The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-07-25

THE TRENTON AND THE VANDALfA.
their lives seemed TO depend on the daring
act, every man within sight begged him not
to go. He fastened the end of the line
about his waist, climbed out on bit OF rail
that was above water level and cast his eye
ashore to reconnoiter. Then he plunged
boldly in, only to be instantly caught in a
receding wave and dashed back against the
ship with deadly violence The hero disap-
peared at once, and scores who, like him, at
tempted to breast the sea, went down. For
more than eight hours the survivors of the
Vandalia clung to the rigging with death
awaiting them below. Once the Trenton
was driven past the wreck on the whirling
tide, and her crew burst into cheers at the
sight of those brave seamen in their heroic
battle for life.
1t was o'clock when the Trenton bore
around with her dragging anchor and help
less engines and for the last time drew near
to the fatal reefs where the victims of the
mad hurricane lay. The day had been one
of ceaseless struggles on her decks. Soon
after her fires went out a mammoth sea
carried in q port on the gun deck, leav-
ing hole feet high by o feet wide. The
water poured in every time the vessel dipped
the wounded side. The gunner in charge,
John Marshall, pushed his way through
the inpouring food and with the help Of q
shipmate fastened capstan bar against
the outer side of the ship and across the
opening. In order to fasten barricade to
the bar it was necessary for some one to go
outside and fix tackling straps to it. No
one would volunteer, and Marshall burst
from the grasp of some one who tried to
hold him back and went out alone. He
succeeded in his work and crawled in again,
followed by a sea that would have crushed
him in an instant had it come 10 seconds
earlier The barricade was built and the
ugly hole plugged with mattresses held in
place by tables, lumber and other heavy OBJ
jects, lashed to the capstan cross bar.
At 4:30 in the afternoon the terrible Olga,
which had plunged wildly about the har-
Dor since morning, ramming first one ship
and then another, gave the Trenton a last
blow, slipped her cables and was borne
high upon the sandy beach. The Trenton
was then alone, but all power to help her
self had gone. Once she was borne at .
frightfrl speed within Is feet Of the reefs,
but setting her storm mizzen in favorable
breeze her commander saved her from
pounding on the rocks. Again and again
she would be swept almost upon shore,
then carried out to sea as IL by an under
tow. The commander saw that 1t was only
question of moments when the ship must
strike. All hands were called on deck.
The feet admiral and the captain of the
Trenton stood ON the bridge. The sailors
stripped for last plunge. Then the band
struck up the "Star Spangled Banner"
and falling and heaving upon the crest OF
a huge wave, the American flagship, the
last and proudest of the fleet, rode majes-
tically over the bilepws like a swan, float
ing and singing as its life goes out. On
nearing the wrecked vessels the Trenton
fred rockets with lines at the Vandalia's o
rigging and saved many of her men. Then
huge wave took the flagship and hurled
her broadside upon the Vandalia's sunken
hull She settled alongside the Vandalia.
the two humping and chafing one another
the whole night through. At the first col
lision the men on the Vandalia's rigging
jumped into the sea after ropes thrown to
them from the Trenton's decks. In this
way many Of those on the mizzen mast
were saved, and when that was accom-.
plished the Trenton gave fearful lurch,
carrying the mizzen down. Then those re-
naming ON the mainmast were picked of,
snd soon that followed the fate Of the miz-
zen. GEORGE l.. KILMER.