Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-06-09

~ ouA Ia tiDit 81. NltIl-
olas special TO the New Yor,; journal
says:
thursday night Sanpson decided to
send the Merrimac in and sink her In
the channel at the narrowest part. He
called for volunteers, explaining that
III was a desperate mission. and that
death was almost sure to all who ven
tured in. Then the navy showed the
stuff it is made of.
Sampson asked for only eight men to
man the Merrimac, but he could have
had every officer an dsailor on the
fleet. Out Of the horde of volunteers
he o Lieut.. Richmond p. Hobson
or Alabama and eve others, who took
the big collier Merrimac right into the
channel of Santiago, where, in the
face of the fire from the Spanish ships
n batteries, the Merrimac was de-
liberately scuttled and sunk. Just be-
fore 3 o'clock Friday morning the col
lier, deeply laden with ballast material
and coal, was headed straight for the
entrance Of the harbor without a light
showing anywhere. She dashed well
within the line of forts before she was
discovered, our ships laundering at the
enemy's batteries TO attract their at
tention from the Merrinac. which
could not be seen, but the sound of the
~Spaniards firing toward her showed
that she had been detected and that
every possible gun vas being brought
to bear on her. The Spaniards may
also have tried to destroy her by the
harbor mines, but if the attempt was
made it did not succeed, for the Mer-
rimac went straight TO the point indi-
Gated by Admiral Sampson, where she
was anchored and colly swung across
the channel. Then Hobson
Blew a Hole ii Her Bottom.
and with his men, only two of whom
have been hurt, took to the boat. They
made an effort to row out of the
harbor and regain the American fleet
but Hobson saw that he had gone too
far up the channel, and the effort to
row out would mean certain death to
til his crew from all the around batter
les, as it was then daylight, SO he
turned and rowed straight for the
Spanish Squadron. The Spaniards
continued firing at him until they saw
it was his evident purpose to surrender
and then they ceased firing. Hohson
and his crew rowed straight for the
Aimirante 0quendo and surrendered to
Cervera in person, who received the
prisoners courteously, and treated
them with the respect due gallant men
who were prisoners of war. The Span"
ish commander sent word to Admiral
Sampson, under a flag Of truce, and
CALAMITY praised this heroism and Of
fered TO arrange for an exchange for
Spanish prisoners now in United
States hands. From the boat bearing
the flag Of truce it was learned that
the Spaniards cheIred the American
heroes as they were taken aboard the
OQuendo. More than a hundred pro-
ieCtiles struck lear the Merrimac and
over q dozen shots wen home. But
two Americans were wounded, and
those from ~splinters. The explosive
used was a dynamite bomb operated
by electricity. The Spanish boats that
approached the wreck afterward with
tho evident intention of blowing it up,
were driven back by our fire. Capt.
OvldO, of the truce boat, took back
money and clothes to the American
prisoners.
D.
Washington, June THE navy de-
partment has received the following
from Admiral Sampson, via Mole
Halti:
Succeeded in sinking Merrimac in
the channel of Santiago at 4 a. m,
| June s. This was carried out most
galiantly under the Command of Ma
val Constructor Hobson and seven
men. By a flag of truce from the
Spanish admiral, Cervera, sen la
recognition of their bravery, am in
formed all are prisoners of war, two
Of them slightly wounded. Request
authorities to approve exchange if pos
sible between these and the prisoners
| at Atlanta. Six of the Spanish squad
| ron In the harbor of Santiago unable
| to avoid being captured or destroyed"
what Britons Think Of 1t.
London, June g. - The Daily Tele-
graph says: The sinking Of the Merri-
mac was a feat Of undeniable merit,
, intelligently planned and valiently ex-
| ecuted. The Standard says: The vol
| unteers who. undertook this dangerous
work did a plucky thing and may be
! congratulated on having escaped with
Il th.Jr liroS H#