Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1898-06-11
AMERICAN HEROISM.
SINKING OF THE MERRIMAG IN
SANTIAGO HARBOR.
Hobson's Brilliant Daring.

HObSOn'S Brilliant Daring.
Port Antonla, Jamaica, June c.
BY one of the most brilliant exploits
in naval annals the cork has been
driven into the bottle at Santiago de
Cuba, and the Spanish fleet could not
be more secure were the entrance to
that harbor doored, barred and
double locked and the key dropped
into the bottomless depth Of the sea.
Lieutenant Richmond P. Hohson.
of the flagship New York, with a
volunteer crew of seven men, under
cover of the darkness after the moon
had set, shortly after o'clock Friday
morning, ran the big collier Merrimac
into the throat of the harbor, swung
her broadside across the channel, and
then exploded and sank her. he
succeeded in this desperate enterprise
under the fires of the batteries and
forts which guard the entrance with
out support from the fleet.
Lieutenant Hobson and his men
are now Spanish prisoners. as a flag
of truce announces, and will be eX-
changed in due course of time but
that that their mission was success
full admits of no doubt Ensign
Powell distinctly saw the spars OF
the wrecked ship in the middle OF
the channel. Lieutenant Hobson
planted her at the very point he had
selected. Cushing's memorable feat
in blowing up the Confederate ram
Albemarle is overmatched by Hob
sons act. for Cushing's men crept up
Albemarle sound at midnight and
fell upon an unsuspecting foe. Hob
son took his ship. over 800 feet long.
into the focus of a dozen batteries
aud blew her up. Discovery at the
of his journey was inevitable, and
death was almost certain.
Lieutenant Hobson conceived the
scheme of sinking the big collier
across the harbor entrance, him
self. 1t seemed certain death and
almost certain failure, but Hobson
was so enthusiastic that his conf
Deuce was infectious, and the admit
raj finally reluctantly gave his con
sent.
When the admiral's consent was
obtained Lieutenant Hobson became
impatient of all delay, and that very
night, Wednesday, after the moon
went down, he set the time for the
attempt Volunteers were called fol
on all the ships ofthe fleet, and whole
cheering crews stepped forward al
the summons for the extra hazardous
duty. About 800 on board the New
York, some $50 on hoard the Iowa
aud a like proportion from the other
ships volunteered, but Lieutenant
Hobson decided to risk as few lives as
possible He picked three men from
the New York and three from the
Merrimac The latter were green il
the service, but they knew the ship
and had pleaded hard to go.
Cervera, the Spanish admiral, was
so struck with the courage of the
Merrimac's crew that he thought
Admiral Sampson should know they
| had not lost their lives. He there
fore sent his chief of staff, Captain
0veido, to board the New York under
flag Of truce Captain Oveido told
how Hobson and his men had jumped
into a boat as the torpedoes were ex-
ploded and rowed away from the
sinking collier. AS it would have
| been impossible to row to our fleet
through the storm OF shot and shell
they rowed to the Spanish flagship
and surrendered. Captain Oveido
stated that Two of our men are slight
ly injured. He did not know their
names. Lieutenant Hobson is unin-
jured.
The Spanish admiral offers to ex
change the prisoners, and declares
that meanwhile they will be treated
! with the greatest kindness. Their
bravery has won for them the ADM
ration of every man in the Spanish
fleet. When Captain Oveldo return
ed to his fleet he took supply OF
provisions and money for the prison.