Secretary of the Navy John D. Long to Commodore George C. Remey, Commandant, Key West Naval Base
June 13, 1898.
Naval Base, Key West, Fla.
The following telegram received from Sampson:1
“The Spanish Admiral2 informed me Hobson3 and his seven men had been delivered to General Commanding the Territorial Division of Cuba at Santiago,4 and that latter had reported case to General in Chief5 resident in Havana and therefore all arrangements in case must be dealt with through latter. Sampson.” Send a flag of truce to Havana to negotiate for exchange of Hobson and his men for some of the prisoners now in the possession of the United States. Try to arrange so that Hobson and party will be delivered to Sampson, and Spanish prisoners delivered at Havana. The men with Hobson are D. Montague,6 Chief master at arms; George Charette,7 gunner’s mate, third class; R. Clusen,8 coxswain; J. E. Murphy,9 coxswain, O. Daignan,10 coxswain; G. F. Philips,11 Machinist first class; F. Kelley,12 water tender. The prisoners in the possession of the United States are First Lieutenant Gastaminza,13 sixth battalion lower peninsular, seven second Lieutenants, a sergeant, nine privates and F. J. Jiminez Zapatero, the latter a prisoner at Fort Monroe, said to have been a naval officer at one time, now held as a possible spy
Long
Source Note: CbCy, DNA, RG 45, Entry 29.
Footnote 1: RAdm. William T. Sampson, Commander, North Atlantic Fleet.
Footnote 2: Adm. Pascual Cervera y Topete.
Footnote 3: Assistant Naval Constructor Richmond P. Hobson.
Footnote 4: Gen. Arsenio Linares y Pombo.
Footnote 5: Gen. Ramón Blanco y Erenas.
Footnote 6: Chief Master at Arms Daniel Montague.
Footnote 7: Gunner’s Mate First Class George Charrette.
Footnote 8: Coxswain Claus K. R. Clausen.
Footnote 9: Coxswain John E. Murphy.
Footnote 10: Coxswain Osborn W. Deignan.
Footnote 11: Machinist First Class George F. Philips.
Footnote 12: Watertender Francis Kelly.
Footnote 13: 1st Lt. Pius Giner Gastaminza.
