The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-08-11
THE BRAVE MARINES.
Heroic Action of the Brooklyn's Corps in
Engagement With Cervera.


partment has made public the report as
to the part taken by the marine guard
of the Brooklyn in the action which re-
suited in the destruction of Admiral
Cervera's squadron, July 3.
At the moment the alarm was given
that the enemys ships were coming out
of the harbor the guard was at quarters
ready for inspection.
1t was Immediately dismissed and the
men sent to their stations for battle.
The men were full of enthusiasm. but
there was no excitement or disorder and
apparently no concern for personal safe
ty.
The battery was handled with admira-
BILE GOODNESS and elaboration. Greater
care could not be taken in setting sights
and aiming if the men had been at
target practice, and each striving to make
a record score.
Considering the fact that the enemy
was within effective range during the
the secondary battery must have been
most destructive to his men and ma
terial, and contributed its full share to
bringing the battle to an end SO speeGi-
ly and with SO little loss to ourselves =
1t ID reported that the Spanish officers
have stated that so deadly was the effect
of our secondary battery fire that it was
impossible to keep their men at the guns
Where all did their duty manfully it Is
a difficult matter to select individuals
for special mention.
There are some, however, who deserve
to be named for conduct which dis.
played in a conspicuous manner courage.
intelligence and devotion to duty.
During the early part of the action a
nd so IN, fho how Of t,o
starboard 6-pounder and in the effort
to withdraw it, the case became de-
tache1 from the projeotile leaving the
latter fast in the fore and impossible
to extract from the rear.
Corporal Robert Gray. of the port gun,
asked and received permission to at
tempt to drive the shell out by means OF
hammer.
To do this it was necessary to go out
on the gun and the undertaking was
full of difficulties and danger, the lat
ter due in great measure to the blast
Of the turret guns firing overhead. The
gun was hot and it was necessary to
cling to Jacobs ladder with one hand
while endeavoring with the other to
manipulate the long rammer. After a
brave effort he was forced to givesup
and was ordered in.
Quartermaster W. Il. Smith then came,
sent by thesexecutive officer, and prompt
ly placed himself in the dangerous posit-
ion Outside the gun port where he
worked, and failed as the corporal had
done. Neither had been able to get the
hammer into the bore, and there seemed
nothing left to do but dismount the gun.
At this juncture Private MacNeal, one
of the crew, volunteered to go out and
make a fnnl effort The gun was SO
important, the starboard battery being
engaged, that as forlorn hope he was
permitted to make the attempt.
He pushed out boldly and set to work.
The guns of the forward turret were
firing, the blast nearly knocking him
overheard, and the enemy's shots were
coming with frequency into his imme-
date neighb orhood.
1t was at this time that Chief Yeoman
Ellis was killed on the other side of the
deck.
MacNeal never paused in his work. The
hammer was finally placed in the bore
and the she'll elected. The gup was i'm
mediately put in action, and MacNeal
resumed his duties as coolly as If what
he had done was matter of every day
routine.
The battle orderlies we'll merit place
among those whose conduct is worthy
of special mention. They were on the
move constantly bearing battle orders
to all parts of the ships, and in no in
stance did they fail in the prompt and
intelligent performance of their respon-
sible duty.
The signal men occupied very exposed
positions during the action and rendered
excellent service. Signal halyards and
numbers battle flags and speed cones
were riddled by small projectiles and
fragments of bursting she'll, casualties
that show in what zone of danger the
sinai men performed their duties.
Signal men Coombs and Mcintyre
and Battle Oroerlies Ball and Davis
were SO neareYeoman Ellis when he was
killedsitthat they were despatched with
blood.
Thed report then gives list of hattie
orderlies and signal men, and concludes:
"None showed more unf1inching cour
age than the men in the military tops
who stood ty their guns delivering theil
fire with unerring precision, undismayed
by the projectiles about them and
striking in their immediate vicinity
the sick list. climbed into the main tt
past the signal for battle, where he rep
manned to the end of the action, doing
good work at his gun. The non-com
missioned officers, First Sergeant Man
ming, Sergeants Bristow, Montair. In
gals and McDevit, Corporals Dittmerer,
Doyle and Gray, showed excellent sold
| 16Tly QuhllUleS III Uuo lIlduttS6lu6uu VI Uut
men and battery. First Sergeant
Manning rendered valuable aid in super
vising the widely separated detachments
of the guard. 1 cannot speak too highly
of the conduct and hearing of Lieut..
Borden. His courage and excellent SER
vices proved him valuable officer.
There were no casualties of a serious
nature Two men were slightly injured
one, Private Flynn, in the back, by a
splinter, the other, Private Barfield, in
the leg, cause unknown. In neither
case was it necessary for the men to
leave his station. +"
The report is signed by Paul st. g.
Murphy, captain U. S: marine corps,
companied by message from Com
modore SohIey, in which he said:
"The conduct of the marine guard I'M
der Capt Murphys command was in
every way worthy of the accompanying
report.