The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-11
GALLANT HEROISM OF BLUE JACsF1-
ETS EMBODIED IN AN OFFICIAL
REPORT.
SAILOR RIsKED HIS LIFE
in AN EFFORT TO SAVE ONE or
THE MEN WASHED OVER
BOARD.
RECOMMENDED FOR A REWARD.
story From Admiral RuDce of +ha
EVenful Cruise of the North
Atlantic Squadron.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 10.-Secre+arv
Herbert this afternoon received the re-
port Of Admiral Bunce on the vovaoa
OF the North Atlantic squadron from
hampton roads to Charleston. The ad-
miral encloses a report from Cont.
CroWnlnshield, of the Maine, making q
thrilling tale of danger and high conr-
age. Admiral Bunce states that on the
9th inst. the battleship Indiana renort
eo that her turrets were beginning to
work, and he directed her to return +o
hampton roads, the squadron then pro-
ceedfng southwark After DAYLIGHT r.
was 100 thick to see any of the vessels
except the Maine The wind blew
strong gale with high and swift seas
AT about 1890 a. m. the Maine was
PICKED up about three miles astern and
reported that three men had heen
washed overheard and lost. The Mar
blehead was lying to, with a sea an
cnor out and reported that she had
oeen boarded by a sea, killing one man
and 1njuring seven. After living bv
the Marblehead until sundown and
hndlng that she was not in need oP
assistance, the admiral proceeded to-
ward Charleston, where all the ships
arrived safely.
Capt. Crowninshields report Of tha
loss Of his three sailors and the at
tempt to rescue them is as follows.
Oh the morning Of the 9Th inst. a sea
swept over the deck from the port sida
anu washed overheard from the port
gangWay, forward Of the after turrat
Clldlles HasseI, gunner's mate, third
GLASS; ana Leonard c. KogeI, apprentice
q &C yh1r
sIatlhg' Both life buoys were let
6o' lhe engines stopped; the starboard
engine packed and the life boat was
eu' naval Cadet w. r. Gherardi
taking charge.
mn Immediately after the cry of man
overheard and before the life boat 80
lowered, William J. CreeIman 1o,,l3]' -
man, jumped overheard from the noon
III an attempt to rescue KOgeI C7raaT'
man swan well, but was unable to
reach hogel, who sank within a.bout
enc minute after he went overheard
Cfeel11ans act was gallant, the more
80 perhaps, because it was at the same
Time deliberate. He had run from for
ward and says that seeing the life
poat about to be lowered, hoped to l1a
able TO support KOgel till the life boat
came or to take him to the buoy.
HasseI reached the buoy soon after
DSh1lS "e1o11eu overheard ana on seeing
Creelnan, swan toward him. making
every effort to share the buoy with him
In the meantime the life boat was m
able to do more than to take care of if
SELF and the sea was so tremendous
that it was in the greatest danger Of
being sWamped. The swivel for one Of
the oars broke off short and the boat
was once nearly filled with water The
weather had become thick with a
heavy, driving rain.
To bring the ship into position to
pick up the life boat was a grave mat
ter; the boat was dropping to leeward
and the ship had to be turned through
the trough Of the sea TO reach her.
While turning, the ship rolled heavily,
water was taken on board over the
tops Of the turrets and one sea, sweep
ing across from the starbOard side,
swept overheard from the port quarter
John Brown, seaman. and AXel d.
Nelson, private. U. s. NJ. C. With the
exception Of Naval Cadet Knepper,
who threw a grating to Nelson and g.
boy, who thought he saw Brown dead
in the water no one can be found to
say that these men were seen after
being washed overheard.
About 9:15 the life boat was brought
under the lee quarter and all Of her
crew were taken out. Naval Cadet
Gherardi being the last to leave the
DCfSl. II WdS IilJUSSlhlC " IGNCNSI NAIC
| beat. The men on the life buoy had
been lost sight of. but their general
direction noted and Immediately after
saving the life boats crew the ship
was headed for them, and shortly after
they were sighted, and after ma
neuvring the ship for. time, they
were hauled aboard at about $50 a.
m in an almost helpless condition.
I desire to recommend William j.
Creelman. landsman, for a life-saving
medal of the first class, in recognition
Of his gallant action on this occasion.
Naval Cadet w. r. Gherardi showed
courage and able seamanship in hand
ling his boat under the most trying cir
cumstances. Naval Cadet Gherardi
commands Percy Herbert, cOXswain Of
the life boat. The following was the
crew Of the life boat: Naval Cadet w.
r. Gherardi, in charge; John Ander-
son. seaman: Gustaf A Anderson, sea-
man; Axel C. Anderson, seaman: Percy
Herbert, coXswain; Heinrich Brink
man. seaman; George Lieber, appren-
tice, first class; Walter Cameron, sea-
man.