Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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, LAN VOL. VIII. * MBRRIMAC HEROES ! PERMBL OP CREW. { "Into the Jaws of Death, Into the Mouth of Hell," SAILED THE LITTLE BAUD OP AMERICANS. Thrilling JSfory of Their Hrillinn# Anl?lnv?ii?<i?*4 VInn4Sn<?? ! iHiif Vivian il HM IIl all' nillll lil^'P do Cuba. Heroism Which Words Are Inadequate to Describe. Plans oT Lieut. Hobson as Related by Him Previous: to Starting ou IIis Perilous Mission. Off Santiago do Cuba. .lime ?7 a. m.?Via Port Antonia, Ja-I maica, June 4, per tin* Associated Press dispatch- boat Dauntless.?' ^ (Dolayod in transmission.)?The y** Spanish fleet is now helpless, bo ing held captive in Santiago do Cuba harbor. The narrow channel loading into tht harbor was. eoniplotely blockadod early thin morning when tho Pnitod States ^ collier Mcrnmac was sunk across its entrance. It is uov,* imposti bio for the Spaniards to cot out,' and it is equally impossible for any vessel to pet into the harbor.! Thoreforo, the Spanish first-class armored cruisers Maria Teresa Cristobal Colon, Yircaya and A1 -: miranto Oquando, with lha two torpodo boat dastroyors, Furor ?and I'luton, aro- no longar of any uso to Spain. This result wai ac- i corn is hot] through ine heroism' of Fiet. Richmond I>. llobson, as % "siptsnt naval constructor, and I T>*ni<?! Montague, George Charotto, C. Murphy, Oscar Deignan, John 1*. Kelly and Tl. Clan, -on. Th > letter, a coxswain < f tli?? W N 'w V :>rk, tr !. part in - expedition ugaist orders. Montague is cbiof ma ter-at.irm ol" tn New N ork. !! f 1 , for ' v?.r : * navy, i V ' n u - I 1 1. .. i (leor^" <'! ?t* o i :i gunners' m #'e of tho fir-1-? 1 :i?-?, nti hoard Mio v ?w York. Ho ha~ served foiirtO'O yours in (' > navv, is "1 ycar i o! ! ami re at Lowell, Ma- . I,. (Murphy i . < > ~ w ir: on the Iowa. | ) .;;T .) ? . . . . V -r" ;-*.f t': ' " '< !:; M< rriniae. Ho ib 86 years of ago w ' hi ' n' ia 1 !" i ':e t OP loir. Kelly is u water t? inii r, ahcuf '!."? years old. Hi ; home n near <i cow, Scotland. ii. t Iniison, who slipped on hoard the Merrimae without permission, in order to take part in the expedition, is ;t coxswain of ' the .New York. ^ The three men from the Merriniar'rt crow were all r- u hands' and hipped re * \ ''or the ? war. o I lit- Merriniac hud on hoard six hundred tons of roal .when '-he wa? Rcutted across the channel. l.iont. HoHmoii started on hi* daring errand at .'{ oYlorl ,l^r^ morning. The Merrima'c was 'lying to the westward. I cier J cove (if the 1!' on, <he strdo 111 4B towar the coa?t and rn 1?? her ' \<r?iy tn the eastward, followed by i steam launch from the New j t JASTE LANCASTE York, with the following crew on hoard : Naval Cadet J. W. Powall, of Oswego, N. Y. P. K. Patt?r?on, coxswain. If. Haudford, apprentice of the fi ra t-elauu. J. Mullings, coal passer. G. L. Russell, machinist of tho Hf?CO II (1 -cl?cu In 111?? launch wore bandages and appliances for the wounded. From tho crowded docks of the New York nothing could he seen of tho Merrimac after she had got under the shadow of the hills. For half an hour oflicers aud men strained their eyes peering into the gloom, when, suddenly, the llash of a gun streamed out from tho Morro i'aetlo, and then all on board the New York knew the Morrimae was Hearing her end. Tho guns from the Spanish battery opposite Morro ('astle, answorod quickly w ith more flashes, j and for about twenty minutes flashes of lire seemed to leap across the harbor entrance The flagship wan too far away to hear the reports, and when the liring ceased it was judged that Hobson had blown up the Merri-; mac. For an hour the anxious watchers waited for daylight. Rear Admiral Sampson and Capt. Ohadwick wero on the bridge of the New York throughout. At f> o'clock thin streams of smoke were seen against the western shore, quite close to the Span nil battanaa, and atrong *!