The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1897-07-21
TELLS OF HIS DEED.
Iiobson Was Two Hours on the
Sinking Collier.
MERRIMAc PIERCED BY SHELLS.
The Lieutenant and His Men Taken on
ny csrvera's Launeh-Former
Accounts Untrue.

on santiago.-The return OF Assist
ant Naval Constructor Hobson TO his
ship, the flagship New York, was
marked by wild enthusiasm.
Behind Hobson came Colonel John
Jacob Astor, and the first thing Hobson
tried TO do was TO introduce him 10
the officers, but Colonel Astor got lost
in the crowd which surged around in
sisting upon shaking Hobson's hand.
When Hobson sat once more among
his lnessmates he told the story Of his
experience, his marvellous escape and
his Imprisonment in Moro Castle.
81 did not miss the entrance to the
harbr," he said, as Ensign Powell in
the launch supposed. headed east
until got my bearings and then made
for it, straight in. Then came the
firing. 1t was grand, flashing out first
from one side of the harbor and then
the other from those big guns on the
hills, the vizcaya, lying inside the
harbor, joining in.
lTOODn DanbihkO AhphNh
down when the news Of the Merrimac s
coming was telegraphed, and soldiers
lined the foot OF the cliffs, firing wildly
across and killing each other with
their crossfire. The Merrimac's steer
ing gear broke as she got to Estrella
point. Only three OF the torpedoes on
her side exploded when touched the
button. A huge submarine mine caught
her full amidships, hurting water high
in the air and tearing great rent in
the Merrimac's side.
Her stern ran upon Estrella point.
Chiefly owing to the work done by the
mine she began TO sink slowly. At
that time she was across the channel,
but before she settled the tide drifted
her around.
1--WE were all aft, lying on the deck.
Shells and bullets whistled around us.
The six-inch shells from the Vizcaya
came tearing into the Merrimac, crash
ing into wood and iron, and passing
clear through, while the plunging shots
from the forts broke through her decks.
Not man must move, said; and
il was only owing to the splendid dis
cipline of the men that all of us were
not killed as the shells sailed over us,
and minutes became hours of suspense.
The mems mouths grew parched, but
we must lie there till daylight, l told
them. Now and again one or the other
OF the men lying with his face glued to
the deck and wondering whether the
next shell would not come our way,
would say: Hadn't we better get off
now, sir?' But l said, Wait till day
light
ut would have been impossible to
get the catamaran anywhere but to
the shore, where the soldiers stood
shooting, and hoped that by daylight
we might be recognized and saved.
The Merrimac kept sinking. l wanted
TO go forward and see the damage done
there where nearly all the fire was
directed, but one man said that if /
rose it would draw the fire on the rest.
So lay motionless. 1t was splendid
the way those men behaved. When
the water came up on the Merrimac's
decks the catamaran fioated amid the
wreckage, but was still made fast to
the boom, and we caught hold of the
edge and chung on, our heads being
above water.
Zone man thought we were safer
right there; it was quite light and the
firing had ceased, except that on the
New York launch, and feared Ensign
Powell and his men had been killed.
A Spanish launch came toward the
Merrimac. We agreed to capture her
and run. just as she came close the
Spaniards saw us and a half dozen
marines jumped up and pointed their
rifles at our heads. is there any officer
in that boat to receive surrender Of
prisoners of war; l shouted. An old
man leaned over under the awning and
waved his hand. 1t was Admiral Ger
vera. The marines lowered their rifles
and We were helped into the launch.
Then we were put in cells in MORO
Castle. Afterward we were taken into
Santiago. l had the court martial
room in the barracks. My men were
kept prisoners in the hospital. From
my window l could see the army NOV
ing across the open and being shot
down by the Spaniards in the rifle pits
in front of me. The Spaniards became
as polite MS could be. I knew some-
thing was coming and then was ex.
changed"
Mr.. Ramsden, the British Consul at
Santiago, was tireless in his efforts to
secure comfort for Hobson and his
men. Lieutenant Hobson could not
understand his promised exceptional
promotion, but was overjoyed to learn
the news that his bravery had been rec
ognized by the people. He is the
same simple, unaffected, enthusiastic
Hobson, more anxious to talk about the
effect of exploding shells and army
moves than about his own deed. The