Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-06-05
DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE SINK
ING OF THE MERRIMAC.
IT WAS A BRILLIANT EXPLOIT
ACCOMPLISHED UNDER COMMAND OF
LIEUTENANT HOBsON.N
seven Men Ont of 1000 Volunteers As
signed to the Task, and Anoth-
er Disobeyed Orders and
Joined Them-Planned
Long in. Advance.

delayed In transmission.l A single deed
Of magnificent American daring has lost
to the Kingdom Of Spain the powerful feet
OF Admiral Cervere. Just before daybreak
to-day. seven gallant searhen took the
collier Merrimac, under, the blazing Morro
battery. and anchored and sunk her be.
meath spiteful fire. OF mnsketry and heavy
cannonading from the shore, and the
wrecked hull Of the spnken vessel. effectu.
ally closes the entrance.sto the -harbor
within which the Spanish squadron is hope.
lessly locked 4 4i7i -, -s7es
= /. This splendid feat. which leaves the gov
4ernment. at Washington fsee. to act without
further fear of, the spaniard's feet. was
planned by Lieutenant Richmond p. Hob
son, who commanded the expedition. He is
a naval constructor. attached to the An
him went Daniel Montague. George Char
ette. ]. E. Murphy, Oscar Delgnan, John P.
Phillips and John Kelley all non-commis-
stoned or enlisted men.
A steam launch from. the flagship New
York. commanded by EadetiJ.- w. Powell,
followed the Merrimac % the mouth of the
harbor. and. despite the fire from the forts.
cruised in the vicinity for an hour and a
half after the collier was sunk, but no sign
of the brave Americans was seen, and Ca
det Powell was finally compelled to rejoin
the flagship. -, a-t-@ =. So
The plan to block the entrance; to San
tiago has been under consideration for
4 O., 10 "a
decided that it was impossible to take his
feet inside. Lieutenant Hobson had ex-
pected to do the work wednesday, night.
but, owing to the delay in preparing the
ship, it was deferred.
The daring officer attempted to run In
after daylight on Thursday. and was only
stopped under protest after stern orders
to return. from the admiral. All day yes.
terday the preparations proceeded, and by
nishtfall the craft was in readiness. A
row Of torpedoes had been arranged out.
side the hull, so that Lieutenant Hobson
could explode, them from the bridge OF the
vessel and thus insure her rapid sinking
Al nightfall. the various ships of the
fleet passed the doomed Nerrimac, cheer.
ing her Justify. Hundreds Of men and
scores Of officers volunteered for the duty
ana Commander Merrill. who has been ths
captain, of the Aerrimac, begged permis.
sion of Admiral Sampson to go. but Lieu,
.terant. HSbson wanted only sia men.
I BY 10 O'Clock. all but the, men who were
going on the dangerous errand had been
taken from. the Merrimacs and. the COL
Her took a position near the New York to
await the approaching hour. 1t was an
impressive. night among the men Of the
fleet. for few expected that the members
OF the little crew would see another sun
rise. The night was cloudy, with ftful
lightning flashing behind the dark lines
OF the hostile shore, now and then show
Ting the great shadows OF the battlements.
Soon, after, 3. o'clock, the black hull of the
rMetrimac- began to drift slowly toward the
land. and In, a half hour was lost to sight.
r. It svasa' lieutenant Hobson's plan to
steam past Morro. swinging crosswise the
channel. drop his anchors. open the
valves. eFplode the torpedoes on the port
side. leap overheard, preceded by his
crew, and make his escape in a little life
boat whichvwas towed astern, n possible.
ana. II not. to attempt to swim to shore.
All-the men were heavily armed, ready
to make fierce resistance to capture.
~ Scarcely had the ship disappeared when
nash from Morro's guns proclaimed that
she mad been discovered. Immediately the
other batteries around the harbor opened
IRE. but the ship went steadily on: for this
iisaorning, che top Of her masts can be seen
f'in the water beyond Moro and near the
Estrella battery. A heavy cannon, and
musketry fire continued for about half an
hour, and guns were fired at intervals un-
til long after daylight. None Of the Amer
lean ships dared to fire for fear of striking
the Merrimac's crew. r, -. :,
As daylight came on, the steam launch
could be seen cruising close to the harbor
! entrance. Until $50 o'clock the search
was continued. and then, under a shower
| of Spanish shells. which few wide OF their
| mark, Cadet Powell steamed away and
4 half hour later boarded. the New York
| and reported to~Adniral Sampson that he
believed the entire crew Of the Merrimae
had been lost. Not one of them did he
| catch sight of. 49,
ON BOARD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
DISPATCH BOAT DAUNTLEss. OFF
SANTIAGO DE CUBA. June 4.-vIA
KINGSTON, JAMAICA, June 4.-(Copy.
right. 1885, by the Associated Press) Rear
Admiral Sampson. during Friday morning
decided to close the narrow harbor entrance
to Santiago de Cuba by sinking the collier
Merrimac. loaded with coal, In the, channel
| He called for. volunteers to go to almost
certain death, and 1000 men offered them
selves Lieutenant Hobson and six, mer
| were chosen, and at 3 a. m. Friday morn
ing the Merrimac, under her own steam
entered the channel under terrible Span
ish fire. The vessel was riddled with pro
jectiles, but she anchored and swuni
around. Lieutenant Hobson then set Of
an internal torpedo with an electric at
tachment. when there was an explosion
the Merrimac sank, and the channel wa
closed and, apparently. Admiral Cerver'
will be unable to escape. ,a,
Hobson and the hero crew Of the Mer
rimac were saved in the following man
ner: Unable. after the sinking OF thei
vessel, to make their way back through
the storm Of shot and shell, they rowe'
into the harbor to the Spanish flagship
and were taken on board unharmed. Tn
Spanish admiral. under nag Of truce o.