The herald., 1893-09-11
DEAD MANS ISLAND NAME.
How 1t Derived Its Dismal
COgnOmen.
Five Brave Sailormen Who Are
Buried There.
A Veteran of the Mexican. War Gives
Some Interesting "Reminiscences
About San Pedro and Its
Surroundings.


The beautiful resort now known as
Terminal island, has from the earliest
days been called Dead Mans island. The
following from the San Francisco Call
will be found Of interest:
"Ihave seen deal of stuff in the news
papers about how the name of Dead
Mans island came to be given to the
island close to the breakwater at San
Pedro; and if you care to listen can
tell you how it got its name."
The speaker was Charles Johnson, a
veteran OF the Mexican war, now spend
ing the evening of life with his family at
42l Folsom street in this city. The Call
man took a seat, and after lighting his
pipe Mr.. johnson related the story of
how the island first received its dismal
name.
II know that Dana, who was out
here in hide drogher, wrote book,
and in it refers to the island as Del ad
Mans island, but at the time he saw it
the place had no name at all, and no
doubt Dana got mixed little, as the
leland he knew OF the came name is in
the bay Of Panama. l was out on this
coast in the old frigste Savannah way
back in 1916, and the old irigate Con-
gress was with us. Commodore Sloat
was in command, but was relieved by
Com modore Stockton, and he at once or
dered our ships down to San Pedro.
NO LOS ANGELES IN THOSE DAYS.
"There was no Los Angeles in those
days, but where it now stands was a
pueblo. Soon after reaching San Pedro
party OF about 200 of us was landed to
go up to the mission. The party landed
about O'Clock on the morning OF Oct
ober S, 1916, and was commanded by
Captain Mervin. 1t was q nasty place
to land, and we nearly lost several men
by boat capsizing. We had hardly got
ashore before lad named Smith was
shot by marine officer. The shooting
WAS purely an accident, but the boys
death cast gloom over the entire
party. The country was swarming with
Mexican soldiers, and we eoon saw lots
OF them not far from where we had
landed.
"We had no field pieces and were
armed with hint-lock muskete. We
could see at least one heavy field piece
around which the Mexicans gathered az
if determined to prevent our advance
into the interior! Seeing this, and
knowing the Mexican commander had
ten men to our one, Captain Mervin
should have ordered return to the
ship, but he was not the kind of man
to give up without struggle, and in q
short time he gave the order Forward
march, and we began our tramp toward
the pueblo. The Mexicans lowered
around us, but offered no opposition.
and after hot dusty tramp we reached
a ranch about IA miles from the coast
and near where tie National Soldiers
home.now stands.
ATTACK BY THE ENEMY.
"Here we went into camp, and as the
greasers had all got out OF sight we began
to think we were going to get nights
sleep, but were soon undeceived. During
the night the Mexicans got together, sew
eral hundred strong, and planned an
attack on our camp that was intended to
wipe out every man in Mervin's COM
mand. To make sure work OF it they
sent for another crowd of soldiers some
distance away, and no sooner did they
arrive than the attack began. Our scouts
had not been asleep, if the sailors had,
and about1 O'Clock they came in with
the startling news that the greasers were
coming 1900 strong, so, instead of CATCH
ing US asleep as they had hoped, they
found 200 determined men standing
ready to receive them.
.sThe attack began by discharge of
grape from the field pieces, OF which
they had three, but luckily for US they
did not know how to use them or they
would have killed half our command.
Finding we were ready for them, the
Mexicans fell back after firing off the
field pieces and retired behind hill,
and kept out of sight for the rest OF the
night. We got no more sleep that night,
and at O'Clock in the morning made a
hasty breakfast, and again started for
the pueblo. We did not go far, how
ever, bofore we ran up against about 800
Of the enemy in little valley through
which the road ran.
THEY OPENED FIRE.
"We no sooner caught sight of them
than they opened fire. killing fonr men
and severely wounding several others.
The Mexicans were working like Turks
to get their guns to bear on US, but the
ground was soft and the heavy pieces
we're stuck in the mud. Seeing this,
Lieutenant Pinkney, as brave man as
ever wore shoe-leather, called for his di-
vision to follow him, at the same time
making rush for the guns, followed by
about 80 men, including myself and
Charles Byrne, the sailmsker of the
ship, and who is now living at 1S Clay
street. The Mexicans did not wait for
us to reach them, but at once retreated
and managed to take the guns with
them.
"We then picked up our dead and
wounded and returned to where we had
spent the night. By this time Captain
Meryin had discovered that unless we
had field pieces we would have slim
show of reaching the pueblo, and re.
luctantly he gave the order to return to
San PEDRO Slings TO. the dead and
wounded were made of poles and
blankets, and at IL o'clock we took up
our march, moving in Indian file, with
scouts out on each flank to warn us oil
the approach of the enemy. About two
miles from San Pedro the Mexicans