Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1898-06-09
HOW HOB>ON DID III.
rhe Merrinnc Venture MinuteIy
Detailed by the Leader
Definite list Of tho H-ru~- -Tnf.rps-
ss.sn FROM onr.r- In Chsrx- sf span
tsh rri-.n~r~ Tn>ar-- en- Nxrssne-
sf tho w-rrima- rr-w.


sf tho w-rrima. cr-w
PoHr tNruNfu. Jamaica. June i-
The following ~ a drtailed story ~ the
act - hrruism performed by Lieut..
Richmond r. Hah-an. and his seven
eonpaniun- In sinking tn. collier Ner-
rimas arr,,s- the channel leading into
tine harhor - Santiago DE cuba
The spanish feet Ia now helpless.
being hsli captive in santiago de cuba
harbor. The narrow channel l.ading
into The harhor was completely bi,~,issd
early Friday morning when the nit.,l
states collier Mrrrimae was sunk
| acro~s IL entrance. II IL now impus-
.its. 49, ts~ >psnisr,ss - rrt cu,. and
il ~ equally impossible for any vessel
to get inta the harhor. rh~rrt,rr. the
spanish first class arnntrd cruisers
Maria Teresa, Cri-tabal Calsu. Nixcava
ami Almirante oslucndo. with two tor-
ps-sio boat iestrOysrs. Fsnorr and Plu.
tou. are no longer ef ANY use a. spain.
This result was accomplished through
the h-rpism of LieuL Richsland T.
hob~on. assistant naval constructor
and Daniel Montague. t'sorgr Charrtfe
=. 6. Murphy. Oscar Deignar, John p
Philips, John Kelly and ". Clau-.n.
The latter. eoxswain N the New
York. took part In the expedition
against ORDERS. They were all cap
turcd by the Spaniar'ls but the spanish
admiral. in recognition - their bravery.
sent word "a the American admiral.
under iiag ~ truce that IA. was will
ing to exchange the prisoners, and
assuring the American commander that
they would BE- treated with the greatest
kindness. Money and provisions have
been sent tn them. and the necessary
steps are being taken - bring about
their exchange.
Montague is chief master at arms ~
tn. New York. tie has served four
wears in the navy. is - wears of agr.
| aud his home in brooklyn.
George Charrtte Is a gunncr's mate u
the first-claSs On boar,i the New York.
lie has served fourteen wears in the
navy. is u years odd. and rrsi,lss az
Lowell. Mass.
]. &. Murphy is a coxswain II the
Iowa
Oscar D.ignan is a coxSwain ~ the
Merrimae. and j. about - years nld.
John T. Philips is marhinist pf the
first-classi. belonging tn tine Merrimas.
Tie is - wears of assr. and his bom-is-
near t;iasgow scotland
I VI. Clanssn. WIN slipped On huarri thr
Mrrrimae without permission in arsirr
- take part IN the expedition. Is a -ox
swain II the New York
What actually happened IN b.iar,l
IN. M.rrinae can best h~ iusgs'i frum
what Lirut Habssn said Just b-fsrs
iravinR the flagship. sitting in hrs
cabin. hs. remarked.
tssf.-ass Ftss-.
I shail s,p right mt, the harlipr until
about aa varsis past IA. Eztreila bat
tsrv vhirh is behind Nurrs Castle
don tAinh thcv ean siua nr h~fnrc
reach ,..me'v h,f- near that p.,iut rh.
acrrirnae has 3 loa TINS buoyanrv. and
I shall seop her fnil -pevd ahra.l she
c1.n make abaut ten knots. When ths,
narruwsSt part II the channel n reaeh.
e,i I shat pat her hsin hani part.
sfup the rngIn's. drop the anrhaFs. open
the -ca connections. touch of the tor.
resla,.. ans. leave the M-rrimae wreck
lying athW8rt ia. chaInei. xhich Is not
a. broad a. the M'.rrinas Is long There
arr ten --incb inpraviss-tl tsrpss,loes be.
luw the water aHe on the M-rrimae
part side. They are piaeed ga her side
against tine hulkhsads and vital spots
connected with each othrr by wirr
under IN. ships krgl. E-lch torpedo
contains eighty tgvu pounds of gunpow'
der Earh forp'.siu Is also connected with
the bridge and they shouid do their
work m a minute and IL Will be- guicb
work. even Il dnnc IN a minute and d
quarter.
--on dsris there will he fuur men and
mvself In IN. engine rslom there viii
ao two ether men. This is the tota
CREW. and all II us viii be- IN our un
clothing. with r-voivers and ammuni
tiun in water tight parking strapp-,
around our waists. Forward there viii
be a man ON deck. and around his ysais
will be a line. the other end Of the lin,
being made fast IA the bri,ige. on " hici
/ will stand. by that mans side ther,
will be an ak. I will stop the engine'
; and shall jerk this cord. and he vii
thus get the signal to cut the la;,hina
which will be holding the forward an
chor. lie viii then jump overheard an,
, swim to the four-oared diney which W.
shall tow astern. The dingy is full %
, /, life buoys and is unsinkahle. In il ar,
rifles. Il Is to be held by two ropes
one made fast at her how and one a
, her stern. The first man Ia reach he
will haul in the tow line and pull tin
dingy ON Ia the starboard. Tn. mex
to leave the ship are the rest of tn,
: crew. The quartermaster at the whee
will not leave until after having put /
, hard a-port and lashed il 80. lie will
then jump overheard. Down below
; the man at the reversing gear viii stol
the engines, scramble upon deck am
get over the side as quickly as possible
Tie man in the engine-room will breal
open the sea connections with slcdg
hammer. and will follow his leader int
the water. This last step insures tn
, sinking of the Merrimae whether tn
torpedoes work or not.
All VIII BE on.
BY this time calculate the six me
will be IN the dingy and the Merrima
will have swung athwart the channs
to the full length of her 800 yards q
cable. which win have been laid Ou
before the anchors were cut loose
Then all that is left for me to do il {
touch the button | shall stand on tn
starboari side of the bride. The eA
piosion will throw the Merrimac ON he
starboard side. Nothing on this si..
of New York city will be able to rails
. her after that.
And you expect 10 come out of thi