*?? ? mado out the launch of the Naw YorK returning to the flajihip. Scarcely had the small craft bean sighted before a pufT of ?moke issued from a battery on the west -' orn arm of the harbor and a shot plunged fur over the launch.' Then for fifteen minutes the big1 guns ashoro kept up an irrogular lire < u t!i lit'!- ! much. As the -i ?>! I t 1! v ii! ut hitting t lie oh-1 j.M-f t'1 >v i: tended for, the men on bo rd tlte New York jeered at th Sn, ,i 'i m:irl;im?nship nnd < ): rod tl. r fhi; nmt .1. At fitl.'i a. m. tho I tuncli cum" .. i ; i . .i... n... K:. i.... ! 'H,?' IMC *?U? Wl** did not have on hoard any of the crow of tl ' Merrimae. Cadet I \nv< . rep>< rted t hat ho had he *n or aide to -c.? any si<rno of t h M?> .'Ini:i<-' crow. It d!? *. 'op* *!::11, with proat bravery.* he cadet !k'.! ;(jik riKfit ut. th. ! atteno , an 1 only return? v : all hope of Tahiti' on h ar-i the re,' i t1 .Merriiita*' ha la *n hl> 'ndote J. i'ow !: :? reporte 1 ttia. tie had. eiearly ontt the Merrirnac'a u i ?? t k sticking tip just where H djton hoped to nink her, north of the lh !n batter}' and well pant t! no:.: of Morro Castle. Rut of the heroes who ha ! penned the Spaniard in t; re wnot a sound ?>r h, sign. Hear Admiral Sampson "aid : "I am pretty sure the attempt was quit.' suereisful. 1 tiop" all those bru\e fellows arc iiol raptured." ('adot Powell IjelieTes the torpedoes previously tiled about the Merrimao were explode 1 a* ;d tuned, as l.ieut. llohson was v <d| up the harbor before the Spaniards opened lire on the Meritmnc. What artuallj happened on hoard the Merrimao r .u be-f lie juducd from wliai Lieut. II ibson said just before leaving the lla^ H En BfciMI-WREKLY. R, S. C., WEDNESVi chip. Sitting in his cabin, his face browned by the sun and his eyes flashing with excitemeut, lie remarked : "I shall go right into the harbor until about four hundred yards past the Estrella battery, which is behind Morro Castle. I do not think they can sink me before 1 reach somewhere near that point. The Merrimac has seven thousand tons of buoyancy and I shall keep her full speed ahead. She can make about ten knots. When the narrowest part of the channel is reached, 1 shall put her helm hard a port, stop tho engines, drop the anchors, open the sea connections, touch off the torpedoes and leave the Merrimac a wreck, lying athwait tho channel,which is not as broad as the Merrimer ia Inner Th?r? are ton fl-inch iniprovod torpedoes below tho water lino, on the Morrimac's port udo. They are placed on her aide against the bulkheads and vital spots, connected with each other by a wire under tho ship's keel. Each torpedo contains eighty-two pounds of gunpowder. Each torpedo is also connected with the bridge, end they should do their work in a minute and a quarter. ' On deck thero will he four men and myeelf. In the engiae room thare will be two other men. This is the total crew, and all of us will be in eur underclothing, with revolvers and ammunition in water-tight packing wrapped around our waists. Forward thura will be a man on deck, and around his waist will be a line, the othor end of the line being made fast to tin* bridge on which 1 will stand. Hy that man's aide will bo an hxp. When 1 stop tho engine* ! s!u.ll jork Mi:* cord and lie will thus got the aigiinl to cut tho lash1: w ich will ho hold ng tho forward nno) r?t It-- crillutu jump over? !" nt '1 pvi.rn to < o 'mir- ;i r. ! . 