The Boys of '98 Part 22

_June 4._ Captain Charles Vernon Gridley, commander of the cruiser _Olympia_, and commanding her during the battle of Manila Bay, died at Kobe, j.a.pan.

_June 5._ An account of personal heroism which should be set down in every history, that future generations may know of what metal the boys of '98 were made, was telegraphed from Tampa, Florida.

Lieutenant Parker, who was in charge of the old clubhouse on Lafayette Street, near the brigade headquarters, and which was being used by the government as a storehouse, and Thomas McGee, a veteran of the civil war, prevented what might have been a calamity.

While a force of soldiers was engaged in carrying boxes of ammunition from the warehouse and loading them to waiting army wagons, smoke was seen issuing from a box of ammunition. In an instant the cry of fire went up, and soldiers and negro roustabouts piled over each other in their scramble for safety. McGee, however, rushed toward the box, picked it up, and was staggering in the direction of the river, some distance away, when Lieutenant Parker, who had heard the warning cry, came to his a.s.sistance.

Together they carried the smoking box until it was possible to throw it into the water.

How the fire originated is a mystery. In the storehouse were piled hundreds of boxes of ammunition, each containing one thousand cartridges.

Had the cartridges in the burning box exploded, a great loss of life might have resulted, as there were at least a score of soldiers working in and around the building.

At Madrid the Spanish Minister of Marine issued orders that every one connected with the admiralty must abstain from giving information of any kind regarding naval affairs.

General Blanco in Havana published an order prohibiting foreign newspaper correspondents from remaining in Cuba, under the penalty of being treated as spies.

_June 6._ As is told in that chapter relating to Santiago de Cuba, American troops were landed a few miles east of the city, at a place known as Aguadores; the forts at the entrance of Santiago Harbour were bombarded.

The Navy Department made public a cablegram from Admiral Dewey:

"The insurgents are acting energetically in the province of Cavite. During the past week they have won several victories, and have taken prisoners about eighteen hundred men and fifty officers of the Spanish troops, not natives. The a.r.s.enal of Cavite is being prepared for occupation by United States troops on the arrival of the transports."

Cablegrams from Hongkong announced that the insurgents had cut the railway lines and were closing in on Manila. Frequent actions between Aguinaldo's forces and the Spaniards had taken place, and the foreign residents were making all haste to leave the city. A proclamation issued by the insurgent chief points to a desire to set up a native administration in the Philippines under an American protectorate. Aguinaldo, with an advisory council, would hold the dictators.h.i.+p until the conquest of the islands, and would then establish a republican a.s.sembly.

_June 7._ The monitor _Monterey_ and the collier _Brutus_ sailed from San Francisco for Manila. The double-turreted monitor _Monadnock_ has been ordered to set out for the same port within ten days.

_June 9._ The Spanish bark _Maria Dolores_, laden with coal and patent fuel, was captured by the cruiser _Minneapolis_ twelve miles off San Juan de Porto Rico.

_June 10._ A battalion of marines was landed in the harbour of Guantanamo, forty miles east of Santiago.(3)

A blockhouse at Daiquiri sh.e.l.led by the transport steamer _Panther_.(4)

_June 1112._ Attack upon American marines in Guantanamo Bay by Spanish regulars and guerillas.(5)

_June 11._ The British steamer _Twickenham_, laden with coal for Admiral Cervera's fleet, was captured off San Juan de Porto Rico by the U. S. S.

_St. Louis_.

_June 12._ Major-General Merritt issued orders to the officers a.s.signed to the second Philippine expedition, to the effect that they must be ready to embark their troops not later than the fifteenth instant.

The following cablegram was made public by the Navy Department:

"Cavite, June 12.-The insurgents continue hostilities, and have practically surrounded Manila. They have taken twenty-five hundred Spanish prisoners, whom they treat most humanely. They do not intend to attack the city at the present time.

"Twelve merchant vessels are anch.o.r.ed in the bay, with refugees on board, under guard of neutral men-of-war; this with my permission. Health of the squadron continues excellent. German commander-in-chief arrived to-day.

Three Germans, two British, one French, one j.a.panese man-of-war in port.

Another German man-of-war expected.

"The following is a corrected list of vessels captured or destroyed: Two protected cruisers, five unprotected cruisers, one transport, one surveying vessel, both armed. The following are captured: Transport _Manila_, gunboat _Callao_.

"DEWEY."

Advices from Honolulu report that on June 1st H. Renjes, vice-consul for Spain, at Honolulu, sent the following letter to H. E. Cooper, Hawaiian Minister of Foreign Affairs, relative to the entertainment of the American troops at Honolulu:

"_Sir_:-In my capacity as vice-consul for Spain, I have the honour to-day to enter formal protest with the Hawaiian government against the constant violation of neutrality in this harbour, while actual war exists between Spain and the United States of America."

_June 6._ On June 6th Minister Cooper replied as follows:

"_Sir_:-In reply to your note of the first instant, I have the honour to say that, owing to the intimate relations now existing between this country and the United States, this government has not proclaimed a proclamation of neutrality having reference to the present conflict between the United States and Spain, but, on the contrary, has tendered to the United States privileges and a.s.sistance, for which reason your protest can receive no further consideration than to acknowledge its receipt."

_June 13._ American troops sailed from Tampa and Key West for Santiago.

The Spaniards again attacked the American marines at Guantanamo Bay, and were repulsed after seven hours' hard fighting.(6)

President McKinley signed the war revenue bill.

Secretary Gage issued a circular inviting subscriptions to the popular loan.

The dynamite cruiser _Vesuvius_ joined Admiral Sampson's fleet.(7)

While the U. S. S. _Yankee_ was off Cienfuegos on this day, a Spanish gunboat steamed out of the harbour, evidently mistaking the character of the newcomer; but on learning that the _Yankee_ was ready for business, put back in hot haste. Both vessels opened fire, and after the gunboat had gained the security of the harbour the _Yankee_ engaged the eastern and western batteries. During the brief action a sh.e.l.l burst over the American s.h.i.+p, its fragments wounding one man.