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The Marines Have Landed

Chapter 9 HISTORIC BATTLEFIELDS

Word Count: 4022    |    Released on: 01/12/2017

ays later, "reminds me, Dick, that I never thought to inquire if you ever

he was studying, "I wrote it the following Monday a

or parts unknown that same day, and all the authorities in Porto Rico are on the lookout for him. He's a famous smuggler down in these regions and a regular bad man in the bargai

d the semaphore, wigwag and Ardois, and I think we can give the signal boys on the bridge a run f

o bother with it, anyway. Y

last week when we were having that scouting drill ashore and by knocking two rocks together I was able to tell you to go to the left of that clump of

privates some day the extra pay we will pull down as first class signa

p with a pencil against the rim of t

sk, never using a spoken word in the meantime, but often smil

and all his work was to him a means to an end. Every new bit of knowledge acquired connected with his pro

Both lads were high spirited, quick to take offense but as quick to acknowledge their errors in the light of reasoning. Day by day, Henry was losing his attitude of snobbishness. His association with Ri

. Sometimes the musics on the larger vessels are members of the secondary battery gun's crews or have other battle stations at "general quarters,"[#] but not so on the Denver, which was only a third-class cruiser of a little over three thousand tons. Also on shipboard the marine drummer has but little use for his drum and sticks, which are gene

nto action. The drill for this pre

evements of the marines, and Dick, who by now had

in commission they will reverse the time-honored c

Dick; why shouldn't they put the marin

said Dick. "But you know what the relation of the marin

do. They were the policemen

into your work. It will make you proud of your job and proud to be a U.S. Marine; it is one of the chief things you need:--esprit de corps--it's what has kep

t get started preaching. Now tell me why should or should not the marines be moved, and if not, why n

nous. In those days all weapons, and firearms particularly, were stored in the after part of the ship where the officers had their quarters and having this advantage, they were able to keep the crews under subjection. But there were only a few officers as compared to the crew, consequently the trustworthy marines were given t

aid, Dick, but what has it to

ese new ships the officers are going to change places with the crew--their living space is go

ay that custom

y back in the days of bi-re

take care of themselves--we marines have nursed them altogether too long," said Henry, and they

with me to the storeroom and draw ri

rgeant, or also applied to the hi

. "What are we going to do wi

me with your questions;" an

," cautioned Bruckner, whose German origin accounted for the manner in which he pronounced his letter "V" on occasions. He had come to the United States as

e public property card of the musics, they all repaired to the upp

gh you aren't required to handle a gun you are required to know how to shoot straight. Come to my office when you get through with that w

the boys were applying

chance to fire on th

anamo in a day or two, and when we get there I'm going to try my best to have the guard put through the re

generally founded on guess or rumor and turn out to be true

anything like that o

qualification to the end of your enlistment and also a silver badge,--crossed rifles with a wreath around them. Sharpshooter pays you three dollars per month till you next shoot for record the following year and a badge consisting of a silver Maltese cross, while a marksman's qualification pays two dollars and you get only a silver

asked Henry, who was as full of que

t patiently, "and I hope your acquaintance with all of these gentlemen may be that of an orderly or a witness only. And, Comstock, speaking of witn

the court-martial, but no testimony was required, as the accused sailors both pleaded "guil

specific acts for which the a

door when Chief Master-at-Arms Fitch brou

u fair warning to keep out of my way when I get out of the b

Fitch on hearing the remark. "After you two birds get out of your cage

of the Denver mustered aft on the quarter-deck,

," said Dick to his friend, Corporal Dorlan, as they sat talking

oard, inside or outside," said Mike, dolefully, "and

ing but bread and water to eat for thirty days, and lose three months' pay, an

t they're missin' in the way of good chow,[#] and accordin' to my way of thinkin' it will do them both a world

nerally used by men i

Guantanamo Bay before the fleet arr

t place, and well I remember the time we showed the Spaniards th

there during the Sp

* *

ampso

AMPSO

e war of 1898. The ribbon has a blue center with red on either side. Commonly

a Bay was awarded, suspended from a ribbon with broa

* *

hat foine old Spanish Admiral, Cervera, was bottled up. So Guantanamo Bay, being the foinest kind of a place, they decided to go in there, dhrive away the enemy and ho

nes were there

us at every opportunity. We took the beach with a rush and charged up the hill back of our landin' place, and then havi

e"--Spanish word meaning w

rounding Dorlan and Richard, as usual ask

come to help y

us. We marines was the first to land and the first to fight, but unless we drove th

the fight, but to get first hand news from one who had participate

enemy. Every minute they kept comin' hotter and faster and there was little chanct of us bein' successful as things were goin'. Then I saw one of the nerviest jobs pulled off that mornin'--one of the things ye often read about and believe is fiction. Right behind us in plain view was a high bare hill and on the top of that there hill, his back to the Spaniards and facin' the flashin' guns of the ship, was a marine sendin' wigwag messages to the ship and tellin' them where to shoot. Begorra, the bullets was a-flyin' around him like hail. Kickin' up little spats of dus

Dorlan," one of th

om so much blabbin' I can drink the scuttle

holding dri

was to be able some day to wear some of those little bronze medals suspended from the bright colored silk ribbon

ing, and fumbling around in its interior brought forth t

was in command of our naval forces that bottled up Cervera in the harbor of Santiago. That feller Cervera was a brave man indeed, and he fought like the gentleman he was, with no more chance of escapin' than I have o' bein' made the Co

ieve me, if I had 'em I'd be so proud I'd want to show 'em to everybody

u please; there's one medal I want mor'n all of these combine

* *

in the West Indies

IN THE WEST INDIES

n immediate vicinity of Cuba, Porto Rico or Philippines between certain dates. In case if

* *

e is that

ye come on this ship, and I'll git one yet! In three days more me present enlistment exp

bargain?"

n' all the rest o' me medals to ye, and ye can melt 'em up into copper pennies; but if I do git

oup surrounding them, Dorlan and Ri

nver steamed through the narrow entrance and into the wonderful, green border

the heroes who lost their lives in the memorable engagement. But it was Corporal Michael Dorlan who explained to the interested men every phase of the landing and the attack; who showed them the hill from which the intrepid Quick had signal

. They saw the exact spot where Hobson and his brave crew blew up the Merrimac in the harbor entrance; they scaled the walls of Morro Castle, which withstood with ha

for books dealing with the wars of that period, and the crew's l

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