1 w ! .. ]' tow . ! dingy 5.; full oi 'if<* be v u 1 Mi-'inka1 !.>, I. it ?r?> r;:It in to be !.<?! i >; two rop - , on" 110 ! f a ' Mt her Sow and 11 iK< at her -torn. tir-t man to reach her will h \u! iii tlie tow lino and pull 1; out to starboard. The next to leave T i: - - i p ar? '' rest the new. lee tp; ;< r' ern - ter 1 t h ' ti ? v;ik put '; :> *r<: apo: I l.ishe ! i - ; I < wtl' tjieli jHi o\ erb "?r1 "1 )ow n be. .. :.o niati at i lie re'.. k. ij. . top tie engines, srrami ! ilj> on ?Ik end i^yt over ' side ab quickly ab posei* hie. "'! !. man in th"? onpiisr room wi!' freak open the ? comieeti with ft s'-* 'pe hhtnnn r and w !1 f '.low tiin leader jut: the w: 'or. I hi." 'fit: Mep in?urec the -inkir. of the Morriniae whether th t.orp lot* wor? or r.ot. "liy tli * time, I calculate the men ?. ill In* in the dingy and Ihe M.rrimac will have swung athwart"'! he channel, to the full length of h?r three hundred yards of ealde, which will havw heeri paid on^ before the anchor- were 11 ( Vr Then all that - left for i:i<* h to t( 11< 11 'the button. I shall stand on tin* starboard sid" of tlx* bridge. Fiio explosion w ill throw tlie .Merrimao on her starboard side. Nothing on this side of New York city will be o 1, * . \ i 1 TERP \Y, JUNE 8/ 1898. able to raise hor after that. "And you expect to como out of this alive?" asked a companion of the lieutenant. "Ah! That is another thing!"' said the lieutenant, lie was so: interostod in the mechanical detail" of the scheme that he scarce- 1 ly stoppod to talk of life and death. But,in reply to frequent questions, Hobaon said: "I supposo the Kstrella battery will fire down on ue a bit; but the I ships will throw ikeir searchlights ; I in the gunners' faces, aud they, won't.see much of us. If we are | torpodoed, wo should oven then i ' be able to make the desired position in the channel. It won't be so easy to hit us, aud I think tho men should be ablo to swim to the : dingy. I may jump before I am 1 blown up. Hut I don't aeo that it makes much ditTerenco what 1 do. ^ I havo a fair chance of life either . way. If our dingy pets shot to j I pieces we shall then try to swim for the beach right under MorroCastle I I We shall keep the grouud at all ! hazards. Then, we may be able to make our way back to the ship.! We shall fight tho sentries or a squad until the last and we shall j only surrender to overwhelming numbers, aud our surrender will I only take place as a last aud a most uacoutemplated emergeu| C7-" I'nder these circumstances, one can imagine the immense feeling ; of satisfaction experienced when it became known that llobson and the crew of the Msrrirr.sc ner* ( safe. I.ater in the day, a boat j with a white tlag put out from the , harbor, and Captain Iredo, the chief of stafT of Admiral Cervera, hoarded tho Njw York and in; formed tho a Iniiral that the whole of the party lis.! been captured; and that only two of the heroes b.'. l been injured. I.iout. llobson . no! b?ir. :.red. If tpt?e*r ' -i fit - Spanish sln.iril w e- - ><' f i; ; , J |j ' ' . i rrir;.K t Ij.i i . ; ; Iiaii not ' 111 < .r live , '> ;t v. or ; r ' ?: ( . *.v:i . n:s? h- exrluin^cii. O .A. *=* '.7" ' 2- 7TL T .A. Rear* i /) ' ' * ' HMWfS B iM T" ST I? 1 * v << I M KK STOin OK llljivr *s '? i I'lNti ??IT!