Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1898-08-17
HOBS0N's HEROIC. FEAT,
A THRILLING NARRATIVE OF. NAVAL
HISToRY'S BRAVEST EXPLOIT.

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Commander J. M. Miner, whose
ship, the collier Merrimnc, bottled up
Admiral Cervera's. feet in: Santiago
harbor, reached Key West and told the
story Of the seven heroes led by AS
sistant Naval Constructor Richmond
P. Hobsou, who cheerfully held life
as nothing while accomplishing neidf
the greatest strategic feats in the his-
tory of naval warfare. '-i'
Officers and men from every. ship
of the fleet, he said, implored that
they be allowed place on the forlorn
hope. Commander Miller himself
begged that he might at least remain
on his ship till the moment cams to
sink her, but in the dead of night Ad4
miral Sampson was rowed from his
flagship to the collier, and WHOM he
returned Commander Miller was with
him. y.
Hobson was the man whose brain
conceived the plan of placing "a ship
three hundred and thirty-eight feet
long broadside across the bottom of q
four hundred foot channel. and Adj
miral Sampson decided that no possi=
ble honor should be kept away from
stratcgist SO daring.
Hobson was in command. With
him we're three men from the Merril
mac. They were Deignan, who is the
best coxswain in the navy; Phillips,
the best machinist, and Kelly, the; best
water tender. These were chosen by
Commander Miller from the forty=four
of his crew who clamored fora chance
to give their lives to bring them and
their country glory, for none who
went through the hell that poured
from Morro and Zocapa expected to
complete the mission and live.
Beside those from the Merrima6
there were three others chosen from
other ships. 50,
How we'll these seven did their
work the Spanish admiral testified
when he sent his chief of staff aboard
the flagship to tell Admiral. Sampson
that never had he seen deed 80 dar-
ing, never had he. seen such :magnif.
cent strategy so coolly and perfectly
carried out. Admiral Sampson thanked
the Spanish admiral for his courtesy
and had an abundance. of money and
clothing sent to the gallant men.
"Hobson," said Commander Miller,
''is one of the grandest heroes in the
world. The way the man went about
sinking the Merrimac was absolutely
astounding for audacity, cleverness,
GOODNESS and success. When he started
1 know he never expected to get out
alive. He said so, but lie was calmly
confident that he could fix the Span=
ish like trapped rats.
"He had suggested the plan to Adj
miral Sampson as soon as it was known
the Spanish feet was in Santiago
harbor. The plan became, known to
the entire feet, and I don't believe
there was IN officer or man on nyship
who didn't try to get place on the
Merrimac. 1t was. Hobs on's scheme,
and by rign: 1t was lis to carry out.
'rThe night w.s intensely dark. We
saw q light from shore. Hobson
coolly told his plan to Admiral Samp.
son and left us. In q few minutes
the Merrimac was under way toward
the narrow entrance 10, the -harbor,
while we stood we'll out, straining our
eyes through the darkness and wait
ing for the grand crash which We
thought would tell us ofsthe deshue.
. ton of those seven daredeyils. E
straight to the point did Hobson
and his chosen crew on the jsloomed
collier so. Not a sound caFle from
the Spanish batteries. Weythought
we must have sileacod them, but soon
learned our mistake. A long thin
flash came from Moro. We could not
hear the roar because we were too far
out, but we knew it was signal gun.
The Merrimac kept on just as though
she was going to land picnic party
in whose honor fireworks were being
exploded. tF
"ln Tess than q minute after that
signal gun we saw the gallant ship
we'll in toward the east of the channel
entrance, in the centre of what would
pass for living picture of m inferno.
How those Spaniards fired. It.seemed
to me is though all the forts on earth
had been massed at Moro and Zocapl
to slaughterFour seven heroes. 1T was
a sceno Of heroism and heroes.
"The Merrimac got well in shore
and dropped her stern anchor. Then
she swung around and pointed, across
the channel to.the eastward. The bat
tcries on shore kept on pouring shot
at her. A rain of iron fell ali around
her, but she kept on.~; At last She
reached just the position for which
Hobsonh had planned. She lay straight
across the channel ,,zwith thirty5one
feet Of water both forward and astern,
She lay we'll inside the forts.s -
"Next anchors were put out from
the bow, and she was ready for sde
struction. Inever saw ship that hnd
moro watertight compartments thar
she, aud the means to sink her had to
be elaborate and complete. Nearly
everything of value had been taker
out of her, but to help her sink q lot
of coal had been left aboard,
"With missiles fallingIaround them
almost as thick as snowaakes in win.
ter gale, Hobson and his men wen1
calmly to the completion of their
work. They wentoover the side and
on a catamaran, everyone of them,
and they Carried torpedoes, eight ]
think, and electrical apparatus for dis
charging them.
'.The torpedoes were, fixed. along the
port side, ten feet below the watel
line and connections made with ma
chine on tho catamaran. The ship BY
that time was beginning to settle
The men Oh the catamaran showed of
and all was ready for the touch off
l.,