The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1898-11-10
A SUPREME MOMENT.

OF the most aSOnHlng moment OF
the Spanish-American war-a moment
which controlled the fate Of 500 Amer
lean jackies and officers, pause but
for which the torpedo boat Porter
would have blown the flagship New
York to bits.
The story is told now by f. W. Nc
Cready, correspondent of the New
York Herald, who was on board the
Porter and who was pledged to Sc
crecy SO long as active operations
against the Spanish continued. But
now that the war is over he has been
released from his promise and tells
for the first time the story OF an epi-
eode which is still spoken of only in
whispers in naval circles.
The New York and the Porter met
one night during the blockade of Ha-
vana under strange circumstances
which would have justified either in
destroying the other, and for few
seconds the lives of 500 men were in
the hands of one. The torpedo boat
lay so close under the cruisers side
that one could have tossed a biscuit
against it. !
But, inviting death while he waited,
Lieut.. John C. Fremont, of the Porter,
hailed once more-a lions voice ring
ing clear above the churning screws
and humming blowers-and that final
hail averted the catastrophe.
1t is memorable that duty scarcely
demanded this last warning.
There are some things about 1t
which have never been explained. 1t
appears that the New York was some
distance from her blockading station.
For the rest the fleet was displaying
no lights except an occasional electric
signal. The night was dark. Ger
vera's feet was not accounted for, a I'd
his cruisers and destroyers were ex-
pected at any moment. The Porter
was on scout duty, and, more impor-
tant yet, the usually infallible night
rignal apparatus of the New York
played Sampson false for once and
brought him and all who sailed with
bim nearer to death than they had
been before or since.
1t was the Porter's business to pre-
vent any Spanish vessel from creep
ing up on the blockading squadron un-
swares. The American ships at all
hazards must be apprised of the ap-
proach of an enemy. The Ardois sys-
tenn of signal lights includes a signal
which, flashed for second in the dark
ness, means "enemy's vessel in sight
That might be used ii the scout were
within signal distance of SIMPSONS
chips when he discovered a hostile
craft. But as fog and darkness are
prominently the conditions favorable
for torpedo work, the Porter's busi
ness was to investigate the character
of every strange ship, and, if satisfied
that she was Spanish. to blow her up
On that dark blockade the Ameri
can ships recognized one another in
two ways-one being the position ir
which vessel appeared, which should
be her night blockading station, and
the other being an Ardois signal
which was changed from night te
night. So if, for instance, the New
York. cruising slowly westward, sight
ed another ship running withou,
lights and not occupying one of thu
blockading stations, she would flash
let us say, two red lights above ont
white one. If the stranger answered
properly and promptly. the New Yorl
could go about her business. Other
wise the batteries would be manned
signal warning all vessels within sig
nal distance would be set, and the lag
ship would close in and get the stran
gers range.
"A light on the port bow" the look
out announced.
The lieutenant looked at it for
moment ard spoke to the man in tn,
coming tower. We were going alon,
gently, making only five knots al
hour.
'How's your head?" he asked.
"Nor-west by west-halfwest," wa
the reply.
We cruised westward. Hay down OF
deck near one-pounder-too near
Lieut.. Fremont went below for naE
Ensign Gillis-it was he who picke