The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-08-01
AN UNREWAR HERO.
SAVED SEVENTEEN LIVES AT A CRIT
lcAL TIME IN THE WAR.

| He Is q Native of Greece and Lives IN
| Allegheny, Pale Is Anxious to Meet
| Some of the Men Whose Lives he Saved.
The Story ofthe Deed as Told by Himself.
| In making the calls as census enumerator
| at the residences Of the people In the Third
ward, Allegheny, Henry Hauek called at
house on Ferry street, and sfter max
| ing the usual inquiries about the social
condition Of the family the young lady
who answered his questions sta1ed tkat her
father, Demetrfus P. Geayse, had been en-
gagged in the Late war, and took active part
In the engagement between the Confeder-
ate ironclad MerrimscSand tho Monitor
The enumerstor hsd head that AR. George
saved the lives Of seventeen sailors of the
warship Cumberland In the enurnera-
| tors report to the authorities at Washing-
ton he stated this fact. This was how the
story leaked out.
Mr.. George was found ct his home, No.
81 Ferry street. and when asked to tell of
his connection with the battle said he did
not wish anything published about his ac-
ton during the conflict, He was finally
rescuing the men.
Mr.. George Is q native Of Fhessaly, and
speaks English with a Greek accent, but
related the story very graphically never
theless The deed which he performed
never received any official recognition from
the naval authorities, bat all who were en-
gagged in the great battle will doubtless re-
member the daring deed of Mr.. George,
who ever after was called the Greek
Hero" At the age of IA Mr. Geoege left
his home and took up the life of a seaman.
After travelling around theworld five times
he came to America and made his hcms in
New York Life on shore had none Of the
fascinating charms for him that the more
adventurous life of a seaman possessed,
and he became restless again and returned
to his first love. He engaged as a sailor on
q merchant ship plying between New York
and the East Indies. The ship had large
cargo Of goods to sail with, but just at this
time the war broke out, and the captain,
named Webster, concluded not to sail In
stead the ship started for tho south, where
things were assuming lively aspect. The
captain disposed of his cargo and offered
his ship to the United States for service.
THE MERRIMAG's FIRST FIGHT.
Mr.. George accompanied the vessel to the
scene of action, about seven miles above
Fortress Monroe, to place called Newport
News, where the Union soldiers were es-
tablished in fort with guns covering the
harbor. The Merrimac was at this time
wooden vessel, with four broadside and
two pivot guns. One of the first ships to
go down under the guns of the Merrimac
was Capt. Webster's. After the destruc-
ton of this boat Mr.. George offered his
services to the Union navy, but as he was
a foreigner they would not allow him to
enlist at this time He went TO the port at
Newport News and assisted the forces
there The story in which he figured
prominently is best told by himself. He
said:
1.-The southerners had raised the Merri-
mac and made it an ironclad gunboat,
which made it the most formidable foe the
Union gunboats had to contend with. The
Cumberland returned to Newport News
then, and made preparations for an attack
from the gunboat. The Merrimac came
out a few days afterward and steamed up
the bay, and the Cumberland started down
to meet the queer looking craft. All the
crew thought the battle would be brief,
and a few well directed shots from the
Cumberland would sink the boat but they
were sadly mistaken. The Merriuac came
up boldly, and when both boats were OPP
posite the fert at Newport News they be-
gan 20 open up fire fercely. The Merri-
mac was mounted with two guns on each
of the four sides of its square deck.
THE Cumberland directed four side and
two pivot guns on what they thought was
a frams house erected on fat hull, but
win no effect. The crew of the Cumber-
land became badly disconnected at not see
ing the gunboat go down under the steady
fire, and they all became panic stricken
and ran about the boat in great excite meut.
l was in the fort at the time, carrying am
munition to the gunneEs, who had six large
guns directed at the Merrimac, which with
stood the fire unfinchingly. The tide was
fast going out, and with it the Cumber-
land swung around and placed itself In
such a position that it could not use the
broadside guns. A few we'll directed shots
from the Merrinac put large gap in the
Cumberland, which filed the hold Of the
vessel in few minutes, and the boat went
down, drowning a great number of the
crew.
A DESPERATE VENTURE.
''The masts and rigging Of the ship re-
manned above the water when the ship
sunk. and on this = gunlber of the crew
sought to save themselves. The seamen
went to the top OF the msAts and remained
in that position wfIiie Tire once stanch craft
disappeared beneath the wstsrs. The gun
ners On the Merripac, pOticing the sailors
in the rigging, turned their guns on them
and tried to ouss them from the temporary
shelter the rigging afforded them, bat the
aim 1caS errircr and the rahals saru that IL