A Gunner aboard the 'Yankee.' From the diary of Number Five of the After Port Gun. The yarn of the cruise and fights of the naval reserves in the Spanish-American war. Edited by H. H. Lewis, etc

Front matter

A GUNNER ABOAKD THE "YANKEE." ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Acknowledgements are due to J. Harper Skillen, Stewart Flags, George Yardley, W. G. Wood, and B. Howe Stockwell for the use of photographs ; and to C. B. Hayward and Allan H. Seaman for the use of notes and diaries. THE NAVAL RESERVES LEAVING NEW YORK — GOING OFF IN THE TUGBOAT TO MAN TTIE "YANKEE" (page S). A GUNNER ABOARD . THE "YANKEE" FROM THE DIARY OF NUMBER FIVE OF THE AFTER PORT GUN THE YARN OF THE CRUISE AND FIGHTS OF THE NAVAL RE- SERVES IN THE SPANIShF AMERICAN WAR EDITED BY H.H.LEWIS LATE U.S.N WITH

Introduction

BY W.T. SAMPSON REAR. ADMIRAL U.S.-N NEW YORK DOUBLEDAY Sc MQCLURE C9 Copyright, 1898, by DOUBLEDAY & McCLfRE CO. EXPLANATION OF TITLE-PACE Tlic flags nn the title-page indicate the official number of the U. S R Yankee number S92. It is read from the top down as follows- The red and white flag is called a " cornet ": it indicates that the flags following it make an official ship's number. The flag below that is the regular Navy code flag five, the next nine, the lowest two. The long red, white and blue pennant is the commission pennant placed at the topmast head when a vessel goes into commission: there it flies till the ship is formally out of commission. THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY RUSSELL DOUBLEDAY NUMBER FIVE OF THE AFTER PORT GUN OF THE YANKEE TO THE NAVAL RESERVE ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, WHO HAVE MADE SUCH AN ENVIABLE RECORD DURING THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR AND BEFORE WHOM SUCH A GLORIOUS FUTURE OPENS

INTRODUCTION.

. As the Commander-in-Chief of the American Naval Squadron blockading Santiago and the Cuban coast, the auxiliary cruiser " Yankee," manned by the New York Naval Keserves, came immediately under my observation, and it is a pleasure for me to speak of the spirit and effi ciency shown by the officers and crew during their stay under my command. The young men forming the ship's company of the " Yankee " were called into service several weeks prior to any other Naval Reserve battalion ; they came from all walks of civil life, and their minds, devoted to peaceful pursuits, were suddenly diverted to the needs and require ments and the usages of naval routine. Not withstanding this radical change, they have made the name of their ship a household word throughout the country, and have proved that the average American, whether he be clerk or physician, broker, lawyer, or merchant, can, on the spur of the moment, prove a capable fighter X

INTRODUCTION.

. for his country even amid such strange and novel surroundings as obtain in the naval service. These young men have especially upheld the American supremacy in the art of gunnery, and have, on all occasions, proved brave and efficient. The conclusion of the Spanish-American War released them from their voluntarily assumed positions in the regular navy, but when they re turned to civil life they carried with them the consciousness of duty well done at Santiago and Cienfuegos and whenever their guns were used in hostile action. In a word, the Naval Re serves manning the " Yankee," in common with those on board other vessels in the service, have proved their aptitude for sea duty, and made apparent the wisdom of the Government in calling them into active service. W. T. Sampson, Bear-Admiral, U. S. Æ U. S. Flagship "New York," September 3, 1898.

