The herald., 1898-06-12
HOBSON'S HEROIC DEED
ADMIRAL SAMPSON TELLS THE
PRESIDENT ABOUT TT
THE OFFICIAL REPORT MADE
The Young Lieutenant and His Gal
liant Crew Given Unstinted Praise.
Their Promotion Recommended
Associated Press Special Wire

Associated Press special wire
+ WASHINGTON. June 1.-THE Navy +
+ Department today posted the follow +
| + ing bulletin, giving detailed official +
+ report from Admiral Sampson upon +
+ the heroism of Lieutenant Hobson and +
1, his men in sinking the Merrimac in 4
r. the Santiago channel: +
i, UNITED STATES FLAGSHIP +
r. NEW YORK, off Santiago, June g. /.
/. 1S9S.-Permit me to call your special /,
| r attention to Assistant Naval Con- 1.
+ structor Hobson. AS stated in spe- +
1, cial telegram before coming here, 4,
r was ordered to make the harbor en- 4.
+ trance secure against the possibility +
4, of egress by Spanish ships by OBJ /,
4. structjng the narrow part of the en- 4.
+ trance by sinking a collier at that 4.
4. point Upon calling upon Mr.. Hobson 1.
r for his professional opinion as to a 4.
+ sure method Of sinking the ship, he 4.
+ manifested the most lively interest 4.
r in the problem. After several days 4.
1, consideration, he presented solu- r
4. tion which he considered would insure r
!. the immediate sinking of the ship i.
4. when she reached the desired point 4.
1, in the channel. This plan we prepared +
|
!, ago. The plan contemplated a crew +
1, of only seven men and Mr.. Hobson, +
1. who begged that it might be entrust- +
+ ed to him. The anchor chains were ar i.
r ranged on deck for both anchors. for r
+ ward and aft the plan including the +
r anchoring of the ship almost automat- +
Il ically. AS soon as I reached Santf- i.
r ago and had the collier to work upon, +
4. the details were completed and dill 1,
r. gently prosecuted, hoping to complete +
+ them in one day, as the moon and tide 1.
4. served best the first night after our 4,
r arrival. Notwithstanding, the hour i.
4. of 4 clock in the morning arrived and 4.
4. preparation was scarcely completed. +
4 After a careful inspection Of the final +
4. preparations 1 was forced to relin- 4.
4. auish the plan for that morning, as +
!. dawn was breaking. Mr.. Hobson 1.
| r begged to try it at all hazards. +
+ This morning proved more propi- +
r tious, and a prompt start was made. i.
1, Nothing could have been more gal i.
i. lantly executed. We waited impa- 1.
4, tiently after the firing Of the Span i.
j. iards had ceased. When they did not r
i, reappear from the harbor l feared +
!, that they had all perished. A steam i.
r launch which had been sent in charge i,
4, of Naval Cadet Powell to rescue the 1,
r men appeared at this time coming 1.
r out under persistent fire Of the bat i.
4, teries, but brought none of the men. 1.
4, A careful inspection of the harbor +
4. from the ship showed that tho vessel i,
4. Merrimac had been sunk in the chan 4,
1, mel. +
4. This afternoon the Chief Of STAFF Of +
r Admiral Cervera came out under a i.
r flag of truce with a letter from the Ad- +
+ miral extolling the bravery Of the Grew i,
r in an unusual manner. +
4. I cannot myself too earnestly ex- +
+ press my appreciation Of the con- +
+ duct of Mr.. Hobson and his gallant +
+ crew. venture to say that moro 1.
+ brave and daring thing has not been +
r done since Gushing blew up the AL 1.
i, bemarle. i,
r Referring to the inspiring letter 1.
4. which was addressed to the officers +
+ at the beginning Of the war, I am sure +
+ you will offer suitable professional /.
i. reward for Mr.. Hobson and his COM +
r panions. +
r must add that Commander J. N. 4,
1, Miller relinquished his command +
+ with the very greatest reluctance. be- +
+ lieving he would retain his command +
r under all circumstances. He was, +
| r however, finally convinced that the 1,
| + attempt of another person to carry +
r out the multitude of details which had +
r been in preparation by Mr.. Hobson +
+ might endanger its prosecution. 4
| r therefore took the liberty to relieve +
1, him for this reason only. There were +
r hundreds of volunteers who were anx- +
r ious to participate. There were $50 i
1, men in the crew, nearly as many from 1,
+ this ship and large numbers from all +
r the other ships, officers and men alike i,
r. w. T. SAMPSON. +