The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1898-06-10

alive?" asked a companion Of the lieu'
tenant.
''Ah, that is another thing" said the
mechanical details of the scheme that
he scarcely stopped to talk of life and
death. But in reply to frequent ques'
tions Hobson said:
II suppose the Estrella battery will
fire down on us bit. but the ships will
throw their searchlights in the gun,
ners' faces and they won't see much OF
US Then, if we are torpedoed we
should even then be able to make. the
desired position in the channel. II
won't be SO easy to hit us, and think
the men should be able to swim to the
dingy. 1 may jump before 1 am blown
up, but | don't think that makes much
difference. 1 have fair chance of life
either way. If our dingy gets shot to
pieces we shall then try to swim for
the beach right under Morro Castle.
We shall keep together at all hazards.
Then we may be able to make our way
alongside and perhaps get back to the
ship. We shall fight the sentries of a
squad until the last, and we shall only
surrender to overwhelming murders
and our surrender will only take place
as last emergency"
Volunteers Plenty.
The news of SIMPSONS intended ex'
pedition travelled quickly through the
fleet, and it soon becaL known that
volunteers were needed for desperate
undertaking. From the Iowa's signal
yard quickly fluttered the announce
meut that she had 140 volunteers, and
the other ships were not far behind.
On the New York the enthusiasm was
intense. Over 200 members of the crew
volunteered. The junior officers liter
ally jumped over each other in their
eagerness to get their names on the
volunteer list. Commander Miller, who
had charge of the Merrimac, pleaded
with the admiral to let him go, but the
latter thought he had better not.
AT 8 o'clock the admiral and Flag
Lieutenant Staunton got into the
launch to make an inspection of the
Merrimac. The working gangs were
still on board of her, and on board the
New York the officers of the flagship
stood on the quarter deck, their glasses
focused on the big black hull that was
to form an impossible obstacle for
Spain's best ships. The minutes slipped
by, the crews had not completed their
work on the Merrimac, but at last a
boat load of men, black and tired out,
came over to the flagship. Last of all
at 4:30 o'clock, came the admiral. He
had been delayed by breakdown OF
the steam launch.
Dawn was breaking over Santiago de
Cuba, and nearly everybody thought it
was too late for the attempt to be made
that morning. Then somebody cried:
"She's going in.''
Surely enough, the seemingly desert
ed collier was seen heading straight for
MORO Castle.
The torpedo boat Porter was lying
near the flagship, and at the admiral S
order Lieut.. Staunton snatched up the
megaphone and hailed the Porter, say
ing: Porter, there, tell the Merrimac
to return immediately!'
Called Her Back.
Smoke quickly poured from the Por-
ter's smokestaclzs, and the dark little
craft darted toward the shore. BY that
time darkness had quite disappeared,
and quickly as the fast torpedo boat
tore through the water it seemed as if
she would never head off the Merrimac.
At last, when within range of the
guns of the Spaniards, the Porter
crossed the Merrimac's bows and a sign
of relief went up from the eager watch
ers, for they thought it sure death for
Hobson to venture in at that hour.
Some time after o'clock the porter
came tearing back and the Merrimac,
to every ones surprise, kept her posi-
tion. Admiral Sampson, Capt. Chad
wick and Lieut.. Staunton could not un-
derstand until Lieut.. Fremont, from
the deck of the torpedo boat, shouted:
Lieut.. Hobson asks permission to con-
tinue on his course, thinks he can make
it.
But in stern tones, the admiral sent
Hobson message to the effect that the
must return at once, and in
due course of time the doomed collier
slowly steamed back, her commander
evidently disappointed with the order
received from the admiral through the
of the Porter, Hobson's fig
ure standing out vividly on the lonely
bridge of the Merrimac.
All day Thursday the collier lay near
the flagship, and more elaborate prepar-
ations were made to carry out the mis-
sion of the Merrimac successfully. Dur
ing those preparations Hobson was tire
less, cool and confident, supervising
every little detail When
finally Hobson went on board the Mer-
rimac Thursday night he had been
sleep since Wednesday morn
ing. His face was begrimed, his hands
were black, and he looked like man
who had been hard at work in and
about an engine-room for a long time.
AS he said goodbye the lieutenant re-
marked that his only regret was that
all of the New York's volunteers could
not go with him.
When the Merrimac started Thursday
on the trip from which she
was recalled, she had on board of her
TWO men who had no right to be there.
They were Assistant Engineer Crank
IF the merrimac and Boatswain Mullen
IF the New York, who had been work
ng on the collier all day. These two
men refused to leave the ship, and as
heir disobedience was of the nature
which produced Cushings and Far
-aguts of the American navy it was not