The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1898-07-16
HOBsON TELLS HIS STORY.

/
| How He Surrendered.
| Following is Lieutenant Hobson's 3
account of the DARING deed he per.
formed at the euterance of Santiago
| harbor.
81 did not miss the entrance to the
harbor," he said las Ensign Powell, in
the launch, supposed. 1 headed east
until got my bearings. and then made
| for it, straight in. Then came the fir.
ing. 1t was grand, flashing out from
one side, then the other, from those
big guns on the hills, the Vizcaya'
lying inside the harbor, joining in.
"Troops from Santiago had rushed
down when the news of the Merrimac's
coming was telegraphed. and soldiers
lined the foot of the cliffs, firing wildly
across and killing each other with
their crossfre.
1.-THE Merrimac's steering gear broke
as she got to Estrella point. Only
three of the torpedoes on her side ex-
plOded when touched the bottom. A
hugh submarine mine caught her full
amidships, and hurling water high in
the air and tearing great rent in the
Merrimac's side. Her stern ran up on
Estrella point.
''Chiefly owing to the work done by
the mine, she began to sink slowly.
At that time she was across the chan
mel, before she settled the tide drifted
her around.
"We were all aft, lying on the deck.
Shells and bullets whietled around us.
The six-inch shells from the Vizcaya
came tearing into the Merrimac, crash
ing into wood and iron and passing
clear through, while the pludging
shots from the forts broke through
her decks.
I" Not man must move,' 1 said.
and it was only owing to the splendid
discipline of the men that all of US
were not killed. as shells sailed over us
and minutes became hours of susp ense.
The mems mouths grew parched, but
we must lie there till daylight, told
them.
"Now and again one or the other of
the men lying with his face glued to
the deck and wondering whether the
next she'll would come our way, would
say, Hadn't we better drop off now,
sir?'. But said, wait till daylight
1t would have been impossible to get
the catamaran any where but to the
shore, where the soldiers stood shooting
and l hoped that by daylight we might
be recognized and saved.
"The grand old Merrimac kept sink
ing. L wanted to go fol ward and see
the damage done there, where nearly
all the fire was directed. but one man
said that if 1 rose it would draw the
fire on the rest; so 1 lay motionless.
1t was splendid the way those men be-
haved. The fire of the soldiers, the
batteries and the Vizcaya was awful.
when the water came up on the
Merrimac's decks the catamaran float
ed amid the wreckage, but was still
made fast to the boom, and we caught
hold of the edge and clung on, our
heads being above water.
"One man thoguht we were safer
right there; it was quite light, the fir
ing had ceased, except that on the
New York's launch, and l feared En-
sign Powell and his men had been
killed.
ga Spanish launch came toward the
Merrimac. We agreed to capture her
and run. just as she came close, the
Spaniards saw US, and half dozen
jumped up and pointed their
rifles at our heads.
Is there any officer in that boat to |
receive SUI render of prisoners of WARP
I shouted. An old man leaned over
under the awning aud waved his hand.
1t was Admiral Cervera. The marines
lowered their rifles, and we were help
ed into the launch.
''Then we were put in cells in M orro
castle. Afterwards we were taken in
to Santiago. had the court-martial |
room in the barracks. My men were |
kept prisoners in the hospital"