The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-06-06
SINKING OF THE MERRIMAC
DETAILED STORY OF DARING TRIP
UP SANTIAGO HARBOR.

Hobson's Simple but Most
Complete Plans Carried Out, 1t Would
Seem, With Almost Perfect Success
Ensign Powell in Command of the
Flagship New York's Launch Waited
Under the Gums of the Spanish Batter
les to Pick Up the Members of the IIOb-
Courage.
[Copyright, 1898, The Associated Press.l
Off Santiago de Cuba, June 8, a. H.,
via Port Antonio, Jamaica, June A, per
the Associated Press dispatch boat
Dauntless-(Delayed in transmission)
The following is detailed story of
the act of heroism performed by Lieu
tenant Richmond P. Hobson and his
seven companions in sinking the col
ner Merrimac across the channel lead
ing into the harbor of Santiago de Gu
ba: The Spanish fleet is now helpless,
being held captive In Santiago de Cuba
harbor. The narrow channel leading
into the harbor was completely blocked
early this morning, when the United
States collier Merrimac was sunk
across it's entrance. 1t Is now impossi-
BILE for the Spaniards to get out, and it
is equally impossible for any vessel to
get into the harbor. Therefore, the
Spanish first-class armored cruisers
Maria Teresa, Cristobal Colon, Vizcaya
and Almirante Oquendo, with the two
torpedo boat destroyers Furor and Plu-
ton, are no longer of any use to Spain.
This result was accomplished through
the heroism of Lieutenant Richmond p.
Hobson, assistant naval constructor,
and Daniel Montague, George Charette,
J. G. Murphy, Oscar Daignan, John P.
Phillips, John Kelly and HI. Clausen.
The latter, a coxswain of the New
York, took part in the expedition
against orders. They were all captur-
ed by the Spaniards, but the Spanish
admiral, in recognition of their brav-
cry, sent word to the American admir-
al, under a flag Of truce, that he was
willing to exchange the prisoners and
assuring the American commander
that they would be treated with the
greatest Kindness. Money and provis-
ions have been sent to them, and the
necessary steps are being taken to bring
about their exchange.
Montague is chief master at arms Of
the New York; he has served four years
in the navy, is twenty-nine years of
George Charette is a gunner's mate of
the first class on board the New York
He has served fourteen years in the
navy, is thirty-one years old and re-
sides at Lowell, Mass. J. c. Murphy is
a coxswain of the Iowa. Oscar Daig-
nan is a coxswain of the Merrimac and
is about twenty-four years old. John
P. Phillips is machinist of the first
class, belonging to the Merrimac. He
is thirty-six years old and his home is
in Boston. John Kelly is water ten
der, about thirty-f1ve years old. His
home is near Glasgow, Scotland. III.
Clausen, who slipped on board the Mer-
rimac without permission in order to
take part in the expedition is a cox
swain of the New York.
Lieutenant Richmond P. Hobson, as
sistant naval constructor. was born at
Greensboro, Ala, on August II, 1870,
was appointed after competitive ex-
animation, to the naval academy in
May, 1885. He was the youngest men,
ber Of his class, but graduated at the
head of his eighteen companions. He
has studied engineering, under the
auspices of the United States govern
nent, in France, and was made assist
ant naval constructor in 1891. He is
the author of a semi-political work en-
titled ''The Situation and Outlook in
Europe" and was assigned to the flag
ship New York when Rear Admiral
Sampson sailed for the West Indies
Lieutenant Hobson Is a nephew of John
M. Morehead of North Carolina, and
is a grandson Of Chief Justice Pearson
of that state. He is unmarried, and
his father, Judge James M. Hobson,
lives at Greensboro, Ala.
The three men from the Merrimacs 8
crew were all green hands and shipped
recently for the war. The Merrimac
had on board six hundred tons Of coal
mel. Lieutenant Hobson started on his
daring errand at o'clock this morn
ing. The MerTimac was lying to the
westward. Under cover of the clouds
over the moon, she stole in towards
the coast and made her way to the
eastward, followed by a steam launch
from the New York with the following
crew on board: Naval Cadet ]. w.
Powell of Oswego, N. Y; P. K. Peter
son, coxswain; H. Handford, appren-
tice Of the first class; j. Mullings, coal
passer; g. L. Russell, machinist of the
second class. In the launch were ban
dages and appliances for the wounded
From the crowded decks Of the New
York nothing could be seen Of the Mer-
r%;Y,aa0 oftar she had crot 10