The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-06
the Te1as 14o sIgnined their desire to go.

NIACns |
After the Massachusetts, and the smaller
craft had coaled from the Merrimac, until
only 1000 tons were left in her hold Tor
ballast, tho old craft was taken twenty
miles to the east Of Santiago. There a
force of men was put to work stripping her
Of everything of value and fitting powder
charges for sinking her.
At . o'clock the Vixen came to each ship
which had the honor OF furnishing one OF
the volunteers and called out, for example:
"New Orleans, therel We have come
for your volunteer"
The men were taken on board the flag
ship New York. The squadron moved
down to the entrance of the harbor, and all
expected that the attempt would be made
that night. The work Of stripping the
collier, however, was not finished until =
o'clock in the morning, and by the time she
reached the feet it was too late to make
the attempt. Accordingly last night was
fixed for the enterprise and a change of
plans was announced.
1t being believed that the volunteers
that had been chosen on Wednesday had
undergone too long a strain to render the
best service, a new list was therefore made
out. The original volunteers were sent
back to their ships, broken-hearted because
they had lost a chance to die for their
country, and those whose names have been
given were chosen.
At sunset yesterday the fleet took up a
new formation ordered by Admiral Samp-
son. The ships arranged themselves in an
arc of q circle of five miles radius, with
Moro Castle as the centre. This was the
order. beginning at the westward:
Vixen, Brooklyn, Marblehead, Texas,
Massachusetts,, Oregon, Iowa, New York,
New Orleans, and Mayaower. The ~colliers,
cable and supply boats remained outside
the circle, while the Dolphin and Porter
acted as despatch boats.
The evening wore away slowly. A full
moon bathed the quiet waters of the Ca
r!bbean Sea in a splendid lustre Of silver
and clothed the high mountains around
Santiago in robes of glorious, hazy white
ness.
The lights of the city blinked meekly in
the distance on the hillside, while the sim
gle searchlight Of the Moro lighthouse
burned as brightly as If no enemy lay be-
meath it outside the harbor. The mise en-
scene was beautifully peaceful. On the
decks of the big ships, however, all was
different.
The entire crews were lying prone upon
the decks. with only rubber blankets be-
meath them. The men are numbered and
the even and odd numbers were sleeping
alternately, two hours at a time, with their
4 guns and small arms at their sides.
In the event of a torpedo attack each man
awake slaps the man next to him, who is
asleep, on the shoulder, and in an instant
the dark uncertain object In the water
plunging toward the ship, is riddled. AT
$50 o'clock, while the moon was still bright,
the crew of the Merrimac was sent aboard
the Texas and the seven men who remained
took her toward the western shore of the
harbor entrance at once, closely followed
by the launch of the New York, in command
of Naval Cadet Joseph Wright Powell OF
Oswego, N. Y. Powell, too, and the four mon
in the launch with him, Coxswain Peter
son, Fireman Horsman, Engineer Nelson
and Seaman Peterson, all Of the New York
proved themselves true heroes. This launch
lay close to the western shore.
Cadet Powell and his crew saw the Mer
rimac head straight for Estrella Point
which is on the east side of the harbor
back of the Moro. They knew that just
before she reached that point the engines
were to be stopped and the momentum al
lowed to carry her on.
Then the himsy wooden props holding
the bonnets OF her sea valves in place wer,
to be kicked aside. the helm put hard t.
starboard, and the starboard bower ancho
let go. This would steer the ship dlrectl,
across the channel and check her Roadway
At the same time seven reduced S-incl
charges, containing eighty pounds of BROW
P powder in copper cases and protected b,
I pitch from water, were to be set off sepa
. rately. These charges were suspended abou
, ten feet below the water line at intervals o
thirty feet, and connected by q series O
dry batteries. As the ship steered acros
q the channel the forward port powde
charge was to be exploded. Then, as tn
? stern swung into position, the ancho
dashed on the starboard quarter was to b
let go and the other six charges explode
in succession.
= A catamaran and lifeboat were slung al
4 on the starboard side ready for the seve
men to drop INTO them.
A The crew in the steam launch watche
n the course of the old collier with eye
strained. The moon had sunk behind til
horizon. 1t was 500 o'clock.
4 On, on the heroes went. Lieut.. Hobso
stood on the bridge Of the old collie
II dressed in full uniform. The other 81
|. men were at their posts, clad in tights,
If aid their escape in case they had to swim
long distance.
IT The watchers saw her head straight fc
Estrella Point, saw her swing hard acrol
L the channel, apparently undiscovere,
ia heard five of the seven charges explod
IA and then began a screaming, flashin
n de~ath-dealing fire from the Spanish shil
ia and batteries that hid the rest from viev
:. The battery on Dead Mans Point, squa
IA in the centre of the harbor, opened the fl
and soon directed its guns against ii
launch.
d. In the face of thish hell, with 10 and
at inch guns blazing at them at this sho
range, Cadet Powell and The crew of h
1..I ,oxtia,nl 10 aarnb for Tho ,,.,