Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-06-10
HOBSON'S BRAVE DEED.

Hllal sampson caused II to he known
aboard the ships that eight volunteers
were wanted for the perilous task of run
ming the vessel past the batteries and
sinking her. 1t was a desperate under
taking, as every man in the fleet knew,
for the chances were very great that if
the Merrimac passed the batteries I'M
sca:hed she would be blown w by mine
This, however, did not deter either Of
hceTs or men from volunteering. In fact
they jumped at the chance, and 1900
signifed their willingness to carry out
the admirals plan. Finally, however,
Naval Constructor Hobson and seven
other men We're picked out. the former
commanding the gallant crew. They at
once went on board the collier. where
preparations were made for the work
ahead of them After everything had
been arranged the officers and crew of
the Merrimac left her, going on board
other vessels of the fleet.
while the Merrimac lay stripped to
the burr for her last, desperate run she
was inspected by the Associa ed Press
correspondent. With matches off. gap
ing cargo ports swung back. and every
thing valuable removed save her en-
Eines and $500 tons Of coal. which scarcely
seemed to count in her cavernous hold.
she was not an inviting spectacle. TIE
seven men who were to risk their lives
in her were as cheerful as schoolboys on
frolic, despite "a hours slceplcsSness
and hard work. COXswain Deignan, with
professional pride, explained the sevsval
stations Of the fOrlOrn hope crew. j. T..
Murphy was to cut loose the forward
anchor and Daniel Montague the after
one. and they were then TO jump over
board and swim to the lifeboat which
was towing astern. Philips Kelly and
Crank were to stop the engines ana
knock away the kingston valves to flood
the hold, and Lieutenant HObson and
Charette We're to fire the torpedoes from
the bridge. Words cannot paint the cool,
matter of fact heroism Of these enlisted
men. SO calmly confident Of success in
their audacious undertaking. so i'm
plicitly trustful In their young lieutenant
who was to lead them. so oblivious of
everything except that they were going
in. They did not speak of coming out.
with the exception of Deignan. who said
nonchalantly: "Oh. l guess we stand
n fair show of getting out. but they can't
stop US going in"-this last in a most
matter of fact style, as though going in
was the only point worth considering.
knowing that a tentative plan was for
the fleet 90 chase the Merrimac In as a
pseudo blockade runner. firing blank
cartridges ON her and searchlights to
point out to Hohson the harbor entrance.
everyone waited for this pyrotechnical
display. hut II did not come Hobson had
apparently chosen the less spectacular
hut equally desperate plan Of quietly
stalking the forts alone and in darkness
Black cloudhanks TO the westward had
hidden the moon for two hours before
its setting, deprivins Hobson Of his own
wish for just a bit Of light to guide him in
under the Spanish guns. Fate could
scarce have been harder. At 3 the moon
showed for a few moments blood red in
n hands breadth opening of the clouds
Just on the horizon, and then it was ex-
tinguished in the sea.
Too late" said everyone: "he will
never have time to run in by that"
Almost at the same moment dawn
broke in the east as quietly as night had
fallen the previous evening. He has
missed his chance" was the remark.
Suddenly a dazzling flash like hello
graph ray leaped from the battlements.
followed by a slow, spreading cloud of
white smoke. There was no report, but
far up the coast a white jet of spray
leaIed from the sea. The battleships
We're waking up. Glasses were trained
where the Mcrrimac had been. She was
gone The ken had been mistaken for
her in the uncertain morning light.
Glasses swept the horizon searching for
the Merrimac. She was nowhere visible.
Bright flashes and hulowiuG smoke rose
from point to point where the harbor
batteries We're located. The Spaniards
Were awake, sure enough, ana buzzing
lk. bees in an upset hive.
HubS0u has rum In on them and fooled
us aIi was said; but" it was added,
"What are the IDIOTS shooting at?"
The spray from the shells rose every
where. beyond the Brooklyn and inside
the Texas but the fire was seemingly
concentrated westward, close to the
shore. There a tiny thread of smoke
disclosed their target-the New York's
launch which Ensign Powell had gall
lanUy held close under Morro's walls
until after daylight, when, driven out by
the lire ii the big guns, he had run far
up the shore under the partial cover Of
the bluffs, and had turned and eventual
~ boarded the Texas out Of range. Then
he passed to the New York. The brave
fellow was broken hearted at not finding
Hohson and his men. Lying closer in
than the warships Powell had seen the
firing before daylight, when the Merri-
mac and her daredevil crew, then well
inside MORO castle, were probably first
discovered ly the Spaniards. He also
! heard an explosion which may have been
caused by HohsOn's torpedOes. The en-
sign was not sure. He waited vainly,
| hoping to rescue the heroes of the Merri-
mac. until he was shelled by the forts.
| For an unknown reason the Spaniards
| made no attempt to blow up the vessel
with their mines. She was hit a number
| of times from the batteries, but the shots
did not check her progress. and she went
| part of the channel, when she dropped
her anchor. With a time fuse the men
prepared an explosion in the fore hold
| They lit the fuse, entered a rowboat and
| pushed off. There must have been
large hole torn in her hull by the eX-
| plosion which followed, for she sank in
| q short time.
| Meanwhile Constructor Hobson and
the brave men with him pulled away
from the ship. They had gone only a
little way when the explosion occurred
and the Merrimac gave a lunge and
plunged to the bottom, going down in
35 to 40 feet.
1t was, of course, impossible for Hob
son and his crew to pass out of the har-
- l.