The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-06
GALLANTRY OF POWELL.
The Young Cadet who BraveIy Han
died the Little Launch.

Copyright. 1898, by the Associated Press)
ON BOARD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
DISPATCH BOAT DAUNTLESS, off SAINT
iago de Cuba, a. M, June 8, via Port An
tonic, Jamaica, June delayed in transmits
sion )-Knowing Hobsons desperate plan,
the dispatch boat took up position, at sun
set, opposite the narrow harbor and just
outside the line of the blockading war ships.
The swift tropical twilight blotted out the
Cuban shore like dissolving view in thea
ter. The last sign of the doomed Merrimac
seen from the dispatch boat was her black
shadow close in shore, seven miles east of
MORO Castle, and probably hidden from it's
lookouts by the highland close to the coast.
All night long glasses had been trained
on the streak of gloom, which was all that
out the full moon, except at brief intervals,
when its light brought out the shadowy bulk
of the battle ships which was as quickly
swallowed up again. Now and then signal
light of the fleet winSed and was answered
by another up or down the coast. Then
more darkness, silence and waiting. The
center of interest, the moon, remained black.
Knowing that one tentative plan was for
the fleet to chase the Merrimac in as a
pseudo-blockade runner, using blank cart
ridges on her and searchlights to point out
to HobSon the harbor entrance, every one
waited for this pyrotechnical display. But
it did not come; Hobson had apparently
chosen the less spectacular but equally des-
perate plan of quietly stalking the forts
alone and in darkness. Black cloud banks
to the westward had hidden the moon for
two hours before it's setting. depriving Hob
son of his own wish for just a bit of light
to guide him in under the Spanish guns.
Fate could scarcely have been harder. At
o'clock the moon showed for a few mo-
ments, blood red, in a hands breadth open
ing of the clouds just the horizon and
then it was extinguished in the sea.
TOO late said every one. He will never
have time to run in by that.
Almost at the same moment dawn broke
in the east as quietly as night had fallen
the previous evening. To the eastward, just
where the Merrimac lay last night, doomed
up the black shadow of a vessel. He has
missed his chance" was the remark There
the collier lay, spread in the southern bril-
liancy. Morro's deep red walls showed
against the blue hills and opal clouds
Suddenly dazzling flash, like a hello
graph ray, leaped from the battlements, fol-
lowed by slow-spreading cloud of white
smoke. There was no report but far up the
coast a white jet of spray leaped from the
sea. The battle ships were waking up.
Glasses were trained where the Merrimac
had been. She was gone. The Vixen had
been mistaken for her in the uncertain
morning light. Glasses swept the horizon
searching for the Merrimac. She was no.
where visible Bright flashes and billowing
smoke rose from point to point where the
harbor batteries were located. The Span
iards were aw AXE, sure enough, and buzzing
like an upset hive.
'Hobson has run in on them and fooled
US ALL was said, "but.' It was added.
what are the idiots shooting at2''
The spraying shells rose everywhere, be-
yond the Brooklyn and inside the Texas.
but the fire was seemingly concentrated
westward. close to the shore There a tiny
thread of smoke disclosed their target. the
New Yorks launch. which Ensign Powell
had calamity held close under Morro's