CONTENTS. Chapter Page Introduction ix Preface 1 I. In which the "Yankee" goes into Commission 4 II. In which We get Under Way at Last . 17 III. In which the "Yankee" Cruises for Prizes 30 IV. We get Orders to go South ... 43 V. A Wild Goose Chase 57 VI. We Become Coal Heavers .... 73 VII. We Enter the "Theatre of War" . . 87 VIII. We Join Sampson's Fleet . . . .101 IX. Clear Ship for Action .... 115 X. We Bombard Santiago de Cuba . . . 130 XL A Perilous Moment 146 XII. In Search of Adventure .... 161 XIII. A Narrow Escape 176 XIV. We Engage in a Sea Fight . . .192 CONTENTS. Chapter Page XV. Coaling in the Tropics .... 208 XVI. "Remember the Fish" .... 222 XVII. In God's Country 237 XVIII. The "Yankee" Arrives off Santiago . 254 XIX. Hope Deferred 269 XX. Taps 284 Appendix 297 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

Facing Page The Naval Reserves Leaving New York — Going off in the Tugboat to man the "Yankee" . Frontispiece. " That Fat Man in the Cellar wants me to Sleep in a Bag—" 19 "Began to Scrub the Jumper as if it was a Floor" 36 "All Hands of the Watch 'Turned to' and Scrubbed Decks " 36 "The 'Kid' Happened to be next me when ' Stopping Clothes ' on the Line " . . .38 "The Six-Pounders on the Spar Deck began to Bark" 38 "The Gig was Lowered" 50 " The Men on the Stages " 50 " The ' Yankee ' dropped her Anchor off Tompkinsville " 77 " With a Frightful Roar the Defective Cartridge Exploded " LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Facing Page "Stand by, Men. Be Ready for Instant Action " 100 "The Six-Pounders on the 'Yankee's' Forecastle Joined in the Chorus " . . . . 112 "Clear Ship for Action!" 115 The Bombardment of Morro Castle, Santiago . 138 On the Gun Deck during the Bombardment . 152 The Searchlight "Sweeping Back and Forth Across the Black of the Horizon " . . 175 " Every Hour a Signal Boy came Running Aft to Read the Log " 185 "All Hands on the Cat Falls!" .... 185 "There was Temporary Confusion" . . . 203 "Our Appearance Beggared Description" . . 216 " Took Advantage of the Time to ' Caulk off ' " 216 "The Fusillade was Lively" .... 221 " Saw the Men lying round the Gun in Heaps " 236 "The Decks were Swabbed Thoroughly" . . 236 " The Spar Deck was Covered with Red Shellac " 240 " The Marines Aired their Hammocks on the Forecastle Deck " 240 "The Blankets and Mattresses were Spread for Airing " 244 "Under the Hose" LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

Facing Page " He got his Orders from the Bridge " . . 258 "All You Men who want to go in Swimming may do so " 258 " The 13-inch Charge of Smokeless Powder was Lowered Down " 263 " The Admiral went over in our Gig " . . 263 "Eight Bells" 289 " Sang out as he Heaved the Lead " . . . 289 Marching through City Hall Park, New York City 295 COLORED PLATES. Signal Flags showing the "Yankee's" Official Number Title-page. Wigwagging and Night-Signalling .... 90 Official Flags and Pennants 180 The Navy Code of Flag Signals .... "YANKEE."

Preface

. When the important events of the first part of April, 1898, were shaping themselves toward an inevitable conflict between Spain and the United States of America, the authorities at "Washington began to perfect their plans for an immediate in crease of the navy. The Nayal Militia of the country, of whom Assistant Secretary Theodore Roosevelt had a very high opinion, came in for early attention, and word was sent to the different States to prepare for service. Several days previous to the actual outbreak of war, messages were forwarded from the Naval Reserve receiving ship " New Hampshire," lying at a dock in the East River, to a number of young men, members of the Naval Militia, residing in New York City. These summons contained simply a re- " YANKEE." quest to report at once on board the ship, but they resulted in a most curious and interesting transformation — in fact, they formed the foun dation of a chain of events which was destined to amalgamate into a common grade — that of a naval bluejacket — several hundred young Amer icans, who, in their natural characters, were sons of rich men and of men of moderate means, of doctors and lawyers and brokers and clerks and bookkeepers, and of all sorts and conditions of respectable citizens.

Patriotism was the incen tive which called these youths of various stations together, and sheer love of country and the cour age to fight her battles formed the cement which bound them cheerfully to their duty. To fight for pay and as a profession is one thing; to offer your freedom and your life, to endure discomforts and actual hardships, to risk health in a fever-stricken foreign country, and to sacrifice settled ambition for mere patriotism, is another. It is the latter which the Volunteer Naval Re serve of the United States has done, and every American citizen with a drop of honest blood in hLs veins will surely give the organization the praise it so richly deserves. On the third of May, while Cervera's where abouts was still an absorbing mystery, the " Yankee " (an auxiliary cruiser, converted from

PREFACE.

