Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1898-05-26

Il great bale of cordage, looking out
past the harbor and the distant keys
toward the gulf. He was William
OHcarn of Brooklyn. and one OF the
survivors of the torpedo boat Wins
lows crew which passed through the
terrible storm Of shot and shell that
poured in from the Spanish batteries
in the Bay Of Cardenas. He was going
home on furlough for rest.
BY degrees and after much question
ing. O'Hearn told the whole story of
the battle. and no doubt his account Of
the engagement is the most correct in
detail Of any given yet.
Expected to be Sunk.
"From the very beginning" he said,
81 think every man on the boat be-
lieved that we could not escape being
sunk, and that is what would have
happened had it not been for the BRAY
cry of the boys on the Hudson, who
worked for over an hour under the
most terrific Ere to get us out OF
range"
Were YOU ordered to so in there?"
he was asked.
'YeS. Just before we We're fired upon
the order was given from the VIII
WAS it signal order?''
mo. We were near enough to the
Wilmington so that they shouted it
to us from the deck through the mega
phone"
do you remember the words of the
command and who gave them:''
Il don't know who shouted the order,
but the words, as l remember them,
We're:
Mr.. Ragley. so in there and see
what gunboatS those are
I'VE started At once toward the Car
denas dock, and the firing began soon
after"
what was the first you saw Of the
tiring:"
1.-The first thing l saw was shot
fired from window or door in the sec
ond story of the storehouse just back
Of the dock where the Spanish gun
boats were lying. l saw the fash and
the smoke and the same instant shell
went kissing over our heads. Then the
firing began from the sunboats and
from the shore.
II don't think any man can forget
the sound and effect Of shell and heavy
shot the first time he is under fire. 1t
is something terrible. When a shell
passes close by you. you feel it. some
thing like the effect Of lightning when
it strikes near by. You feel as though
it had taken Your head off. First. you
hear that awful buzzing or whizzing-
ii is hard to describe-and then some
thing seems TO strike YOU in the face
and head.
Il noticed that day when the shells
first began TO Fly about us that the
boys threw their hands to their heads
every time shell went over. But
they soon came SO fast and So close
that ii was 4
Roaring. Shrieking Hell.
can describe ii il no other way
Where was Your pasition:''
Il was tie water TENDER he said.
'.and my place was below. hut every
body Went Oh deck when the battle
began. Jehn Narvares, the oiler: John
nrniet and John Meek. the iireuen.
We're ho,h on watch with me. and had
they remained below they would prob
ably no; have been killed.
After the firing began l went be-
low again 10 attend To the boilers. and
i few minutes later q solid shot came
crashing through, the side OF the boat
and into the boiler. where it exploded
and destroyed seventy of The boiler
tubes. AT first ii stunned me.
when the shell burst in the boiler.
/, threw both the furnace doors open
and the fuse from the shell struck my
feet Two pieces Of the shell also came
gu, Of the ioor. and l am taking them
home With HE as souvenirs of the war.
lit WAS 4 terrible crash and report
altogether and the boiler room was
filed with dust and steam. For Sev.
erssl seconds l was partially stunned.
AMI my ears rang 80 could hear moth
ing Went UP on the deck 70 report
10 Capt.. Re.1adou.
What did you say to him.
Wounded. but Still Fighting.
Il saw him near the fenecastle gun
ltupius about With "a towel bound
about his let, leg He WAS shouting
and the noise Of all The guns WAS like
continuous thunder.
"Tapya!u.' i shouted. the forward
heller is disabled. \ shell has sons
through her.
Get ou. The hose. he said. ana
turned 10 the gun again.
Il wen, back into the boiler rca,s,
and in Il few minutes l Went up ol
the deck again. and the fighting bat
grown hotter than ever. Several o.