Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-08-05

SS0SSSSSSSS
sailor, though for brief number of years,
yet long enough to know him.
Hobson Tells of Jackie.
My first experience about the only thing
the sailor can talk about is a few little Incl
dents and experiences Of his own-was
while on practice cruise just after enter
ing the Naval Academy. One day several
| OF the cadets were swimming toward the
Constellation, which was anchored about
tnree-quarterS of a mile from the shore.
MOST OF the cadets had reached the Ship
out one OF them was seized with cramps
ana ne sang out for a boat to be lowered to
take him aboard. Immediately a rush was
mace TO hoist out a boat, but sailor who
hearo him jumped overheard to his assist
ahce. Then another went overheard, then
nom the boom, from the quarter and from
the bridge other sailors followed in such
numbers that actually the CAPTAIN had tn
give the order in stern tones and his or
Derry passed it along, that No more men
Jump oVerboard!' Laughter and cheers)
nave seen the same spirit exhibited
when in heavy gale lifeboat had been
called for. 1t was with the same old Con-
stellation. She was running free before
haif a gale, with close reefed topsails,
When man fell overheard. Without wait
ing to bring her to the wind, so that the
launching would be easier under the ships
lee, the life crew lowered the boat. 1t was
comrade of mine they were seeking to
rescue he fell from the crosstrees and
struck the water apparently lifeless While,
the hfeboat was getting away she was
s"anped by heavy wave, and it was no
longer a question of saving one man, but
seven. Another Hfeboat's crew was called
away. 1t was not necessary to give the
order for the call. They were already
there 1t was not necessary to muster the
I nlr VIC TIL !,
lowered the lifeboat without hesitation.
| (Cheers)
The Merrimac.
| This was my first introduction to the ar
quaintance of the sailor he. whom we call
Jackie A number of wears nassed and
every year of association with Jackie"
| confirmed the first conclusion had drawn
| Oh him, and recently friends, l had had oc-
casion to see Jackie" where he was soreIv
taxed. L feel that certain fea lures of the
recent incident in which Jackie PLAYED
ms part SO well should be referred to. 1t
Is known that when the call was made f,-
volunteers to go the Merrimac-(vocifer-
Gus cheers and cries of Three cheers fur
the hero of the Merrimac! )-literally the
men Tell over each other in their eagerness
| to volunteer. (Renewed cheeringD The list
on the New York ran above a hundred and
the Iowa sent over the signal that no
| would volunteer, before the order was
PooScu tiietS no more volunteers were need
ed When the few out Of this number
/ had been assigned to stations on the Merit
| mac, the direction was given to them to
! lie nat on their faces alongside the particu-
lar piece of duty they had to perform
| Two were stationed by the anchor gear
| and others by the torpedoes, while two
were in the engine room. The directions
| We're that no man should pay any attention
| TO the fire of the enemy. 1t was agreed
| and understood by all that they should
| not even look up over their shoulders to
| see where the firing came from; that, as
| the shots fell, they should pay no attention
| to them. If a man was wounded he was 10
give no attention to It. but to place himself
in stting-kneeling posture, in posture
| SO that when the signal was given each
| man, if wounded. could perform his simple
| duty; and friends, they lay there each man
| at his post, until the little duty of each was
performed.
Obedient Sailors.
And 1 may tell you that five out of the
seven torpedoes that were attached to the
| snip had been shot away, the steering gear
| had also been Shot away, and the pro-
| Jectiles that were being hurled at us came
more as continuous stream than as indi-
Vldual projectiles. Yet those "jackies'' lay
there without moving, each one ready to
DO his duty as he had been instructed.
Then again, when the duty was done and
the boys had assembled at the rendezvous
on the quarterback when the vessel began
two remaining torpedoes of the seven, the
other five and the starboard quarter anchor
having been shot away, to be exploded to
SINK the ship, the sailors remained there
without STIRRING. For ten minutes the
group stood there, amid perfect rain of
horizontal fire from the enemy's vessels in
the harbor and from the batteries when
II was only a question of death in the
next proJectile.s or the next, or the next
or else of being struck with some of the
fragments. They stood quietly on the deck
grinding underneath them.
Inls single order was given: mo man
move until further ORDERS If there was
ever a moment when the order every man
for himself, jump overheard, get away
from this, was justifable, it was at this
time But not man budged. prolonged
cheers for 'jackie.'O A few minutes later
when this same group was In the water
clinging, with their heads just above water
to the catamaran, when the enemies picket
boats came peering around with their lam
terms, In the endeavor to find something
living, when the impulse was strong to give
up and swim to the bank, the same order
was given, mo man move until further or
ders," and there for nearly an hour these
men stayed-eyery one.
Praises Cervera.
When that afternoon. the same after
noon of the sinking of the Merrimac, by
the kindness of the gallant commander-in-
chief Of the Spanish forces, Cervera-
| (cheers)-the effects of the sailors were
brought off from their ship by boat that
went out under a flag Of truce to tell of
their safety, one Of the men in distributing
these effects was allowed to come over to
my. cell. This man-Charette was his name
was the spokesman of the others and.
after referring to what they had been
through during the night, he said: I'VE
would do 1t over again tonight, sir.'' Gre
mendous cheers) Next day, when it SEEM
ed that perhaps remnant of the inquisi-
ton was to be applied to get informa ton
from the prisoners, to ascertain what was
the name of the ship that had been sunk
whether 1t was a battle ship with a crew
OF 500 or 000-impertinent questions were
put to the prisoners, and soldiers coming
along would make significant signs. ike
this (here the lieutenant drew his hand
across his throat, at which our seamen
merely laughed. Uaughter.) That was
fact. (Cheers.) Charette. who speaks
French. was the spokesman of our party.
and ha was asked by the major who had
charge of us. What was the object of
In boro