tack sandwiches, 131. Havana, the land sharks of. 6 ; making photographs along water front of, 11 ; rowdyism at, 12 ; departure from, 39. Hearst, W. R., proprietor of New York Journal, 62 ; charters Sylvia, 65, 66 ; visits Admiral Sampson, 71, 76 CANNON' AND CAMERA. 144, 146, 172 ; tako Sjiaiii>li sailors prisoners, 220. Hemment, j. C, arrives at Havana, 4 ; consults Cap- tain Sigsbee and Consul- ( Icneral Lee, 9, 10 ; insulted t)y Spanish volunteers, 12, 14 ; arrested for pholo- giaphing Fort I'unta, 18; escape by subterfuge, 19 ; boards and photographs cruisei' Montgomery, 22 ; photographs Maine wreck, 23 ; visits Colon Cemetery, 26 ; photographs bullfight, 29 ; investigates reconcen- trados with .Senator Proctor, 30 ; bribes custom-house oflicial>, 37 ; leaves Havana, 39 ; visits Camp Black and camp at Chickamauga, 40 c'/ sc(]. ; packs up for Cuban expedition, 62 ; sails on Sylvia, 66 ; touches at Kingston, Jamaica, 67 ; ar- rives off Santiago de Cuba, 70; visits Admiral Sampson and (leneral Shafter, 73, 74 ; lands at Silioney, 76 ; visits ( "leneral Garcia, 80 ; follows on General Shafter's trail, S7 ; photographs graves of Rough Riders, 88 ; rings a bell at fort near El Pozo and arouses the Cubans, 93 ; photographs Santiago from the top of a tall tree, 95 ; ililticulties in Sylvia'> dark room, 99 ; sends photo- graphs to New York from Port Antonio, 103 ; witness- es bombardment of Morro, 106 et seq. ; visits Edward Marshall on Olivette, in ; among the Cuban pickets, 114 ct scq.; studies the campaign mule, 124; visits camps of regulars and vol- unteers, 130 ; watches siege of Santiago, 149 ; among the killed and wounded, 153 ; bandages a wounded soldier, 159 ; the Seventy- first in action, 161 ; wit- nesses attack on El C"aney, 164 ; fierce fight in the trenches, 169 ; difficulty in making photographs, 171 : suffering of our soldiers at El Caiiey, 175 ; with Roose- velt's Rough Riders, 179; photographs operating tents, 186; sad scenes among the wounded, 18S ; buries and pravs over dead -oldier, 192 ; fired at bv sharpsliooters, 197 ; in the trenches with the troops, 203 ; sees the destruction of Cervera's fleet, 206 et seq. ; photo- graphs stranded vessels, 218 ^/ seq. ; meets Lieuten- ant Hobson, 228; ]ihoto- graph> return of the Rough INDEX. 277 Riders, 242 ; meets old friends at Camp WikofF, 243 ; a few last words, 261 ; useful hints to photogra- phers, 262 et seq. Heroism of American soldiers, 178. Hill, Bill, famous mule packer, 127. Hobson, Lieutenant, 109, 202, 206, 227, 228. Holzer, Father Chid wick's assistant, 26, 27. Hospital, First Division, 164, 175, 185 ; operating tents photographed, 186. Illinois volunteers, 77. Indiana, United States war ship, 107. Iowa, United States war ship, 107. Jenkins, Lieutenant, officer on Maine, i, 2 ; recovery of body of, from wreck, 24. Jersey City, inadequacy of transportation to, 58. Jim, J. C. Hemment's assist- ant, 136, 186; grazed by Mauser bullet, 199. Jones, Chaplain, fired at while burying soldiers, 118. Journal headquarters at Sibo- ney, 136 ; used as a hos- pital, 137. 32 Kane, Lieutenant Woodbury, Rough Rider, 48, 244. Key West, camp at, 53 ; mis management at, 59. Kingston, Jamaica, 66-68, 70. Kitchener, General Sir Her- bert, 261. Knobloch, the brothers, 244. Land crabs, 137. Larned, Rough Rider, 48, 244. Las Guasimas, where Rough Riders fought, 88, 120, 141, 143- Lawton, General, battery un- der, in action, i6g. Lee, Fitzhugh, American con- sul general at Havana, 10, 18, 41. Lesser, Dr , of the Red Cross Society, 79. Letter writing in camp, oddi- ties of, 133. Logan, Mrs. John A., at Camp Wikoff. 