History of the Gatling Gun Detachment, Fifth Army Corps, at Santiago Part 3

First Endors.e.m.e.nt.

"Headquarters 5th Army Corps, "Tampa, Fla., June 5, 1898.

"Respectfully returned to Lieut. J. T. Thompson, Ordnance Officer.

"If Lieut. Parker, in charge of the detachment as at present const.i.tuted, can make the arrangements suggested within, he may take action; but, in view of the limited time remaining, it is thought the detachment already organized will answer.

"By command of Maj.-Gen. Shafter.

"E. J. McClernand, "a.s.sistant Adjutant-General."

Second Endors.e.m.e.nt.

"Office of the Ordnance Officer, "Lafayette Street Bridge, "Tampa, Fla., June 5, 1898.

"Respectfully referred to Lieut. John H. Parker for his information.

"Jno. T. Thompson, "1st Lieut., Ordnance Dept, U. S. A."

It will be seen from the first endors.e.m.e.nt that a certain amount of discretion was left to the detachment commander. He was authorized to take action if he could make the arrangements suggested within. Lieut.

Thompson had authorized an escort for the reserve ammunition, if it was considered necessary. The detachment commander resolved to take action by using his whole detachment as an escort, putting it on board the Cherokee, with the reserve ammunition, and accompanying it to its destination--in Cuba, trusting to the future to enable him to complete the detachment according to the first endors.e.m.e.nt.

It was now 11 o'clock in the forenoon. Between that time and 4 o'clock it was necessary to obtain two freight cars, have them placed upon the siding at a convenient point, have more than twenty wagon-loads of ammunition, camp equipage, etc., placed in these cars, have the four guns with their limbers placed on board, and, more difficult than all the rest, go through the necessary red tape at the quartermaster's office in order to get the two cars moved to Port Tampa. It was all accomplished.

The general freight agent was bluffed into believing that unless the two cars were instantly set where they were wanted his whole railroad would be tied up. The quartermaster was hypnotized and dropped formality, putting all the clerks to work upon papers and making out the necessary bill of lading, invoices, etc., in time to catch the 4 o'clock train. He also issued the necessary transportation for the officer and men of the detachment from Tampa to Port Tampa, accepting the first endors.e.m.e.nt above as sufficient orders for that purpose.

One member of the detachment, Priv. Murray, had been very ill with what we afterward learned to call the Cuban fever, and, while apparently convalescent, was entirely too weak to accompany the detachment. He was a splendid fellow, and the tears rolled down his emaciated face when he was told he must remain behind. He was furnished with a descriptive list and a letter was written to the chief surgeon of the Division Hospital, requesting him to send an ambulance immediately for the sick man. One member of the detachment carried this letter to Tampa Heights, and so sharp was the work of getting away that this man had to board a moving train as it was pulling out to keep from getting left; but Priv. Murray was taken to the hospital and cared for, and Priv. Bremer did not get left.

The detachment reached Port Tampa about sundown, and Maj. Cus.h.i.+ng, who had charge of the loading of the transports, at once authorized the cars to be set alongside the Cherokee. The ammunition, guns, camp equipage, men, and all were promptly put aboard. The training in packing and unpacking the guns was the only thing which enabled the work to be done in the limited time allotted. Not so much as a ten-penny nail belonging to the detachment was left behind.

During the night the troops that were to occupy the Cherokee came on board, and it was found the next morning that five or six tons of regimental baggage had been piled on top of the guns, making it practically impossible to disembark, even if such a movement should be ordered.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Wrecked Locomotives and Machine Shops at Baiquiri.]

CHAPTER IV.

THE VOYAGE AND DISEMBARKATION.

It seemed that the work had been accomplished none too soon, for on the morning of June 7th orders came to the Cherokee to leave the slip and proceed down the bay. There were on board at this time, beside the little Gatling Gun Detachment, the 17th Infantry, under command of Col. Haskell, and a battalion of the 12th Infantry, under command of Col. Comba, who was the senior officer on board. The s.h.i.+p was frightfully crowded. The berth deck and lower deck had been arranged for the accommodation of the men by nailing rows of two 2x4 scantlings just far enough apart to leave room for a man to lie down, and fastening three tiers of bunks to these scantlings. The men were packed in these bunks like sardines in a box. The ventilation was conspicuous by its absence, the heat below deck was frightful and the misery entailed by such accommodations was beyond description. But the men were very cheerful, and, being allowed the privilege of the upper deck, very little in the way of complaint was heard. Everybody was anxious to be off. The hope most frequently expressed was for a quick pa.s.sage and a sharp, swift campaign. It was easily foreseen by the officers on board the s.h.i.+p that a long sojourn on s.h.i.+pboard under such conditions would have a very bad effect on the men.

The s.h.i.+p dropped down the bay to the quarantine station, starting about noon, and there lay to, waiting, as was supposed, for the remainder of the fleet. Suddenly, about 8 p. m., one of the torpedo cruisers came tearing down the bay under full steam, and we heard the message sounded through the megaphone: "Return to port. Three Spanish cruisers within three hours' sail of the offing." It was a thrilling moment. Officers and men were lounging, taking, as they supposed, their last view of the American sh.o.r.es, without a suspicion of present danger, when they were rapidly brought to a realizing sense that "war is h.e.l.l," by a notice that the enemy was upon them. Whether they were in danger or not, the danger was deadly real and imminent to them at the time.

