Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-07-16
LIEUTENANT HOBSON
GIVES THE DETAILS
Gives an interesting Account ofthe
Sinking of the Merri-
mac.
WERE UNDER A FEARFUL FIRE
Says Conditions Were Such That II
Was a Marvel All Were
Not Killed.
THEY WERE BLOWN UP BY A MINE
A Great Hole Was Torn In the
Mcrrimac Causing Her TO
Sink---I,oscued by a
Spanish Launch.

OFF Santiago de Cuba, July z, by the
Associated Press Dispatch Boat Daunt-
less, via Port Antonio and Kingston,
Jamaica, July 11.-(Copyright, 1898, by
the Associated Press.)-The return of
Assistant Naval Constructor Rich
mond p. Hobsor, of Merrimac fame, to
his ship, the flagship New York, last
night was marked by wild enthusiasm.
1t was dark when word was passed
along the ship that Hobson was com
ing. On the superstructure clambered
the crew, ten deep, and on the quarter
deck the officers clustered around the
sea ladder and a hundred hands were
stretched out to grasp Hobson's. 1t
was not until he was safe once more
on deck that the crew of the New York
broke out into a wild yell which went
up over and over again until the men
were hoarse. Numbers of the crew
rushed forward on the quarterback
and n great group of men struggled
around the tall figure Of their hero.
Behind Hobson came Colonel John
Jacob Astor and the first thing Hob
son tried to do was TO introduce him
to the officers, but Colonel Astor got
lost in the crowd which surged around
insisting upon shaking hands with
IIobson. The transports blew their
whistles.
Hobson's Story.
Hobson sat once more among his
messmates and told the story Of his
experience, his marvellous escape and
his Imprisonment in Moro castle
watching the shells explode outside
his cell under a murderous fire.
81 did not miss the entrance to the
harbor," he said, "as Ensign Powell in
the launch supposed. ] headed east
until | got my bearings, and then
made for it straight in. Then came
the firing. 1t was grand, flashing out
first from one side Of the harbor and
then the other from those big guns on
the hills. The Vizcaya, lying inside
the harbor, joining in.
Troops from Santiago had rushed
down when the news of the Merri-
macs coming was telegraphed and
soldiers lined the foot of the cliffs, fir
ing wildly across and killing each 9TH
or with the cross fire. The Merrimac's
steering gear broke as she got to Es-
trelIa point. Only three of the torpe-
does on her side exploded when l
touched the button. a huge subma-
rine mine caught her full amidship,
hurting the water high in the air and
tearing a great rent in the Merrimac's
side.
Her stern ran upon Estrella point.
| Chiefly owing 70 the work done by the
mine she began TO sink slowly. At
that time she was across the channel,
hut before she settled the tide drifted
her around. We were all aft, lying on
the deck. Shells and bullets whistled
around. Six-inch shells from the VIZ
caya came tearing into the Merrimac,
crashing into wood and iron; passing
clear through, while the plungiRg
shots from the forts broke through
her decks.
Hours Seemed Ages
"'Not n man must move / said and
Il was only owing TO the splendid dis
~cinline of the men that all Of MS were
not killed, as the shells rained over us
and minutes became hours OF sus-
nense. The mems mouths grew
marched but we must lie there till day
iight told them. Now and again one
of the other men lying with his race
Glued to the deck and wondering
Whether the next she'll would not come
our way, would say Hadn't we PEI.
ter drop off, sir? But said: Nait
at wonld have been impossible to
oet the Catamaran anywhere but TO
fthe shore. where the soldiers stood
shootipg, and / hoped that by day
lioht we might be recognized and
saved The grand old Merrimac kept
sinking. / wanted to go orward ana
see the damage done there, where
nearly all the fire was directed, but
| one man said that if | rose it would
draw all the fire on the rest. So lay
motionless. 1t was splendid the way
these men behaved. The fire of the
soldiers. the batteries and the Nizcaya
was awful. When the water came up
on the Merrimac's decks the Catama-
ran loated amid the wreckage, but
was still made fast to the boom, and
we caught hold of the edge and held
on, our heads being above h water.
One man thought we were safer right
there, it was quite light, the firing had
ceased. except that on the New York
launch, and L feared Ensign POWELL
and his men would be killed.
Rescued 10y
"a Spanish launch came toward the
Merrimac. We agreed to capture her
and run. just as she came off the
Spaniards saw us and half n dozen
marines jumped up and pointed their
rifles at our heads.
els there any officer on that boat
to receive a surrender of prisoners of
warp i shouted. An old man looked
out from under the awning over his
head; it was Admiral Cervera. The
marines lowered their rifles. We were
helped into the launch. Then we were
put i'm cells in MORO castle. 1t was a
grand sight a few days later to see
the bombardment, the shells striking
and bursting around lei MORO. Then
we were taken into Santiago. i had
the court martial room in the bar