The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-12-24
Ensign Ward and His Secret Mission
to Spain.
WITHIN THE JAWS OF DEATH FOR
WEEKS AT TIME.

Portland Peoplc-WHdS nc Accou-
pIished and the Dangers He Braved.
In Thursday mornings papers appeared
brief dispatch from Washington which
stated that in the report OF the naval
hoard an unknown hero was brought to
light in the person of Ensign H. H. Ward
yho was ON duty at the bureau of navi-
CATION at the outbreak of the war and
who volunteered for secret service and
performed heroic work in Spain and Porto
Rico obtaining most valuable information
for the navy department concerning the
Spanish fleets.
In this brief mention in the report EN-
sign Ward is given much praise but while
his fellow officers who were fortunate
enough to participate in the active work
at the front have won for themselves
fame and promotion, Wards gallant work
is not known to many outside of the navy
itself and he has lost many of the honors
which otherwise would have been his.
While Hobson has been idolized by his
fellow countrymen for his heroic work
with the Merrimac, while other officers
have become famous by distinguished
bravery in action, Ward, whose work was
none the less heroic and of far more value
to his country in many ways is almost un
known outside of very small circle. 1t
is to give him in some measure his due
that the writer takes the liberty of dis
closing some matters concerning which
he is informed.
Ward will he remembered by many
Portland people as that very handsome
and entertaining young officer who OIL
ciated as aid to Capt. Crewninshield
when the battlsship Maine was in Port
land to receive her christening gift from
the State OF Maine. Many of the readers
of the PRESS will recall the visit Lof this
ship on this occasion and perhaps some
of them may remember Mr.. Ward. He
was then as he is now one OF Capt.
Crowninshield' S most trusted officers and
SO well did he fulfil the duties which de-
volved upon him as aid to the command
ing officer of the Mains that when Capt
Crowninshield was detached and ordered
to take charge of the bureau of navigation
Ensign Ward was placed upon the staff
of this bureau. Everyone knows what an
important depar tment the bureau of navi-
agtion is. 1t corresponds to the office of
the adjutant general of the army and by
Its chief all details and assignments of
officers and men are made under direction
of course, of the secretary OF the navy. 1t
was very influential and at the same
time difficult position which Ensign
Ward was called upon to I'LL. At thu
same time it was most unusual honor
which had been conferred upon this
young officer who had not been commits
stoned very long when he was placed on
duty at this department.. His assign.
ment came TO him not because of in tiuen-
tiaI congressional friends or outside
''pull;' but was the reward of efficient
service and knowledge of the navy and
its personnel. Here then was Ward when
the Maine was blow up. 1t is easy to un-
derstand the effect that this destruction
of the almost new baEtieSh1p had upon
the young officer and his chief. 1t was
the first ship which Ward had served
upon after his commission was received
and naturally he began TO pine for active
service at once in order to share in re-
venging this treacherous act for he knew,
at this time, that war was inevitable.
Wards friends in the service relying
upon his influence with the chief OF the
bureau of navigation commenced at once
to simply inundate him with letters de-
handing special service on some of the
ships which were selected to actively par
ticipate in the fun that was coming and |
it may be said that Ward, as far as it was |
in this powsr, did all he could for these |
young officers who were SO eager to win |
distinction for themselves. His knowl- |
edge of the younger officers was of great |
!. value to the chief of the bureau and |
through his influence doubtless many of |
these young men obtained their oppor |
Junity TO see real service.
While all of this assignment of officers |
to the lighting squadrons was underway |
Ward himself, on duty almost night and |
day with his indetatigable chief, was |
himself pining for active service, But he |
seemed to be tied to the burea1 and it |
was extremely difficult for him. under the |
circumstances, to get ordered to the front |
Then came the war and the excitement |
attending it. Ward friends in the ser- |
vice began to wonder where this young |
officer was to make his debut They |
thought that he would certainly soon ap- |
pear among them but he did not come |
What is Ward doing?' all of his class |
mates and admirers began to ask. They |
ihought it strange that he did not come |
put to join the fleets for they knew the |
nature OF the man too well to believe that
he would be content to remain on duty in
Washington when other people were fac-
ing Spanish shot and shell. In the Naval
Academy from which Ward had graduated
not SO very long ago and he was still re-
membered as one of the most popular
men of his day the youngsters and officers
on duty there more than once asked the
question, "What is Ward doing?"
In the old academy days Ward was the
man around whom conferred all of those
young officers who have since SO distin
guished themselves. Breckinridge
drowned on the Cushing at the very out
break of the trouble, Bagley, lamented as
the first officer to fall while calamity per-
forming his duty on the unfortunate Wins
low, Powelson VINO was in the academy
with Ward and who won so much dis
tinction after the destruction of the
Maine, Baldwin. ellis and scores of
others whose names are now well known.
In those old academy days Ward was the
man whose advice was sought on all man.
ner OF professional subjects by his class
mates. the upper classInen and even the
insignificant plebe always found Ward
ready and willing to help in the compli
GATED professional subjects which prove
SO puzzling to many men. A foot ball
hero he was also and side by side with
Ragley he fought in those battles on the |
gridiron which will never cease to be |