The herald., 1898-12-11

an hour before, civilians thin
coat, because of the prevailing heat;
[ had taken off my blouse, and
was wearing this coat for the only time
during the cruise In the pocket found the
unopened and undeivered letter. Pnekney,
a light hearted colored man, spent much OF
his spare time in singing playing the BANJO
and dancing jigs. and was for some reason
in an especially happy frame OF mind that
night. Poor fellow. He was killed, as was
also good old John X. Bell, the colored cabin
steward who had been in the navy twenty
seven years.
At taps ("turn in and keep quiet J, ten
minutes after nine o'clock, | laid down my
pen to listen to the notes of the bugle, which
were singularly beautiful in the oppressive
stiffness of the night. The marine bugler,
Newton, who was rather given to tancltul
effects, was evidently doing his best. Dur
ing his pauses the echoes ttoated back to
the ship with singular distinctness, repeat
ing the strains of the bugle fully and exactly
A half hour later Newton was dead
| was enclosing my letter in Its envelope
when the explosion came. The impression
made on different people on board the Maine
varied somewhat. To me, III my position,
we'll aft and within the superstructure. 1t
was a bursting. rending and crashing sound
or roar of immense volume, largely metallic
in character 1t was followed by success
sion of heavy, ominous metallic sounds,
probably caused by the overturning of the
central superstructure and by falling debrs.
There was trembling and lurching motion
of the vessel, list to port, and movement
of subsidence. The electric lights, of which
there were eight in the cabin where | was
sitting. went out. Then there was intense
blackness and smoke.
The situation could not be mistaken; the
Maine was blown up and sinking. For a mo
ment the instinct of self-preservation took
charge OF me- but this was immediately DOM
mated by the habit of command. went up
the inclined deck into the starboard cabin,
toward the starboard air ports, which were
relieved somewhat against the background
of the sky The sashes were out and the
openings were large. My first intention was
an escape through an air port, but this was
abandoned in favor of the more dignified
way of making an exit through the passage
way leading forward through the superstruc
ture | groped my way through the cabin
into the passage and along the passage to
the outer door. The passage turned to the
IlEul. VI NluEbbtlt, Htul lut lol W uld pdlt
OF the superstructure.
When the turn was reached some one ran
into me violently. 1t was Private William
Anthony. the orderly at the cabin door. He
said something apologize, and reported that
the ship had been blown up and was sink
ing He was directed to go out on the quar-
ter-deck. and followed him. Anthony has
been pictured as making an exceedingly for
nal salute on that occasion. The dramatic
effect of salute cannot add to his heroism.
If he had made a salute it could not have
been seen in the darkness of that compart-
ment. Anthony did his whole duty at great
personal risk, at a time when he might have
evaded the danger without question, and de-
served all the commendation that he received
for his act. He hung near me with unhag-
ging zeal and watchfulness that night until
the ship was abandoned.
| stood for a moment on the starboard side
of the mandeck, forward of the superstruc-
ture, looking toward the immense darl, mass
that loomed up amidships, but could see
nothing distinctly. There | remained for
few seconds in an effort to grasp the situa-
ton, and then asked Anthony for the exact
time. He replied: "The explosion took
place at 9:40, sir" 1t was soon necessary
to retire from the main deck, for that part
of the ship was sinking rapidly. I then
went up on the poop deck. By this time
LieutenantC Commander Wainwright and
others were near me. Everybody was i'm
pressed by the solemnity of the disaster,
but there was no excitement apparent; per-
feet discipline prevailed.
The question has been asked many times
if ] believed then that the Maine was blown
up from the outside. My answer to this has
been that my first order on reaching the
deck was to post sentries about the ship. |
knew that the Maine had been blown up,
and believed that she had been blown up
from the outside. Therefore | ordered a
measure that was intended to guard against
attack. There was no need for the order,
but am writing of first impressions. There
was the sound of many voices from the shore.
suggestive of cheers.-Captain Charles ID.
Sigsbee, in the December Century.