The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-04-10

I S4lAGS
One of the new torpedo boats has been
named the Talbot" another the Nc
kee." Two heroes of the United States
navy are thus honored. Lieutenant John
Talbot, son of John Talbot, of Danville,
Ky, graduated from the Naval Academy
in 60 was commissioned ensign in So.
master in SO, and lieutenant in 20. He was
then 26 years old.
On the 18th of October, 1870. says a Dan
ville Ky, correspondent of the ST. Louis
Republic, the United States man-of-war
Narragansett was wrecked near Ocean Is
land, in the Pacific, and all of her off,
GERS and men were cast on its barren and
uninhabited shores. Ocean Island is about
midway between San Francisco and Yo-
kohama, entirely out of the customary
track OF navigation, and fully / 500 miles
from the nearest civilized port. The crew
or the Narragansett was, therefore. in a
terrible plight
The only hope was for some one to take
the captains gig-a frail craft-and at
tempt TO make Honolulu. Lieutenant Tai
DOT was the first to step forward. Five
seamen also volunteered. Their provis-
ions were scant and there was hardy any
water, but they set sail Five days out
10y Ae1A4 i4iNp q SlOfUl ana lOSl HQaT little
food and drink they had taken on board.
Then began many days Of suffering from
exposure and want of food. Lieutenant
Talbot fell i'll and remained so. and then.
10 add TO the horrors of the situation. one
OF the seamen became insane Thus the
gig and its heroic crew drifted for 81 dsys.
Ialbot, at times almost exhausted, but al
ways courageous and cheerful, keeping
up the hopes OF his comrades and intelli-
gently navigating their little craft.
Finally the boat, leaky and dangerous
with Talbot and two of the men extremely
i'll, and another insane, but harmless ana
helpless to a pitiable degree, sighted the
coast Of Kauai, one of the Hawaiian
group. 1t was here that Talbot met his
death. The boat got into shoal water and
was capsized, and every man save one
Talbot included, was washed into the sea.
Before the boat was righted, Talbot, heav-
lily clothed and much exhausted. made
desperate effort to save himself, but a
breaker carried him away. He sank with
out cry. One Halford. the sole survi-
vor, chung 70 the boat and was washed
ashore. He told his story and in short
time vessel was enroute TO Ocean Island,
TO rescue the ship-wrecked sailors. Tai
bots body was recovered and now lies at
Danville
Lieutenant Hugh w. Mckee. a class
mate and friend Of Talbot. was a son OF
the gallant William Mckee, who fell With
Harry Clay at the Battle OF Buena Vista.
The deed which made his name All honor
ed one was in leading a desperate assault
upon a Korean fort in 1871 The United
States marines and the Koreans iu the
chief cities had been picking each other
off and the situation was exasDeratinE.
ffa.a
fort. and the assault began. with Mckee
in the lead. The occupants of the for; fired
upon the approaching men as fast as they
could without checking their rapid al
vance. and. as the Americans rushed up
the hill the Koreans mounted the par
apet and cast stones upon the men below
Mckee was the frs 10 mount tic top
of the inclosure, and no sooner did ne
reach the summit than he was surrounded
by a bowling, savage band Of Koreans I
They expected no quarter from tho In
vaders and gave none. Mckee. although
quickly followed ~ many OF his men WIS
for a moment engaged. singlc-hsEded !
with "A dozen warriors. and then suCcum D. (
ed in the face OF overwhelming odds,
pierced by both spear and bullet. McKees Z
ieath but redoubled the fury % the Amer .
cans assault, and many a Korean paid /
he penalty with his life Nc kee boz Z
was returned 70 Kentucky and buried - +
The cemetery Of Lexington. not far from +
he spot where Ensign Breckenridge was /
aid a few weeks ago.
In the walls OF the chapel 81 the Naval 4
academy al Annapolis there are six me i
norial tablets marking deeds OF cEtra5r- (
iinary heroism BY is graduates. Two q 4
he SIX were inserted in memory ot Lieu /
enants Talbot and NcKes.