. the steamship " El Norte ") went into commission at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. She was manned entirely, save for the captain, executive officer, navigator, paymaster, and the marine guard, by members of the New York State Naval Militia. For four months she remained in commission, weaving the threads of a glorious record which will ever redound to the credit and honor of the Volunteer Naval Reserve. Truth is ever stranger than fiction, and the simple story of the boys of the gallant " Yankee," as set forth in the diary of Number Five of the After Port Gun, should appeal to the heart of every reader in this great country of ours — a country made grander and better and more potent in the world's history by the achievements of such brave lads as those who formed the crew of the " Yankee." Number Five's diary was written simply for his family, but the fame gained by the " Yankee " leads the publishers to believe that it will prove interesting to Americans far and wide.

It is set forth in narrative form, but the incidents and the straightforward, simple, and sailor-like words are those of the actual par ticipant. This is his story.

Chapter I. In Which The

" YANKEE " GOES INTO COMMISSION. U. S. S. " New Hampshire," April 26, 1898. Report at "New Hampshire " immediately, ready to go on board auxiliary cruiser "Yankee." (Signed) John H. Barnard, Lieut, commanding 3d Division, Jf. Y. State Naval Militia. It was this telegram, brief but extremely com prehensive, received early on the morning of the twenty-sixth of April, which sent me post-haste to the old receiving-ship " New Hampshire," moored at the end of an East River dock. The telegram had been anxiously expected for several days by the members of the First Battalion, and when I reached the ship I found the decks thronged with excited groups. War was a certainty, and the very air was filled with rumors. The prevailing topic was discussed from every point of view, and within THE " YANKEE " GOES INTO COMMISSION. sixty seconds as many destinations had been picked out for the " Yankee."

It was variously reported that she was to go to Havana, to Manila, to Porto Rico, and even to Spain. This last rumor brought shouts of laughter, and " Stump," as we termed him, a well-known young insurance broker of New York, remarked, in his character istic way : " It probably won't be this particular ' Yan kee,' boys, that will go there, but there'll be others." There was much cleaning of kits and furbish ing of cutlasses. We knew that we would not take the latter with us, but then it was practice, and we felt anxious to do something martial as a relief to our excitement. There was a di version shortly before noon, when the " old man " (the captain) appeared with a number of official-looking papers in his hands. " He's got the orders," whispered little Potter, our latest recruit. " Whoop ! we'll get away this morning, sure."

The whistle of the bosun's mate on watch echoed shrilly about the decks a few moments later. " Now, d'ye hear there," he shouted, hoarsely, " you will break out mess gear and get your selves ready for messing aboard ship." " YANKEE." That did not sound as if we were destined to see our new vessel put into commission very soon, and there was some grumbling, but the boys fell to work with good grace, and we were soon preparing for our stay aboard the old frig ate. The officer of the deck was lenient, how ever, and the majority of the crew secured per mission to sleep at home that night. The following Monday, on reporting on board the " New Hampshire," we learned that the en tire detail selected to man the " Yankee " would proceed to that ship shortly after eight bells. Word was passed that our enlistment papers — for we were to regularly enter Uncle Sam's naval service — would be made out, and that our freedom and liberty, as some of the boys put it, would cease from that hour.

The latter state ment made little impression. We had entered the Naval Reserves for business, if business was required, and we expected hardships as well as fun. A navy-yard tug, sent by the Commandant, steamed alongside at two o'clock, and the com pany was marched on board without delay. The boys were eager to enter on this, their first real detail, and, in the rush to gain the deck of the tug, young Potter slipped from the rail and fell with a mighty splash into the water. "Man THE " YANKEE " GOES INTO COMMISSION. overboard! " bawled his nearest mate, and " Man overboard ! " echoed one hundred and fifty voices. There was a scramble for the side, and the tug's deck hand, assisted by several of our fellows, fished Potter from the river with a boat hook. " Hereafter, please ask permission before you leave the ship," facetiously remarked the officer in charge.

