The times., 1898-07-18
FIGHTING FOR LOST PRESTIGE.
Commander McCalIa Calmly Braves

New York, July T.-Fighting relent-
lessly and exposing himself to the muir
derous fire of the Spaniards at every
opportunity, reyeling IN the chance to
accept any risk, and grimly determined
that he shall stand before the people of
the United States, and particularly his
brothers of our navy, as a star in the
bright armament OF brave fleet captains
Commander Bowman II. McCalla, of the
cruiser Marblehead, is one OF the most
striking heroic characters of the present
war. He is fighting for two grand re-
suits: one, that he shall give a good ac-
count of the heroism of the American
seamen; the other. thata blot on his rec
ord shall be effaced.
Comma nder McCalla was appointed
from New Jersey. In 1890, while COM
mander of the Enterprise he was ac-
cused of severe cruelty toward the en-
listed men under him. A court-martial
found him guilty. and he was sentenced
to a suspension for three years and the
loss of ten numbers in rank 1t was stern
punishment, but after year President
Harrison RENTED the remainder of his
suspension and restored him to duty. He
was a changed man, and has since been
as popular with the men under him as
he was formerly unpopular.
On the breaking out of the war Ad-
miral Sampson, with the approval of the
Navy Department, gave Commander Nc
Gala an opportunity TO redeem the
friendship of which his inpetuosity and
sternness had robbed him He has
availed himself of the chance with great
courage particularly in Guantanamo
Bay, where brave Huntington's marines
fought so nobly, and where their camp
was named Camp McCalla, in recogn-
ton of THE part played by the Marble
head. For long time wfliAe around SAN
tiago and Guantanamo he did not re-
move his clothing and slept most of the
| time wrapped in a blanket under the
| bridge. IAN officer who reached here
! from Santiago tells of the esteem in
! which Captain McCalla is held and the
| fear of the Spanish for him and his YES
| sci. McCalla Is known by them as
| Captain Mike Kelley, of the Marble
| heart" mad he is said to sleep with one
eye open every night, thinking up ways
| TO harass the Spanish.
All the ships give him credit for having
| cleared the harbor of Guantanamo of
| mines. Guantanamo Harbor was protect
! ed with dangerous series of contact
| mines planted years ago, and that the
| Texas was not blown up one day when her
| propeller fouled one and twisted the cable
| around until it broke was considered a
rare bit of good fortune to her officers and
crew. Thirteen mines were removed by
Capt. McCalla, covering a space large
enough to enable a small fleet to safely
| anchor in In her operations in the har-
| Dor the Marblehead twice foulsd mines
and each time they failed to explode ow-
ing to the rusty condition of the plungers
Only on Thursday, Capt. McCalla
showed his Dewey-ike decision in send
ing two solid shots across the bows of q
| French gunboat that tried to enter Guan-
tanamo harbor. and calling his crew to
quarters for more serious action if the
F'renchman had not suddenly stopped.
But that was childs play compared to
the way he has fought his ship. He
pushed the Marblehead, with the cruiser
NASHVILLE and gunboat Window, into the
thick of the fight at Clenfuegos when
early on Wednesday morning May IL
the Santiago cable was cut. One of his
men was killed and Lieutenant Edwin A
| Anderson. of his cruiser, wounded. The
Marblehead opened fire from 3,0O0 feet OF
| shore and kept up a hurricane of shot
In the meantime the crews in the
launches were graphing for the cable
and answering the close shore fire. Fol-
three hours the shelling kept up. McCalla
directing the Marblehead's fire. The
Marblehead was struck several times, bu
not injured. During the fight five Span
iards who were fleeing from the ruined
lighthouse were torn to pieces by shell
from the Marblehead. McCalla followed
this a few days later by knocking {
Spanish block house TO pieces and land
ing 5000 rounds of ammunition for th'
insurgents.
When Sehley came along the Southern
coast of Cuba hunting for Cervera he wa:
joined by the Marblehead, which will
the gunboat Eagle had been keeping al
unceasing vigil on the enemy, and Nc
Gala went along to help bottle Cerver:
in.
: In the bombardment of Santiago ol
May 81, when Cervera tried to get out
McCalla again was at the front. III
fought hard in the bombardment. ant
| to make sure that Cervera really wa
inside steamed in front of the entranc
| ! and positively recognized the Cristoba
Colon the Vizcaya and the Infants
| Maria Teresa. In the bombardment o
June McCalla was again to the fore.