The Cherokee had been anch.o.r.ed pretty well inside. She immediately got up steam and went out to warn other vessels farther out in the offing, and then made safely for the harbor. Officers and men behaved with perfect coolness. It was hopeless to attempt to escape by concealment, so Col. Comba ordered out the band of the 17th Infantry and the good s.h.i.+p fled up the bay, in momentary expectation of a smas.h.i.+ng shot from the enemy, to the strains of "There'll be a hot time." What little excitement there was displayed itself in a feverish searching of the bay with field-gla.s.ses for signs of the enemy. The older officers, upon whom the responsibility was resting, sat upon the quarter-deck, smoking their pipes and discussing the situation. The captains quietly moved about, a.s.signing stations to their companies, in case of attack, with the view of trying the effect of the modern rifle upon the armored sides of a Spanish man-of-war, and two of the younger officers took advantage of the catchy air which the band was playing to dance a two-step on the quarter-deck. So the evening wore away. The moon went down. The myriad little stars came out, twinkling in the deep blue sky, and at last both officers and men, tired of looking for an enemy who was never to appear, turned in for such sleep as they could get, leaving a small guard on deck to keep a lookout. When they awoke next morning, the s.h.i.+p was in the deepest part of the nearest slip, moored fast by her guy-ropes to the dock. Thus ended the first engagement with the enemy.

From the 8th until the 13th, the Cherokee lay at anchor in the slip.

She was relieved on the 10th of about 200 men, thus slightly lightening her overcrowded condition. In the meantime, this overcrowded condition of the s.h.i.+p had led to some discussion as to who could best be moved on board some other s.h.i.+p, with some prospect that the Gatling Gun Detachment might be disturbed. The situation was not at all satisfactory. With four guns, no mules, no harness, no authority, and only twelve men, the Gatling Gun Detachment did not appear to be in a very fair way toward inflicting much damage upon the enemy. So on the 11th of June the detachment commander visited Gen.

Shafter at his headquarters, determined to bring the matter to an issue, definitely, one way or the other. This was the first time he had met the general, and, under the circ.u.mstances, the manner of his reception appeared to be doubtful.

Gen. Shafter is a big man. This is not noticed at first glance. He is above the average height, but his corpulent figure does not indicate that he is full five feet nine inches in height, because his girth is of like proportion. His hands are big; his arm is big; his head is big. The occiput is especially full, and the width of head just over the ears is noticeable. There is plenty of room for the organs of combativeness. One would think he is probably a lover of children; during this interview he patted the head of an inquisitive dog, which evidently belonged somewhere on board the flag-s.h.i.+p, and which strayed into the room. His eyes are big, very full and very keen. As you enter he says curtly, "Take a seat." He waits, looking down, for you to state your business, then suddenly fixes you with a piercing glance, and goes to the heart of the subject by one incisive sentence, which leaves no more to be said. This description is a general type of several interviews with him. On this occasion the general inquired concerning the facts, looking keenly, searchingly, and meditatively at the detachment commander. The machine gun man was "on trial." Then the general broke the silence by one short question, "What do you want?"

and the reply was in kind, "Twenty men, general, with the privilege of selecting them." The general suggested the advisability of taking a complete organization; to which was replied, "That at this late hour in the expedition it is imperative to have selected men in order to perform the required duty; that men taken at random, as would be the case in a complete organization such as a company, would not be likely to have the required characteristics." The general tersely remarked, "You may have them. Make out your list, name any man in the corps that you want, and hand the list to me. I will send the men to you." The trial was over, and the Machine Gun Detachment was a settled fact.

Accordingly on the following day Special Orders No. 16 were issued, as follows:

Extract.

"Headquarters 5th Army Corps, "On Board S. S. Seguransa, "Tampa Bay, Fla., June 11, 1898.

"Special Orders, No. 16:

"4. The following named enlisted men are detailed for duty with the Gatling Gun Detachment, 5th Army Corps, and will report at once to 2d Lieut. John H. Parker, 13th Infantry, commanding the detachment for duty:

"9th Infantry: Sergeant Weigle.

"12th Infantry: Privates Voelker, Company A; Anderson, Lauer, and Timberly, Company C; Prazak, Company E.

"13th Infantry: Sergeant Green, Company H; Corporals Stiegerwald, Company A; Doyle, Smith, and Rose, Company C; Privates Corey and Power, Company A; Barts, Company E; and Schmadt, Company G.

"17th Infantry: Privates Merryman and Schulze, Company A; McDonald, Company B; Elkins, Dellett, and McGoin, Company D; Click, Needle, s.h.i.+ffer, and Sine, Company E.

"Each of the soldiers will report equipped as follows: Blanket-roll complete, haversack and contents, canteen, waist-belt of leather, hunting-knife, and revolver, and they will be rationed with ten days'

travel rations. Descriptive lists of these men will be sent to the commanding officer of the detachment.

"By command of Maj.-Gen. Shafter.

"Official. J. D. Miley, E. J. McClernand, "Aide. a.s.st. Adj.-Gen."

"Headquarters 5th Army Corps, "On Board S. S. Seguransa, "Tampa Bay, June 11, 1898.

"Special Orders, No. 16:

Extract.

"5. 2d Lieut. John H. Parker, 13th Infantry, commanding the Gatling Gun Detachment, 5th Army Corps, is authorized to make the usual requisitions for supplies.

"By command of Maj.-Gen. Shafter.