Evening star., 1897-02-09
THE SQUADRON IN A GALE
Four Sailors Met Death on the Trip From
Hampton Roads.
Experience OF Admiral Bunce's Vcs-
of a High Order.

Admiral Bunce's blockading squadron
reached Charleston, S. c., yesterday after
noon, as indicated in dispatches to The
Star, after a disastrous voyage from
Hampton Roads. Three men were lost
overheard from the battle ship Maine dur
ing the gale Friday, one man was crushed
to death on the cruiser Marblehead, an
other was fatally injured and six others
were so badly hurt that several may lose
limbs.
The Marblehead made bad weather of
the blow. AS she lies off the jetties she
presents dismantled appearance Her
forecastle is stove in, a portion of her su
perstructure and two matches carried
away. The heavy seas that swept her
lower port boom, smashed the rails and
swept overheard the life boats.
Carpenter Shawberl was crushed to death
in the forecastle when it was wrecked by
monster wave, and Plumber Hickey had
his skull crushed by the wreckage, and
probably will die.
The six seamen who were injured were
believed TO have been hurt at the same
time, but the officers of the vessel are reti-
cent as TO the details of the accident. 1t
is understood that the injured men will be
brought ashore for treatment today. Shaw
berl was buried at sea.
The other vessels of the fleet show marks
of their rough voyage, their upper deck
hampers being damaged.
The Voyage From Hampton.
The squadron weighed anchor in tine
roads Thursday morning and put to sea.
Friday evening the weather thickened, and
by night it was blowing gale.
The Indiana returned to the roads, owing
to the condition of her turrets. The rest
rolya thafr
into the storm and headed south.
When about fifty miles off HatteraS the
fleet encountered the full force of the blow.
Open squadron formation was maintained,
and the vessels were put in order for
siege Of weather.
The battl4 ship Maine rolled in the big
seas. the water washing her decks at every
plunge. Il was late Friday afternoon that
the accident occurred which cost three
seamen their lives, and three others Were
rescued only by prompt and heroic work.
A gang of men were ordered forward to
make more secure the lashings OF the big
guns. The deck was deluged. ard the wind
was freshening every moment. The men
were at work with the lashings. when an
unusually heavy sea curled over her bows
and swept aft
Six of the gang were picked up and car
rie1 overheard before they could escape
the wave.
Work of Rescue.
When the cry of Man overheard" was
carried bacl. there was a scene of momen-
tary confusion, but in an instant tho splen-
dill discipline of the crew was apparent.
Life buoys were cut loose, and the order
quickly given to get boat overheard. The
high seas made this a work of peril and
difficulty, but boats crew, under Naval
Cadet Waiter X. Gherardi, son of Rear Ad-
n.iraI Gherardi, retired, was finally low
cred, excellent seamanship alone prev, MT
ing the frail craft from being crushed
against the sides of the big battle ship.
While the engines had been reversed at
the first signal from the bridge. the mo-
meEturl of the ship had carried her some
distance beyond the spot where the seamen
were swept overheard, and the set of the
current was carrying them farther away
every moment.
The ships crew watched the rescuers as
they pulled manfuly in the heavy seas,
the waves running so high that the little
boat was at times hidden from the vessel
deck as it rushed down into the trough.
Drowning Men Battle for Life.
Meantime the drowning men fought
bra-ely and three of them managed to keeI
afoat until their mates hauled them from
the water They were Seamen Hassel, Gro
ran and Freeman.
The remaining three-Brown, Nelson anG
Kogel-were not to be seen. The hfeboa'
cruised back and forth over the spot, but
the brave fellows had given up the struggle
ard met a sailors fate. Cadet Gherard
and his boats crew were highiy coinpii
mented by the officers for their bravery.
Friday night the fleet made heavy wealth
| er of it, but managed to keep within signal
| ing distance of one another. Toward morn
| ing the squadron hove to and Weathercd ou
| the rest of the gale in that manner. The
officers say it was one of the worst gales
the fleet has ever experienced, and al
| unite in rraising the seagoing qualities o.
the vessels.
Beyond the loss of the three men there
| We're 10 further accidents, and the flee
bears little mark of its tempestuous voy'
age.
The Fern made Charleston before thu
| worst Of the gale, being forty-eight hour:
ahead of her consorts in making harbor.
| The Dolphin, which came up from tht
south arrived Sunday and experienced nt
| severe weather.
A boat from the Maine went up to the
city yesterday afternoon with several OH
| GERS. They visited the collector of the pol
| and filed kilograms. A dispatch from Wash
| irgton was awaiting Admiral Bunce, pre-
| sumably from the Navy Department, II
| connec ton with the blockading maneuvers
| The greatest fears were entertained b.
| every one for the safety of the big moni
| tor Amphitrite. But she rode through tn
gale without the loss of life. Captain
Schley of the New York said that she wa
| caulked UP tight, and, with her decks clea
under the waves, fought 1t out. with th
enormous amount of heavy SuperStructur
| 1t is not at all probable that the monito
| escaped without considerable damage.
Burial at Sea.
The Marblehead had a sad ceremony Sat
urday afternoon. The body of the dea'
carpenter was sewed up in canvas, weight
| ed with shot and consigned to the water.
| grave. The commanding officer Of the shil
read the burial services.
Aboard the Maine the commanding office
| ard two of his officers formed a board o
| inquiry to investigate and report on tn
| loss of the three men.
| The Marblehead and Columbia found tn
| Amphitrte and proceeded to the bar. TIL
| New York returned as far north as Hat
| teras, looking for her, and then headed 70
| Charleston.
What damage has been done to the flee
| cannot be learned. While the ships wer
eff the bar, the fleet engineer was sen
aboard the Maine, probably to inspect he
| aYtrip