The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-02-12
BRAVE SAILOR BOYS.
HEROISM AND CALAMITY
RECOGNIZED.
Captain Crowninshield Sends In a
Plain, But Earnest Statement of
the Late Trouble on Board the
Maine.

Bunce has sent the navy department
such an official report of heroism and
gallantry as has not been known in
Samoa, when the American fleet was
driven ashore.
1t is Captain Crowninshield's plain
statement of the events of the early
morning of last Saturday, when the
officers and men of the battleship
Maine were taking extreme hazards to
rescue their fellows swept overheard
by huge seas.
The admiraPs report, which reached
the navy department by mail late yes
terday afternoon, was chiefly impor-
tant in transmitting the report to him
from Captain Crowninsfield.
Captain Crowninsfield details the loss
by drowning on the sixth instant of
John Brown, seaman; Leonard c.
Roget, apprentice second class, and
AXel B. Nelson, U. S. marine corps, and
the gallant attempts at rescue by Sea-
man Creelman and the crew of the
United Associated Presses dispatches
and adds:
Il desire to recommend William ].
Creelman, landsman, for a lifesaving
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
circumstances; Naval Cadet Gherardi
commends Percy Herbert, coxswain,
for his courage and resourcefulness as
coxswain of the lifeboat After the
steering swivel carried away Herbert
rugged a grommet for the steering oar
while Mr.. Gherardi kept her head to
the sea with the oar rugged in one of
hn n ri fnllnNNinc
the crew of the lifeboat: Naval Cadet
W. r. Gherardi, in charge; John Ander-
son, seaman; GuStaf A. Anderson, sea-
man; Alex c. Anderson, seaman; Percy
Herbert, coXswain; Heinrich Brinkman,
seaman; George Lieber. apprentice,
first class; H. Walter Cameron, sea-
man.
THE watch had just been relieved
and all the above men except Cameron,
who was of the regular crew of the
watch, were volunteers. The other men
of the crew were in the other life
boat and ready soon after the first was
lowered.
Very respectfully,
"A. s. CROWNINSHIELD,
Admiral Bunce's letter of transmittal
details briefly the cruise southwark
from Hampton Roads. After giving
the squadron formation, it states that
the battleship Indiana was observed
to roll a good deal, owing to long
regular swell from the northward and
eastward and the swell being neces-
sarily on the port beam, all ships
rolled considerably. Soon after dark
the first day out the Indiana reported
that her turrets were beginning to
work. In consequence of the condition
of affairs reported on the Indiana, the
admiral directed her to return to
Hampton Roads. After daylight it was
too thick to see any of the vessels ex-
cept the Maine. The wind blew a
strong gale with high and swift sea-
At about 1920 a. m, the Maine was
picked up about three miles ahead and
stated that three men had been washed
overheard and lost. The Marblehead
was lying-to with a sea anchor out
he reported that she had been boarded
by sea killing one man and injuring
seven.
After lying by the Marblehead until
shutdown. by which time she had taken
in her sea anchor and was again under
control. and finding that she was not
in need of assistance, the flagship pro-
ceeded toward Charleston, where all
the ships arrived safely.
1t is expected at the navy department
that a detailed report of the exper-
fences of the Marblehead will be re-
ceived tomorrow.