The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-06-22
CAR0LINA'S HERO.
EXP. .Cir OF LIEUT., VICTOR BLUE OF
The SuWANEE.

, THE SUWANEE.
! On cubA'z Coast-net Come, Hoi'ted tie
alag. Dodged Gurbo=t srd Captured
Iwo span,sn Sicop Yacbts-Humo.s OF
Expedition.
South Carolina E&s cone TO the
front in the war and hss hero whose
deed was evidently as daring as Hob.
sons at Santiago although it was done
in secret, on an obscure part OF the
Cuban cosst and in the darkness OF
night.
Nava. Lieut.. Victor Blue, OF Mar.
ion county, whose father was mem
Der of the historic Wallace House Of
the legislature of 1876, and who is at
tached to the little war vessel Suwa-
nee, carried an unsrmed cutter with 6
crew of twelve men forty five miles,
communicated with the insurgent
forces under General Gomez and on
bis return not only escaped Spanish
gun boats but captured two Spanish
yachts and destroyed an important
signal station. It is possible that be
may have had the homer Of being the
first to hoist United Sta.es flag in
Cuba.
The newspaper correspondents have
missed Lieutenant Blues feat but it
will inevitably figure in the official
reports. The only account that has
been received of it is from g letter
written by him to friend in Marion
and printed in the Colum5ia State Of
Wednesday. It gives interesting de:
tails OF humors ardincidents ofsctual
service.
| Lieut.. Blue in his letter, dated June
81, says: This part OF the coast IS
dotted with thousands OF little islands
called Gays, and large, deepwater
bay separates the Gays from the main
land OF Cuba. 1t was in these very
GAYS that the Spanish pirates CT form
er times used 10 escape through the
tortuous and narrow channels and
hide their stolen treasure in the many
caves that are found ia the islands.
While having the experience which l
will shortly relate I was forclbly re
! minded OF the piratical adventures
which I delighted in reading when l
was boy.
! lit was necessary Tor US 10 c1mmu,
nicate with the insurgent general in
! chief Gomez, whose army was on the
main land. The Spanish gunboats
had free access to the deep water bay
/ between the main land and the Gays
and as our ship could not enter this
bay on account Of the shoal wafer IN
the Gays, the Spaniar0s could patrol
this bay and thereby prevent our hay
ing communication with Gomez. l
! undertook the task Of running through
the Spanish lines with an armed beat
crew in order to reach Gomez's army.
The boat crew, consisting Of myself
in command and twelve men, left the
ship little before sundoWn On the
21st instant, atSanta Maria cay, which
is eight miles eastward OF Frances.
Senor Joya, a Cuban Commissioners,
! ard Cuban pilot were included il my
crew OF twelve men. As we LETT the
Suwanee On our journey Of 80 miles
the crew OF the ship manned the rig
girg and gave US three cheers. MANY
man had volunteered for this expedi.
ton; but I made a i1dicious selection.
because Wan!ed none but the best.
After l told the men that I would
sdispsnse with official etiquette, they
spun their yarns and cracked their
1 iokes with one another to their heart S
| content. When one them counted
noses and said that there were 13 in
the boat. realized for the first time
that this had not occurred to me
when fitting cut he expedition. /
also realized that 1t was the 3lst OF
the month. smother com bipation, but
! knowing the superstition OF sailors, l
said nothing. After the remark was
made there was silence for a minute
when one, trus to his colors, spoke
out that there are Is stripes on our
flag, and what could be better en-
blem OF prosperity and good fortune.
1--WE finally reached Gomez out
posts ST l 30 a. N, afler having ex.
changed a great many private recog-
nition signals (each party wishing to
make sure that the o.her was not an
enemy and were received with open
arms. Il was weird sight, but one
which caused enthusiastic applause
when I stepped ashore and planted
the American fag on the mainland OF
Cuba. Itwas an enthusiastic sight to
see our sailors mingle with the Cuban
soldiers, in waving their hats and
giving hearty cheers ior the stars and
stripes as it tloated il the glare OF the
camp fires that lighted the dark forest.
I remained al the camp only about
half an hour, as I deemed it to be of
! the greatest Importance to get across
the bay again and ilto the key (cays)
before the break of day. When We had
been sailing for abou! an hour one Of
the men sang out. "a light over the
port bow, sir" Everyone involuntari
~ grssped his rifle. 1t was only a NO
ment before my worst fears were con-
frmed ;almcst in our path was Span
ish gunboa5. II we were taken it Would
mean the cruelist kind Of death to tbs
Cub'n patriots that we're with US and
months IN Spanish dungeons for cur
selves. We could not hope for sue
cess in coping with vessel, one saot
from which would shatler our frail
craft into thousand pieces. One
Cuban remarked that there was noth-
ing left 10 do but turn and run for
Gomsz's camp. I Wavered for al in
slant between two opinions. To go
back meant at iesst days delay in
getting important Information to our
ships outside, without making US safe
from attack. thought OF the old say
ing that one mig ht IS well be cooked
fora goose as ganGer, had every car
manned in addition to our sails, chang
ed the course few points so as not 10
pass too near the stranger, and cur
cutter went through The water like a
thing Of life. The moon had set and