Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-06-08
LIEUT.. HOBSON'S HERO|SM
A Thrilling Story Of the Santiago
Blockade
IN SHOT AND SHELL.
1t Required Courage to Take the Mer-
rimac Right Under the Bat
teries and Sink Her.


story of the act of heroism performed by
Lieut. Richmond z. Hobson and his
seven companions in sinking the collier
Merrimac across the channel leading into
the harbor of Santiago de Cuba:
The Spanish feet is now helpless, be-
ing held captive in Santiago de Cuba har-
bor The narrow channel leading into
the harbor was completely blocked early
this morning when the United States
collier Merrimac was sunk across its en-
trance. 1t is now impossible for the
SpaniardS to get out, and 1t is equally
impossible for any vessel to get into the
harbor. Therefore the Spanish first-class
armored cruisers Maria Teresa, Cristobal
Colon, Vizcaya and Almirante Oquendo,
with the two torpedo-boat destroyers
Furor and Pluton, are no longer of any
use to Spain.
One Hero Who Disobeyed Orders.
This result was accomplished through
the heroism Of Lieut.. Richmond 2. Hob
son, assistant naval constructor, and
Daniel Montague, George Charette, J. c.
Murphy, Oscar Deignan, John z. Phil
lips, John Kelly and II. CIausen. The
latter, coxswain of the New York, took
part in the expedition against orders.
They were all captured by the Spanish,
but the Spanish admiral, in recognition
OI luelF UrdNeTN. sent WOIu 10 lue AultIl-
can admiral, under a flag of truce, that
he was willing to exchange the prisoners
and assuring the American commander
that they would be treated with the
greatest kindness. Money and provisions
have been sent to them and the necessary
steps are being taken to bring about their
exchange.
Montague is chief master-at-arms Of
the New York. He has served four years
in the navy. is 20 years of age, and his
home is in Brooklyn.
George Charette is gunners mate of
the first class, on board the New York.
He has served fourteen years in the navy,
is 81 years of age and resides at Lowell,
Mass.
]. c. Murphy is coxswain of the
Iowa.
oscar Deignan is a coxswain of the
Merrimac and is about 24 years of age.
John 2. Phillips is a machinist of the
first class belonging to the Merrimac. He
is SO years of age, and his home is in
Boston.
John Kelly is water tender, about 80
years Of age. His home is near Glasgow,
Scotland.
H. Clausen. who slipped on board the
Merrimac without permission in order to
take part in the expedition, is cOXsWain
of the New York.
Who Hobson Is.
Lieut. Richmond Pearson HObsOn, as
sistant naval constructor, was born at
Greensboro, Ala. on August II, 1870,
was appointed after competitive exam
ination, to the Naval academy in May,
1885. He was the Youngest member of
his class, but graduated at the head Of
his eighteen companions. He has studied
engineering under the auspices of the
United States government IN France and
was made aSsistat naval constructor IN
1891. He is the author of a semi-pOlitical
loI nd Inf
look in Europe and was assigned to the
flagship New York when RearAdmiral
Sampson sailed for the West Indies.
Lieut.. Hobson is a nephew of John NJ.
Morehead of North Carolina and is
grandson Of Chief Justice Pearson of that
state. He is unmarried, and his father,
Judge James NJ. HobsOn, lives at Green's
borough, Ala.
The three men from the Merrimac's
crew were all green hands, and shipped
recently for the war.
The Merrimac had on board 600 tons
of coal when she was scuttled across the
channel. ~
Lieut.. Hobson started on his daring err
rand at o'clock this morning. The
Merrimac was lying to the westward.
Under cover Of the clouds over the moon
she stole in towards the coast and made
her way to the eastward, followed by a
steam launch from the New York, with
the following crew on board: Naval
Cadet j. NJ. Powell of Oswego, n. Y,
p. K. Peterson, coXswain: II. Hanford,
apprentice of the first-class; j. MuIlings,
coal-passer: G. L. Russell, machinist of
the secOnd-class. In the launch were
bandages and appliances for the
wounded.
Cadet Powell a Hero, Too.
At 6:15 a. m. the launch came alongside
the flagship; but she did not have on
md e fhn of hn
Cadet Powell reported that he had been
unable to see any signs of the MerriInac's
crew. 1t developed that, with great BRAY
cry, the cadet had gone right under the
batteries, and only returned when all hope
of taking on board the crew Of the Mer-
rimac had to be abandoned.
Cadet Powell also reported that he had
clearly seen the Merrimacs masts stick
ing up just where Hobson hoped to sink
her, north of the Estrella battery and well
past the guns of MORO castle But of the
heroes who had penned the Spaniards in
there was not a sound or a sign.
Rear-Admiral Sampson said: 81 am
pretty sure the attempt was quite sue
cessful | hope all those brave fellows
are not captured"
Cadet Powell believes the torpedoes
previously fixed about the Merrimac were
exploded as planned, as Lieut. Hobson
was well up the harbor before the Span
iSh opened fire on the Merrimac.
Hobson5s Outline of His Plans.
What actually happened on board the
Merrimac can best be judged from what
Lieut.. Hobson said just before leaving
the flagship. Sitting in the cabin, his
face bronzed by the sun, and his eyes
flashing with excitement he remarked:
81 shall go right into the harbor until
about 400 yards past the Estrella battery,
which is behind Moro castle. I do not
think they can sink me before | reach
somewhere near that point. The Merri
mae has 1000 buoyancy and | shall keep
her full speed ahead. She can make
about TO knots. When the narroWest
part of the channel is reached, l shall
put her helm hard aport, stop the engines,
drop the anchors. open the sea connec
tons, touch off the torpedOes and leave
the Merrimac a wreck lying athwart the
channel, which is not as broad as the
Merrinac is long. There are ten S-inch
lmprovised torpedoes below the water
line, on the Merrimac's port side. They
are placed on her side against the bulk
heads and vital spots, connected with
each other by a wire under the ships
keel. Each torpedo contains eighty-two
pounds Of gunpowder. Each torpedo is
also connected with the bridge and they
81 do tbnir -