" Humph ! as if I meant to do it," grunted Potter, wringing the East River from his duck shirt. We caught our first view of the " Yankee " as we steamed past the cob dock at the yard. We were favorably impressed at once. She is a fine looking ship, large, roomy, and comfortable, with lines which show that she is built for speed. As her record is twenty knots an hour, the latter promise is carried out. The " Yankee " was formerly the " El Norte," one of the Morgan Line's crack ships, and, when it was found necessary to increase the navy, she was purchased, together with other vessels of the same company, and ordered converted into an auxiliary cruiser. Gun mounts were placed in the cargo ports, beams strengthened, magazines inserted, and interior arrangements made to accommodate a large crew.

The " Yankee's " tonnage i3 4,695 " YANKEE." tons; length, 408 feet; beam, 48 feet. The battery carried consists of ten five-inch quick-firing breechloaders, six six-pounders, and two Colt automatic guns. After events proved conclu sively the efficiency of the " Yankee's " armament. The detail was taken alongside the " Yankee " by the tug. We had our first meeting with our new captain, Commander W. H. Brownson, of the regular navy. His appearance and his kindly greeting bore out the reputation he holds in the service as a gentleman and a capable officer. It is well to say right here that Commander Brown son, although a strict disciplinarian, was ever fair and just in his treatment of the crew. Our pedigrees were taken for the enlistment papers, and the questions asked us in regard to our ages, occupations, etc., proved that the Government requires the family history of its fighters.

The following day each man was subjected to a rigid physical examination. The latter ceremony is so thorough that a man needs to be perfect to have the honor of wearing the blue shirt. Per sonally, Avhen I finally emerged from the exam ining room, I felt that my teeth were all wrong, my eyes crossed, my heart a wreck, and that I was not only a physical ruin, but a gibbering idiot as well. That I really passed the examina- THE " YANKEE " GOES INTO COMMISSION. tion successfully was no fault of the naval sur geon and his assistants. After the medical department had finished with us, the enlistment papers were completed, and we became full-fledged " Jackies," as " Stump " termed it. The members of the bat talion were, rated as landsmen, ordinary seamen, and able-bodied seamen, according to their skill, and a number of men, hastily enlisted for the purpose, were made machinists, firemen, coal passers, painters, and carpenters.

Some of these had seen service in the regular navy, and they were visibly horny-handed sons of toil. One Irishman, whose brogue was painful, looked with something very like contempt on the Naval Re serve sailors. " Uncle Sam is a queer bird," several of us overheard him remark to a mate. " He do be making a picnic av this war wid his pleasure boats an' his crew av pretty b'yes. If we iver tackle the Spaniards, there'll be many a mama's baby on board this hooker cryin' for home, swate home." " Hod," a six-footer, who played quarter-back on a famous team not long ago, took out his note book and made an entry. " I'll spot that fellow and make him eat his words before we get into deep water," he said, " YANKEE." quietly. He was not the only one to make that vow, and it was plain that Burke, the Irishman, had trouble in store for him.

On our return to the " New Hampshire," the battalion was placed under the regular ship's routine. All the men were divided into two watches, starboard and port. The port watch, for instance, goes on duty at eight bells in the morning, stands four hours, and is then relieved by the starboard watch ; this routine continues day and night, except from four until eight in the afternoon, when occur the dog watches, two of them, two hours long each, stood by the port and starboard men respectively. The dog watches are necessary to secure a change in the hours of duty for each watch. From now on we were given a taste of the actual work of the service. Details were made up each morning and sent to the " Yankee " to assist in getting her in readiness for service. One of the first duties was to carry on board and stow away in the hold one hundred kegs of mess pork.

As each keg contained one hundred pounds, the task was not easy for men unaccustomed to manual labor. Still there was no complaint. In fact, the only growling heard so far had come from some of the men who had seen service in the regular navy. Burke, the fireman, de- THE " YANKEE " GOES INTO COMMISSION. claimed loudly against the " shoe leather an' de terrer-cotter hard-tack which they do be tryin' to feed to honest workers. As for the slops they call coffee, Oi wouldn't give it to an Orangeman's pig ! " The food served out on board the " New Hampshire " — being the usual Government ra tion of salt-horse, coffee, and hard-tack — was vastly different from that to which the majority of the boys were accustomed, but it was accepted with the good grace displayed by the members of the Reserve on every occasion.