\ The r M:v ??*" \\Ti<'b \ Off< !: V?'ill vnl Soon Tiro <d Kcml'nr. IK ! I'ouriu; . I \>rt .\ . !i?!iii?, tni i> .. .. u n>' i 1 )t'!ny >! in 11 iw i ? ion ? \ sitij.rl? ?! -.' I tr y ' * 1 \ inoriour. 1 :i:i? I. . - ( 1 lie I.in^lom <?i ^j -1i:; *'; ; v. < : is 1 Jkret oi' A <: 11 i?r:?I I M >> r i. .hi>l h<di>ro dawn tuda\ >eveil gallant seamen took the collier Merrirnnc under Lho blazing Morro battery and nnchojvu and sunk her beneath a >piteiul tire of musketry and heavy oatinonadine; 1 I'rom tho ^-hore ami the wrci'lvtil Inill ol the sunken vessel efl'eo 1 nally closes the ?-11fran?*?* 1<> the harbor, within which the Spanish squadron is hopelessly and helplossy |ock? <1. I id-. s])lciiq|i ! -Iroke. which leaves the u<>\< rniiK-nt at \\ ash, iiifitoi tree to act without I'urlher| jiearol 1 ,'ie Spaniards, was planned hy Lit i t. luehniond 1'. llol>son, who cominnink 1 the expedition. I 1 I f RISE. NO. 18. R?jr?l mk*i the food pure, wholesome and deliclou*. ^AkiK^ POWDER Absolutely Puro jj ROYAL DAKtftG r-)?OIR CO., NlW YORK. lie is a naval constructor, attached to the Annapolis, and his home is in Brooklyn. With him went l>aniel Montague, Ceorge Charette, J. K. Murphy, (iscar Deignan, .John 1*. Phillips and John Kelly, all non commissioned officers or enlisted men. A steam launch from the flagship New York, commanded by Cadet J. W. Powell, followed the Merrimac to the month of the harbor and, despite the fire from the forts, cruised in the vicinity for an hour and a half after the collier was sunk, but no sign of tho brare Americans wa? seen, ajnl Cadet Powell was finally compelled to ?"rjoin the flagship. The plan to block the entrance to Santiago had been under consideration for several days, as Hear Admiral Sampson had decided that it was impossible to tako his fleet inside. Lieut. Ilobson had eipected to do the work Wednesday night, but owing to delay in preparing the ship, it was deferred.,* The daring, officer attempted to run in after daylight on Thursday, and was only stopped under protect after stern orders to return from the admi ral. All day yesterday the preparation* "proceeded and by nightfall 1' era!? \v it rea l!n**ss. A row ol torpedoes had been ar- < r n i ' i! '">!!, > t !i:tt . .11 .. >i. i : x |?i(i.;e i., hi n. 'it- vessel mill j : ! sinking. At i ' '.j, v .s ion.-. - 'lips oi the '! '<!' ii;w ! M< rriniac, ! ; i it' her 'ustily.' 1' " ir 1 11!' men ;! 11 '1 -mores of opiei r - vr'unteoro! for the <luty man! : " who hail ! en the enpffiin of the Merrimae, begg ! permission <>i Admiral I.; i 111 . i i?> :'fii oni.v ; ' n. i at V . , I I'. i I . . 11 11 \'. i 1 I ) ISO. I iVfe | 7 1 t! v v " v. i'i tlie 111 appointed hour. It was an ini- ?j pref.sive night muon ; the i ion of &i ho fleet, for few expected that ^ iiu* members of the little crew " would 111- -iiiir! lu night ' .<h Ik ! th d :rh nes n-^ t1 ' :!! shor . tin vi ; >i ; I,., pri in ' ' 1 Wmrl t 1 ' ,) ii i itnon. | * \ , lit ^ > >OM 1 *!' ' IH'Iv A .. ill1' I a o K II 0 I i| ' ! \1. 11; 1:11 1o drift slowly toward the ^ ^ 1 Hi'! an I in a half hour lost >arw to siffht. It '.V:is limit. I fohson's i * ? pl:i|i to steam past Mnrro. swing endwise the channel. drop his anchors, open the valves, explode the torpedoes on Ihe port side, I leap overboard preceded by his . J\ crew and make their escape in a 0 little life boat which was towel ? astern, it' possible, and it not to , ) attempt to swim ashore All tie men were heavily armed :> .. %J ready to make a Imree resist- t I i Continued on page sV,' * \ \ .