Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-06-14
FOUGHT AT 'CARDENAS
Newport News Boy on the
Gunboat Wilmington.
WHAT A COMRADE SAYS
He Prairen Dan HAY. Who sto"d 10y Ills
49, Gun While Shells Were Flying
'. Ihicls and rns, auo Meyer
FlinGhed

In one way or another Newport News
mas Inquired conspicuuusly in the His J.
pano-Anerican war. The first prix,.
taken by an American warship fell
into the hands of the trim little gun
boat Nashville, which MAS bull, al th-.
shipyard here. A the fight in the h4r-
Dor of Cardenas the gunboat Whining
ton. another product of the local yard,
TOOK an active part, as she had Oh pre-
,vious occasions. in covering small
skill figured in the hostli,ics, but
Newport News pluck as well. Naval
Constructor Hobson, who planned and
sunk the collier Merrinac in the h;tr-
Dor of Santiago. thus sealing up Ger
vera's feet. has resided in this city
and at the fight Ut Gardenas. where
Ensign Bagley gave his life in defense
of the Stars and Stripes. WAS seaman
Dan Hay, 4 Newport News boy. whose
herotsm is attcstsd ny 4 tellow tar
as will be seen bN the following letter
addressed to the Daily Press:
U. s. $. WILA1tNffrON,
Key West Fla.
Editor Dail, Press:
bring before You Dan Hay, a brave
young man who lives in Newport News,
and of whom the nha bitants should
be proud, for The. is a daring and cool
young man.
When his ship vas engaged in battle
at Cardenas Hay was by his gun all
the time, and he did great shooting
and damage to the Spa niards He did
not finch from his post in action While
the shells We're flying all around him.
Five minutes before the battle COM
menced he was playing pool on the
deck with another young fellow. and
they did not seem to think that they
We're going to fight. but when they did
they We're cool and collected. and
We're taking the whole thing as il it
was joke.
When the fight was over and Hay
found out that five men were killed on
the torpedo boat Winston. he was one
OF the first that was willing to go in
the. next day and blow down the whole
town.
I5cannot tell you Very much about
him, for I have only known him but
a few months. but I think he comes
of one of the Scotch fighting races, of
which the people of his native country
ought to be proud. I have always
found him to be very quiet and gen
tlemanly toward every one. and you
will always f1nd him willing to help
you II you are in trouble. have found
News lodge of Odd Fellows.
Respectfully,
Nv. r. Fl.
Hay was born in Scotland twenty
seven years ago. but came to America
when quite a lad. locating with his pa
Aiadeiptlth w IltH Il young
man ne enlisted in the navy and was
assigned to duty on the gunhoat Cas-
tine, but was afterwards transferred
to ,the monitor Puritan. IIe served
his time and was honorablv discharged
Six years ago he came here with his
sister. Mrs. Henry Mccall who resides
in the Jefferson Row and secured en-
rloyment in the shpyar,. IL 4 plumber.
While a resident of this city young Hay
made number Of friends He worf@
ed on the gunboat Wilmington while
that ship was being constructed at
the yard here. and when she left this
port for the Norfolk navy yard to be
put#into commission Hay accompanied
the ship and again enlisted in the navy.
joining the Wilmington's crew. Hay
was a popular member of the local
lodge of Independent Odd Fellows. as
he always took an active interest in
the;.work of the order. Being Of Scotch
birth. he was born a soldier, and it
is not surprising to hear that he bore
himself gallantly during the engage
ment at Cardenas. Mrs. Mccall said
she heard from her brother frequently.
She. seemed proud of the record he had
made. in the navy.