All these little discomforts are, as the Navigator (a com missioned officer of the regular navy) remarked, " merely incidental to the service." As the time approached when we were to board the " Yankee " for good, the ordinary watches were abandoned, and only anchor watches kept. An anchor watch is a detail of five or six men, selected from the different parts of the ship, who do duty, really, as watchmen, during the night. Two days before the order arrived to leave the " New Hampshire," it was found necessary to station several men, armed with guns and fixed bayonets, on the dock near the ship, to stop men from taking the " hawser route " ashore. The firemen and coal-passers had been refused shore leave, or liberty, as it is " YANKEE." called, because of their habit of getting intoxi cated, pawning their uniforms, and loitering ashore.

Truth to tell, the guns and bayonets had little effect, as the offenders were old in the business. The second night after the order was put in force it happened that " Hod," who was rated as an able seaman, was on duty with gun and bayo net on that end of the dock opposite the forecastle. He had just relieved the man whose watch ended at midnight, and he stood thought fully watching the twinkling lights on the op posite side of the mighty East River. There was so much to occupy his mind in a situation which was both charming and fascinating that he remained motionless for several minutes. Presently there came a slight, scraping sound, and the end of a rope struck the dock almost at his feet. Glancing up, " Hod " saw a man's figure, dimly outlined in the gloom, slip from the top gallant forecastle and quickly descend the rope.

It was evidently one of the men taking " French " leave, and it was the sentry's duty to give the alarm at once. But " Hod " had other views in this particular case. Hastily stepping back into the shadows, he laid his gun upon the floor of the dock, and rolled up his sleeves with THE " YANKEE " GOES INTO COMMISSION. an air that meant business. The next moment the absconder dropped from the rope. As he prepared to slip past the ship a sinewy hand was placed upon his shoulder, and another equally sinewy caught him by the collar. " Burke, suppose you return aboard ship," said " Hod," quietly. " You are not going to hit the Bowery this time." The Irish fireman attempted to wrench him self free, then he struck out at " Hod " with all the force of his right arm. The quarter-back's practice on the field came into play, and the college graduate tackled his opponent in the latest approved style.

The struggle was short and de cisive, and it resulted in Burke declaring his willingness to return to the ship. " The next time you try to size up a new ship mate be sure you are on to his curves," remarked "Hod," as he escorted his prisoner over the gang way. " You will find some of ' mama's pretty boys ' rather tough nuts to crack." The day following this little episode found the members of the State Naval Militia detailed to form the crew of the " Yankee " in full possession of the cruiser which they were to sail to glory or defeat in defense of their country. The ship's company, two hundred and twenty-five in all, boarded the auxiliary warship without cere- " YANKEE." mony, and were speedily set to work hoisting in provisions, removing to the yard all unnecessary stuff with which the ship was littered, and get ting her generally in condition for sailing.

The work was extremely hard, but it was done with out demur. A naval officer attached to the yard stood near me at one time during the afternoon, and I heard him remark to a visitor who had accom panied him on board : " You will find an object lesson in this scene. These young men working here at the hardest kind of manual labor, buck ling down cheerfully to dirty jobs, were, a few days ago, living in luxury in the best homes in New York City. The older men were clerks, or lawyers, or physicians, and not one of them had ever stained his hands with toil. Look at them now." Unconsciously I glanced across the deck to where three men were hauling upon a whip, or block-and-tackle, which was being used to hoist huge boxes and casks of provisions on board. The three men were working sturdily, and it would have been difficult to recognize in them, with their grimy faces and soiled duck uniforms, a doctor, a bank cashier, and a man-about-town well known in New York City.

