The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-06-07
SANT4|AG0 ! \ HEROES:
The MerrimAc IAc1dent the Absorbing Topic
of the Hour.
H0BsoN4 HEROIC ADVENTURE
flannd Take the Merrimac Iuto the Mouth OF
the Han, and nk in the Face OF Storm of Shells From
the Spanish BaeresThriIlng Detail of the Glorious
Deeds OF Hobson eI...No News From Our
Fleet Off Santiago Yesterday...T The Spanish
Fleet n HarbOr.

New York. June 5.-The Journal has
the following copyrighted special:
Cape Haytien, June 5,-The torpedo
boat destroyer Mayf1ower arrived at
Mole st. Nicholas today conveying the
troop ship ResoIute formerly the York
tOWn. AS soon as Commander Mac
kenzie had Forwarded dispatches to
Washington, the Mayfower left with
her consort
AS the Mayfower is the most heavily
armed, as Wen as the spediest Of the
large yachts bought by the govern
1nent, it is supposed that the expedition
in her charge is bound for Santiago,
and that it's Importance made it neces-
sary to furnish protector able to cope
with any Spanish gunboat that might
tbe tempted to try to capture the rich
prize. In addition to the troops the
Yorktown is known to have on board
vast quantities of ammunition for the
fleet.
HEROES OF THE MERRIMAC.
copyrighted by Associated Press)
Off Santiago de Cuba, June 81 a. m.
via Port Antonio, jamaica June A.,
per The Associated Press despatch boat
Dauntless delayed in transmission)-
The Spanish fleet is now helpless, being
held captive in Santiago de Cuba har-
bor. The narrow channel leading into
the harbor was completely Blocked
early this morning, when the United
States collier Merrimac was sunk
across the entrance. 1T is now i'm
possible for the Spaniards to get out,
and it is equally impossible for any
vessel to get into the harbor. There
fore the Spanish first class armored
cruisers Maria Tersea, CristoIbal Colon,
Vizcaya, and Almirante OGuendo, with
sthe two torpedo boat deStroyers, Furor
and Pluton, are no longer of any use
to Spain. This result was accomplished
through the heroism of Lieutenant
Richmond Pearson Hobson, assistant
naval constructor, and Daniel Monta-
que, George Charette, j. G. Murphy;
Oscar Deignan, John p. Phillips, John
Kelly and H. Clausen. The latter, a
coxswain of the New York, took part
in the expedition against orders.
Montague is chief master at arms of
the New York. He has served four
years in the navy, is 20 years of age
and his home is in Brooklyn.
George Charette is gunner's mate
of the first class on board the New
York. He has served fourteen years in
the navy, is 81 years old and resides at
Lowell, Mass.
j. c. Murphy is a coxswain Of the
Iowa.
Oscar Deignan is a coxswain Of the
Merimac and is about "a years old.
John P. Phillips is a machinist of the
first class, belonging to the Merrimac.
He is 36 years of age and his home is in
Boston
John Kelly is water tender, about
-35 years old. His home is near Glas-
gov, Scotland.
H Clausen, who slipped on board the
Merrimac without permission, in order
ITO take part in the expedition, is a cox
swain of the New York.
The three men from the Merrimac's
crew were all green hands and shipped
recently for the war.
The Merrimac had on board six hun
dred tons of coal when she was scut-
Hled across the channel.
"DETAILS OF HOBsON's ACHIEVE
NrENTS.
Lieutenant Hobson started on his
daring errahd at 8 o'clock this morning.
The Merrimac was lying to the west
ward. Under cover of clouds over the
~ moon, she stole in toward the coast
and made her way to the eastward, fol-
Lowed by steam launch from the New
York, with the following on board:
Naval Cadet ]. w. Powell. of Oswego,
N. Y, p. K. Peterson, coXswain, H.
Handford, apprentice eff the first class
-. Mullings, ceal passer, G. L. Russell,
~mach1nlst of TIE second class.
In the launch were bandages and ap-
,Spfiances for the wounded
From the crowded decks of the New
~ orK nothing could Gbe seen of the
2Merrimac after she had got under the
Sshadow of the hills. For kalf an hour
toff1cers and men strained their eyes
peeTing into the glGom, WHEN, sudden
~. the flash of q gun streamed out from
MORO castle. and then all on board the
New York knew the Merrimac was
nearing the end. The guns from the
Spanish battery opposite Morro castle
answered with more flashes and for
about twenty minutes, flashes of fire
semed TO leap across the harbor en-
trance.
The flagship was too far away to hear
the reports, and when the firing ceased
4. it was judged that Hobson mad oloWn
cup the Merrimac. For an nOur 1ne
a nxfous watchers waited for daylight
Rear Admiral Sampson and CAPITALS
Chadwick were on the bridge OF the
New York throughout.
At O'Clock thin streams of smoke
were seen against the western shore
quite close 10 the Spanish batterles'
and strong glasses made out the launch
of the New York returning to the flag
shin. Scarcely had the small craft been
sighted hefore a. puff of smoke issued
from a, battery on the western arm OF
che harbor and shot fell far over the
launch. Then for fifteen minutes, the
big guns, ashore kept ur an IRREGULAR
fire on the little launch. <s the sneais