The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-06-06
Men Who EXaIt the Name
Of American.
A MARVELLOUS DISPLAY OF bravery.
The Collier Was Sunk to Block
til: Santiago Channel
BY A BAND OF VOLU NTEERS.
Hundreds More We're Anxious to
Take the Risk.
OUR HEROES ARE NOW PRISONERS
OUR HEROES ARE NOW PRISONERS

But Spain, Admiring the Sub lime Pluck Of
the Men Of Our Navy, Is Willing TO Ex.
change the Men For Spanish Prisoners
Now Held by Our Government Of
the Men Who Faced the Deadly Peril
Disobeyed Orders In Order to Take Part
in the Perilous Expedition.
Port Antonio. Jamaica, June 6.-By
one Of tho most brilliant exploits in
naval annals the cork has been driven
into the bottle at Santiago de Cuba,
and the Spanish fleet could not be more
secure were the entrance to that harbor
d0ored, barred and double locked and
the key dropped into the bottomless
depth of the sea.
Lieutenant Richmond P. Hobson, OF
the flagship New York, with a volun-
tcer crew of seven men, under cover OF
the darkness after the moon had set,
shortly after o'clock Friday morning,
ran the big collier Merrimac into the
throat of the harbor, swung her broad
side across the channel, and then eX-
ploded and sank her. He succeeded in
this desperate enterprise under the
fires of the batteries and forts which
guard the entrance without support
from the feet
Ensign Powell, also of the New York,
with steam launch, crept close under
the gums of Moro Castle to take of
the heroes of the Merrimac, and re-
manned there pluckily until daylight
discovered his position, without see
ing trace of the Merrimacs daring
crew. To have remained longer would
have been sheer madness. AS it was,
he retired under a heavy fire from
Mauser rifles and the heavy guns OF
the batteries.
The heroes who performed this mar
velous feat of daring were:
The Merrimac's Heroes.
:. Lieutenant Richmond P Hobson, as
siEtant naval constructor. Lieutenant
Hobson was born at Greensboro, Ala,
on Aug. II, 1870, was appointed, after
q competitive examination, to the
Naval academy in May, 1885. He was
the youngest member of his class. but
graduated at the head Of his 18 COM
panions. He has studied engineering,
under the auspices of the United States
government in France, and was mada
assistant naval constructor In 1891.
He is the author of semi-political
work, entitled "The Situation and Out
look in Europe" and was assigned to
the flagship New York when Rear Ad-
miral Sampson sailed for the West
Indies. He is nephew of John M.
Morehead, of North Carolina, and is
q grandson of Chief Justice Pearson,
Of that state. He Is unmarried.
Daniel Montague, chief master Of
arms, of New York. He has served
four years in the navy, is 20 years Of
age, and his home Is In Brooklyn.
George Charette, gunner's mate OF
the first class on board the New York.
He has served IA years in the navy,
Is 81 years old and resides at Lowell,
Mass.
J. c. Murphy, coxswain of the Iowa.
Osborne Deignan, a coxswain of the
Merrimac, about "a years old.
Geo. F. Phillips, machinist of the
first class, belonging to the Merrimac.
He is 36 years of age, and his home
is in Boston.
Francis Kelly, water tender, about
IS years old. His home is near Glas-
gov, Scotland.
II. Clausen, who slipped on board
the Merrimac without permission, in
order to take part in the expedition, Is
q coxswain of the New York.
Now Prisoners of War.
Lieutenant Hobson and his men are
now Spanish prisoners, as a flag of
truce announces, and will be exchang-
ed in due course Of time, but that their
mission was successful admits of no
doubt. Ensign Powell distinctly saw
the spars of the wrecked ship In the
middle of the channel. Lieutenant
Hobson planted her at the very point
he had selected. Cushing's memorable
feat in blowing up the Confederate
ram Albemarle is overmatched by
Hobson's act, for Cushing's men crept
up Albemarle sound at midnight and
fell upon an unsuspecting foe. Hob
son took his ship, over 300 feet long,
into the very focus Of dozen bat
teries with the enemy at the guns,
and blew her up. Discovery at the end /,
Of his journey was inevitable, and !
death was almost certain. No name, /;
Iherefnre can ha uritten hiphnr on :.