242. Long Island City, suffering of troops at, 54. Long, Secretary, of the navy, 3- Machina. See Custom house. Maine, United States warship, blown up in Havana har- bour, I, 4, 5, 24, 25, 35. Mangoes, soldiers forbidden to eat, 132. Maria Teresa, Admiral Cerve- 278 CANNON AND CAMERA. ra's llag^^hip, 210, 211, 220 ; havoc aboard, 221 ; relics from, 222, 226 ; floated and towed to Guanlanaino Bay, 228. Marix, Lieutenant-Command- er, judge advocate on board of inquiry, 24, 25. Marshall, Edward, corre- spondent, wounded at Las Guasimas, iii, 112, 225. Massachusetts, United States war ship, 107. Massachusetts, volunteers from, 77. Matanzas, 30, 32. Mauser bullets, 157, 175, 184. McKinley, President, calls for volunteers, 41, 44. Medical sup])lics, list of, taken by author, 63. Miami, transport, arrival of, at Montauk Point with Rough Riders, 241. Mike, interpreter at Havana, 17, 18. Miles, General, 229 ; consults with Shafter, 229 ; demands surrender of Santiago from General Toral, 233 ; gains surrender, 234. Miley, Lieutenant, 90. Military mismanagement, 237. Montauk I'oint as acamp site, 236. Montgomery, American war ship, 16, 20, 21, 23. Morro Castle, Havana, 4, 16. Morro Castle, Santiago, bom- bardment of, 107. Mosquitoes, 8, 137. Mule, the, in the campaign, 1246'/^-^^, 125, 129, 138. Naval Militia of New York, return and parade of, 239 ; splendid condition of, 240. New Orleans, United States war ship, 70. New York, Admiral Samp- son's flagship, 72 ; directs the bombardment of Morro, loS. Ninth Regiment, 142. "Old Glor)'." See Stars and Stripes. Olivette, hospital ship of Red Cross Society, 79, 112. Operating tents photo- graphed, 1 86. Oquendo, Spanish war ship. See Almirante Oquendo. Oregon, United States war ship, 108, 213, Pancoast, G., member of ex- pedition, 66. Pasaje Hotel, 6-8, 34. Philip, Captain, of Texas, 107. Photographers, hints to ama- teur and professional, 262 et seq. INDEX. 279 Photographic supplies, 3, 62, 136. Photographs of Maine wreck fix the blame on the Span- ish, 25 ; first prints of, sent to United States, 103 ; of operating tents, 186 ; diffi- culty of making, during bat- tle, 171. Pickets, Cuban, among the, 114 et seq., iig. Pickets, Spanish, disguises and ambushes of, 115 ; imi- tate calls of birds as signals, 120. Pifiar del Rio, 30. Playa, headquarters of Gen. Shafter at, 89, 91, 137, 143. Pluton, Spanish torpedo boat, driven ashore by the Glou- cester, 211. Polo ponies, purchase of, at Kingston, 68. Port Antonio, Jamaica, 103, 226. Potter, Commander, on board of inquiry, at Havana, 24. Powelson, Ensign, United States Navy, testifies on Maine explosion before board of inquiiy at Havana, 24. Printing press on Sylvia, 66. Prisoners, Spanish, scared by camera, 200 ; arraigned be- fore General Shafter, 202 ; taken by Mr. Hearst and transferred to the St. Louis, 220. Proctor, Senator, investiga- tion of condition of recon- centrados by, 30. Punta, Fort, in Havana har- bour, where author was ar- rested, 16. Red Cross Society, hospital ship of, 79, 158 ; aids killed by sharpshooters, 160 ; great strain on capacity of, 185. Refugees, Cuban, 139 ; apa- thy of, 140 ; suffering and starvation of, at El Caney, 176, 177. Regulars, American, bravery of Ninth and Twenty-third Regiments, 88 ; assist the author to take photographs, 89. Resolute, naval steamship, for- merly Ward liner Vorktown, 213. Rio Tarquino, 212. Robustiano, Spanish boatman at Havana, 21. Roe, General, in command at Camp Black, 44. Roosevelt, Colonel Theodore, bravery of, 1 79 ; encourages his Rough Riders, 180 ; in- cident at Fort Hamilton, 180; protest by, against army re- maining in Cuba, 236 ; arriv- al of, at Montauk Point, 241. 