A Gunner Aboard the Yankee | Page 4

brief but extremely comprehensive, 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
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 characteristic way:
"It probably won't be this particular 'Yankee,' boys, that will go there,
but there'll be others."
There was much cleaning of kits and furbishing 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 diversion 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 yourselves ready for messing aboard ship."

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 frigate. The officer of the deck was lenient, however,
and the majority of the crew secured permission to sleep at home that
night.
The following Monday, on reporting on board the "New Hampshire,"
we learned that the entire 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 statement
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 company 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 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 is 4,695 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 conclusively 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 Brownson, although a strict
disciplinarian, was ever fair and just in his treatment of