New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-11
On THE MAINE IN THE GALE
ACTS OF ALMOST UNPARALLELED GAL
LANTRY PERFORMED.

HEROIC ATTEMPTS OF OFFICERS AND MEN 4"
RESCUE THEIR DROWNING COMRADES
WILLIAM J. CREEIMAN EsPE-
CTAIIY COMMENDED.
vvosh,ng,on Feb 1O.-Admiral Bunce has sent
.o the Navy Department official report Oh
noroisrn and gallantry such as have not peeh
known in naval records since the great STORM 1"
Samoa when the American fleet was uiNe"
ashore 1t Is Captain Crowninsheiu pam
abatement Of occurrences in the carry oi"''s
Of last Saturday. when the oitcers anu "ie' u
tho battle-ship Maine were taxing extreme NO.
ards to rescue their fellows swept oVeroo"iu y!
hinge seas The Admirars report which reac"eu
The Navy Department by mail late 'his "i'.
NOON. was chiefly important in transmitting ,he
following report TO him from Captain Cro""i"-
shield:
uss Maine of Charleston. 8 G.,
February s. 1897.
CIV, 7, &c with great regre; tina; have 10 report
49,. 49, nv drowning on the 9Th inst' OF JON"
yrown seaman; Leonard c. Kogei appreh', emu 80,
ond class and Axel b. Nelson, private, I'M" Ivhua
Marine Corps on the morning OF the OIL ms ,s
.be shin was In latitude 340o north' anu
7542 west about ten minutes alter r
,noa,,o sou;h 7 degrees east and making from Nv"
IN three knots wind S. S. f. force eigh' " ''' a."
n heavy sea from the southwark ana eas'"aiu'
swept over the deck from the port side anu
overheard from the port gangway forward Vi .ns
inter turret Charles Hassel. gunners mat ~
class and Leonard c. Kogel. apprehuce' 'e ,.t
o,oss who were al work securing a grazing DUN
life buoys were let e.. the engines sOppe'' ~" n.a
board engine backed and the hfeooat was '0
Naval Cadet W. r. Gherardi taking charge
Immediately after the cry of Man overo0aro' anu
,of,ro the ufeboat was lowered, William j. Cree-
man landsman Jumped overheard from the poop IN
an attempt to rescue Kogel Creeman swarm w.
but was unable 10 reach kogel. VINO Sam VIM
about one minute after he went oVerooaru I've
mans act was gallant the more SO, perhaps because
Il was at the time deliberate lie had run from
forvard and SAYS that seeing the lfeboat ABOUT 10
be lowered hoped 10 be able 10 support hose' TN
the ilfeboat came, to take him to the buoy
Hassel reached the buoy after being wasned
overboard and on seeing Creelman, swan toward
him. making every effort share the buoy with hih
In the mean time the feboat was unable 10 40 iole
than take of itself and the sea was so tremeno
Gus that It was in the greatest danger OF De'ns
swamped. The swivel for the steering oar prohe
short off and the boat nearly hail hled Win
water. The weather had become thick with heavg
driving rain il thus became necessary 10 mahoeuNre
the ship the men in the boat ana al ,ne S SANE
To bring the ship into position TO pick up the
ping TO ieeward and the ship had 10 be turned
through the trough Of the sea to reach her Inc
heavily water was taken on beard over the Top, .ops
of the turrets and one sea, sweeping across run
aftor urret and tho after superstructure swept
overheard from the port Ghn sae
Marine Corps. With the exception Of Naval CADET
nePRs hTs s R4oWs dead e in the
no one can be found to say that these men were
AT about 915 the llfeboat was brought under me
lea quarter and all her crew taken OUT, Naval
Cadet Gherard being the last to Leave the ss eSa
towed astern for time but broke adrift ana was
Iost sight Of but their general direction noted and
Immediately after saving the liieboats crew me tne
were sighted and. after manoeuyring the snip
for time. they were hauled ab1ard at about '0o
Whether or not the ilfeboat should be lowered,
considering the severity of the weather was cues
ton that mad TO be decided without delay. Con.
sidering the additional chances for the recovery OF
was found, however. that the buoy could never be
seen from the bolt once they were separated D!
rigging TO the boat were obscured at times by the
heavy driving rain and even wren 'ney SoudI oy
seen the boat could make little or no head"ay
against the wind and sea. ,,.,,,,. cu.o,.,,,
desire to recommend william j. Creelman.
landsman for q life-savng media. OF the first class
In recognon OF NE fsGh herardi showed Courage
and able seamanshp in handling his boat under
the most trying circumstances. Naval Cadet Cher
ardi commends Percy Herbert coxswain. Tor ms
lifeboat. After the steering swivel was carried
Herbert ggsd ea e head sSr tn the se
with the rugged in one OF the after oarloeKs
cadet W r. GheraTdi, in charge John Anderson
seaman: Gustaf A. Anderson. seaman: Alex {.
Anderson. seaman; Percy Herbert coXswain'
Heinrich Brnkman seaman; George Iieber'
apprentice first class. and Walter Cameron;
seaman. The watch had just been renewed ana
ali the above men except Cameron, who was or the
regular crew Of the watch were volunteers ie The
and ready soon after the first was lowered. very
respectfully, - ,,r,o,,-,,,>,c,,,r1n can..i,
Admiral Bunce's letter Of transmittal details
briefly the cruise southwark from Hampton
Roads After giving the squadron formation, 1t
saws that the battle-ship Indiana was observed
TO roll a good deal, owing to long regular
swell from the northward and eastward, and
the swell being necessarily on the port beam all
ships rolled considerably. Soon after dark the
first day out the Indiana reported her turrets
were beginning to work. In consequence or the
condition OF affairs the Admiral directed her 10
return TO Hampton Roads. After daynght II
was too thick TO any Of the vessels except
the Maine. The wind blew a strong gale, with
high and swift At about 1O:3O a. M the
Maine was picked up about three miles astern
and reported that three men had been washed
overheard and lost. The Marblehead was lying
10 with a sea anchor out; she reported that she
had been boarded by sea- killing one man anu
tniurtng seven. After lying by the MarDlehead
until shutdown by which time she had taken In
her sea anchor and again under control,
and finding that she was not in need OF assist
ance the flagship proceeded toward Charleston
where all the ships arrived safely
1t is expected at the Navy Department that
a detailed report OF the experiences OF the
Marblehead will be received tomorrow.
ANOTHER ACCIDENT ON THE MAINE
THREE MEN INJURED BY THE PREMATURE Ex-