28o CANNON AND CAMERA. Rough Riders, graves of, 141 179 ; splendid organization of, 182; return home of the, 236. Sailors, Spanish, shot in sea by Cubans, 214 ; taken pris- oners by Mr. Hearst, 220; shot by tiieir officers for cowardice, 222. St. Louis, naval despatch boat, 220. Sampson, Admiral, on board of inquiry at Havana, 24, 72 ; at Siboney when Cer- vera's fleet dashed out of Santiago, 208. Sanitary precautions, neglect of, 176. San Juan, Cuban outpost near, 93- Santiago de Cuba, 70; photo- graph from tree, 95 ; siege of, 135 et scq. ; surrender of, 229 et seq. Schley, Admiral, directs de- struction of Cervera's fleet from flagshi]) IJrooklyn, 208. Seasickness, 3 ; as a prevent- ive of fever, 102. Seguranca, steamship, 3 ; (ien- eral Shafter's headquarters aboard, 73, 74. Seventy-first Regiment, New York Volunteers, arrival of, at Camp Black, 42 ; landing of, at Siboney, 77, 142 ; in a hot engagement, 161 ; gal- lantry of, 163 ; arrival of, at Montauk Point, 248 ; bad treatment of, at Camp Wikoff, 251 ; departure of, from Camp Wikoff, 254 ; warm reception and parade in New York, 256. Shafter, General, aboard Se- guranca, 73 ; visit to, 74 ; physi ;al unfitness of, for campaign, 75 ; gives per- mission to enter lines, 76 ; requests co-operation of General Garcia, 81 ; Hem- ment, in pursuit of, 87 ; re- connoissance by, 90 ; pho- tograph of, while halting at stream, 91 ; headquarters of, 144 ; headquarters of, fired on by Spanish sharp- shooters, 194 ; indisposition of, 195 ; Spanish prisoners arraigned before, 202 ; con- sults with General Miles, 229. Sharpshooters, Spanish, kill Red Cross aids, 160 ; fire from steeple, 166 ; dislodged by colored troopers, 167 ; in action, 194 ct seq. ; fire on Shafter's headquarters, 194 ; dislodged by Fifth Artiller}', 195. Shrapnel, Spanish, 148, 153, 158, 179. Siboney, 73 ; landing of troops INDEX. 281 at, 76 ; repulse of Spaniards at, 77 ; hospital headquar- ters at, 79, 143, 226. Sigsbee, Captain, succeeds Captain Crowninshield in command of Maine, 3, y, 25. Simpson, tug, 73. Sixteenth Regiment, 142. Soldiers, Spanish regular, brutality and licentiousness of> 31 ; ignorance and lack of discipline of, 32 ; coward- ice of, on train, 33. Spanish officer, bravery of, at El Caney, 167 Stars and Stripes, 21, 39 ; Spanish prisoners cheer, 225. Sugar house near San Juan, 1-45- Sunstroke, wagon driver af- fected by, 186. Suwanee, naval vessel, iii, 21S. Sylvia, ocean steamsliip, char- tered by Mr. Hearst, 65 ; touches at Kingston, Jamai- ca, 66 ; boarded by officer from New Orleans, 70 ; leaves Siboney for Port An- tonio, 99 ; difficult work in dark room of, 100 ; arrival of, at Port Antonio, 103 ; zecil of crew of, 104 ; in thick of naval attack on Morro Castle, no ; ordered out of danger, in ; wit- nesses destruction of Cer- vera's ileet, 209 ; Spanish prisoners transferred from, to the St. Louis, 220 ; wounded correspondents Creelman and Marshall conveyed on board of, 225. Tampa, camp at, 53. Telegram, characteristic, from Rough Rider to his girl, 246. Tenting, Cuban method of, 131- Texas, United States war ship, 107, 213, 225. Thirty-second Regiment (Michigan), 77. Tiffany, Sergeant William, Rough Rider, 246. Transports, abuses on, 60. Trenches, life in, 203, 204. Twenty-fourth Regiment, 142. Vesuvius, United States war ship, shelling of Morro Castle, Santiago, by, 108. Viscaya, Spanish war ship, 208, 211 ; wreck of, photo- graphed, 215 ; havoc wrought on, by American shells, 216. Vixen, United States steam- ship, III, 213. Volunteers, American, frater- nize with regulars, 56. Volunteers, Spanish, 8 ; fe- rocity of, 12 ; hated by Cu- bans, 13-15. 282 CANNON AND CAMERA. Vultures prey on dead, 175, 197, 214. Wadsworth, Craig, Rough Rider, 244. Wainwright, Lieutenant-Com- mander, executive officer of Maine, 10. Water, tested for poison, 13J. Watson, Commodore, pro- posed expedition of, to Spain, 240. Wheeler, General, 241. Wikoff. See Camp WikofF. Wingate, General, 48. Wood, Major, 185. Wounded, American, suffer- ing of, at EI Caney, 176 ; no stimulants for, 187 ; hard fare of, 188 ; neglect of, near San Juan, 189 ; shot by comrades, 190 ; heroism of, 192. Wrenn, Rough Rider, 48, 244. Yankee, United States steam- er, formerly Morgan liner El Norte, 239. Yorktown, steamship. See Resolute. \'oung. General, 139, 242. Yucatan, steamship, 39, 40. THE END. 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