Near the for ward hatch, industriously swabbing the deck, THE " YANKEE " GOES INTO COMMISSION. was a black-haired youth whose father helps to control some of the largest moves on 'Change. Scattered about the gangway were others, some painting, some rolling barrels, and a number en gaged in whipping in heavy boxes of ammuni tion. They were all cheerful, and the decks re sounded with merry chatter and whistling and song. I turned to myself. My hands were brown and smeared and bruised. My uniform, once white, was streaked and stained with tar. I wore shoes innocent of blacking and made after a pattern much admired among navvies. I had an individual ache in every bone of my body, and I was hungry and was compelled to look for ward to a dinner of odorous salt-horse, hard bread, and " ennuied " coffee, but I was happy — I had to admit that.

Perhaps it was the novelty of the situation, perhaps it was something else, but the fact remained that I would not have left the ship or given up the idea of going on the cruise for a good deal. We worked hard all day, and, when mess gear was piped for supper, we could hardly repress a sigh of heartfelt relief. The food, bad as it was, was welcome, and when I reluctantly swung away from the mess table I felt much better. At six bells, shortly before hammocks were " YANKEE." piped down, the "striker," or helper, for our mess cook, said mysteriously : " Don't turn in early, Russ, there's going to be a little fun. ' Bill ' and ' Stump ' have young Potter on a string. It will be great."

Chapter II. In Which We Get Under Way At Last

The hint of possible fun that night was suf ficient to keep me alert. " All work and no play, etc.," was part of our code aboard the "Yankee," and goodness knows we had worked hard enough getting the ship ready for sailing to be permitted a little sport. Then, again, any badgering of young Potter would be innocent amusement, so I laid by and waited, keeping my eye on " Bill." " Bill," by the way, was the captain of our mess, a jolly good fellow, popular, and always in evidence when there was any skylarking on foot. Hammocks were piped down at seven bells (7:30 p.m.), and, as it was our first experience on board the " Yankee," there was some con fusion. A number of new recruits had joined that afternoon, and their efforts to master the mysteries of the sailor's sleeping outfit were amusing.

A naval hammock differs largely from those used ashore. A hammock aboard ship is "YANKEE." of canvas, seven feet long, with holes a few inches apart at each end, through which are reeved pieces of strong cord. The latter are called clews, and they meet at an iron ring, which is attached to the hooks in the carline beams when the hammock is in position for use. When a hammock is properly slung it hangs almost straight, with very little sagging. To get in properly, one grasps two hoops near the head, and, with an agile spring, throws body and feet into the canvas bed. This requires a knack, and is learned only after a more or less painful experience. A three-inch mattress and two blankets go with each outfit. For sheets a bag like mattress cover is used, and, in lieu of the downy pillows of home, the sailor must be con tent with his shoes rolled up inside his trousers or flannel shirt.

With it all, however, the naval hammock is very comfortable. There is the ad vantage of being able to not only wash your blankets and sheets, but your bed as well. Once each month clean hammocks are issued and the old ones scrubbed. While I was below, rigging up my clews, I saw a commotion on the other side of the deck. The master-at-arms was expostulating with one of the new recruits who had reported that afternoon. Suddenly the latter called out, angrily, " I'll see "THAT FAT MAN IN THE CELLAR WANTS ME TO SLEEP IN A BAG (page 19). WE GET UNDER WAY AT LAST. if I have to, durn you ! " and bolted for the up per deck. The master-at-arms followed him at once, and several of us followed the master-at arms to see the excitement. We reached the quarter-deck just as the recruit came to a stop in front of the officer on watch.

" What's the matter with you ? " demanded the latter, curtly. " What's up % " " Th-th-that m-m-man down in the — the cel lar wants me to sleep in a bag, durn him," gasped the recruit, waving his lanky arms, " and I won't do it for him or no one else." " Cellar ? " Then the officer shouted with laughter. The recruit was sent back to the " New Hamp shire " next day, but it was long before the mas ter-at-arms was known by any other name or title than " the man in the cellar." A few minutes before tattoo, " Bill " and " Stump " came up and intimated by signs that I was to accompany them to the forward part of the berth deck. On reaching the extreme end, which was occupied by an immense hawser reel, " Bill " indicated a hammock which was swing ing with the forward clews directly above the great spool, or reel.