The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-03-20
HEROES OF THE MAINE.

/ blacknCss of the Maine catastrophe, IN tht
| hour of her grief for the loss OF so many oil
| her brave sons. Columbia has found some
| soace In the deeds OF heroism that shine
| conspicuously amid the wreck and ruin that
| form the basic details Of tho story. The news
dispatches have referred briefly to these incl
| dents.
| Beneath the blue coat of William Anthony,
| a marine on board the ill-fated ship. there
| beats a heart that shows the stalwart stun oil
| which Americas defenders are made. 1t IL
| Captain Sigsbce who tells the story of Will
lam Anthonys heroic devotion to duty, disre-
! gard for aught but the discipline OF the sef'-
| Ice and GOODNESS In the hour of death.
When the Maine received her death blow,
aud the nrst Impulse OF the living was To
| get away from the disastrous scene, captain
slgshee ran from his cabin TO reath tne desk.
In the passageway outside his CABIN door
Sigsbee ran into man. who, cool as on
ordinary parade day, drew himself UP ana
saluted his superior officer Beyond the spo.
where stood the erect and soldierly form Oh
the marine, Captain Sigsbee could hear the
cries and groans of his wounded men. anu
could gee the reflection Of tho flames that had
shot UP from the inferno whence came inc
devastating explosion.
AS he wondered what on earth or on sea
this marine meant by barring his way AT
such terrible hour, the hgure gave utter
ance to words that should become historical;
inform you that the ship has been blown up
and is sinking"
1t is Il pleasure to know that this hero OF
the lost Maine lives and is at the service OK
Uncle sam for peace or war We'll may SPAN
cndeavor to appease the anger OF a power
that numbers among its defenders such men
as William Anthony
ANY Yankee marine would have done the
same" was the modest reply of Anthony to
the euloeisms of men who heard OF his
bravery In the terrible moments following
the explosion. And Anthony is doubtlessy
right.
Anthony was evidently destined to DO SOL
der. He enlisted almost as soon as his
schoolaays were over. twenty eight years ago,
and has worn tho uniform of Uncle Sam
ever since. He first saw service during the
old days of the Ku-KluX. and later drifted
into the mariLe corps MS volunteer. u
suited him SO well that marine ne has re-
mained ever since. Previous TO joining the
marine corps Anthony had done good service
on the Western plains, where his conspicu-
GUS GOODNESS and bravery marked him for Il
man of iron nerve. His fondness for the
cantcen was the only thing that stood In the
way Of his getting u commission, during his
career both land and a sea soldier.
OF his stern sense Of duty many stories are
toned ut the Brooklyn navy yard his old
mother, whom he had not met for many
years, came over to see him, 1t happened
that Anthony at the time was on sentry duty.
and when he saw the gray haired mother his
impulse was to drop the rifle and clasp her
in his arms. But this would have been n
violation of the rules of the service that only
an ordinary man would he guilty OF. An
thony not an ordinary man, and so, with
the impulse struggling in his heart, he begged
her to go and wait for him In the guard
room until, duty done, he could let heart feel
ings have the mastery without trampling ON
discipline.
And Lieutenant jenkins? What WINS he do
ing that he failed to reach the deck with the
rest OF the survivors? 1t reads like rc-
Nance of ancient sea battles to know that
this hero OF the Maine was seeking at ihe last
moments of ms life for means 10 answer back
shot for shot the enemy that he supposed
was sh6ttering the ship with shells The body
OF Jrrkins has never been recovered. hut
enough is known concerning his movements
after the first OF the doutta explosions that
wrecked the Maine, to know that this heroic
officer was struggling when death overlook
him TO reach the gun that would have been
under HIS charge in action.
What thoughts the brave young officer had
as he made that death rush to the post OF
duty will never be known. Self-preseryation
may be the first law OF nature, but selfsaer-
flee is the first law of naval duty. and Lieu
tenant Jenkins obeyed to the death the i'm
pulse that led him to the post OF duty when
the wounded Maine staggered under the first
blow OF the unseen foe.
Columbia may we'll weep for the loss OF
such men of iron as brave Jenkins, whom
tho terror of death under the awful condi- |
tions that prevailed below decks on the night |
of the Names destruction could not turn |
from the duty path that led to the gun by |
which alone In the startled mind OF the naval |
hero. the power that had dealt the blow could |
be reekoned With.
I'm &c
night be sought for among the fighting force |
of the batteshlp alone. There are heroes
of peace, as well as of war, and If any honors |
are bestowed upon those who brave deeds cast
a CLEAN of light across the gloom of the
disaster surely Chaplain john p. Chadwick |
will come in for share. Like the other
heroes named the chaplain was true to his |
duty In the hour of death. lie knelt with the
dying on the torn and shaking deck OF the
sinking warrior of the sea and cheered the
last moments Of some with words OF hope
that when the soul left the broken bodies
the sailors would reach harbor He was
everywhere, was the hero OF the church None
his own feelings less. AS long
as wounded man needed help Chaplain
Chidwick was there to minister to his wants
When at hist he was taken ashore with line
rest OF the survivors IT was to continue his
reaseless efous to tighten the burden OF the
and render helm wherever helm wns |
devoted chaplain take until tired nature
fehf'lsc and be was forced ~ relax hig Of
.orts 10 minister to the wants OF others and
take little sleep. II was a very lit'le for,
rs the sad story from Havana has been tod
rom DAY to day. the chaninin's name has
leeh continually mentioned ile has been IN
INC hospital. by the side OF The wounded III
las been here there and everywhere and
'Iways with modest mir OF doing nothing
re would nave insisted upon keeping from
ne u,spatches ai mention OF himself. but
ne correspondents forced recognition by their
praise OF the brave chaplain.
Lieutenant. chaplain, marine form trio
n heroes in the Names story that may well
mako Americans feel proud of the service in
which the deeds of such men have been per-
ormed. And yet they were not the Only
'nes, 'hntain sigshce's GOODNESS and the
'ravery Of his officers should not be lightly
'as , over. They arc entitled to all praise.
nu rank with the three whose courage hns
'een given most prominence. -@s
NArioN's UNSEEN ARMAMENT.