The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-06-06

conStructors In the service, being entire-
Ilyiwrapped up in his profession.
A Grtat strain on tho aien. "a
The preliminary work OF this desper-
ate undertaking was o strain upon the
officers and meli. On Wednesday morn.
Ing directly after Rear Admiral samp-
sons arrival,and as soon as he was Ger.
tain the Spanish feet was in the harbor
the preparations TO scuttlc the Merimac
in the channel were commenced. All
day long crews from the New York and
Brooklyn were on board the collier,
never resting In their. efforts to prepare
her. She lay alongside the Massachu.
sets, diecharging coal when the work
was first begun. SlsE
The news Of tho intended expedition
travelled quickly through the fleet and Il
soon became known that volunteers
were needed for a desperate undertak-.
Ing. From the Iowa's signal yard
quickly tluttered the announcement that
she had 40 volunteers and the other
ships were not Ear behind. On the New
York the enthusiasm was intense. ir
| lover 200 members OF the crew volun.
teered to go into that narrow harbor
and face death. The junior officers lit.
terally Jumped over each other In their
eagerness to get their names on the vol.
unteer list. MA
Commander Miller. who had charge Of
the Merimac, pleaded with the admiral
to let him go; but the latter thought he
had better not. 5,SH
When It was learned that only six men
and Lieutenant Hobson were to CO.
there was considerable disappointment
on oil sides and when the New York's
contingent went over the side late on
/ Wednesday night, some of those who
were left were almost ready, brave and
strong as they were, to sit down and cry.
All Wednesday night the crews work.
ed aboard the Merimac, which then lay
close to the New York and the other
1 ships as they passed the collier, before
sundown, cheered her with the came
| spirit that the British men-of-waremen
cheered the American sailors herolsn
before Samoa.
/ Lieutenant Hobson paid a short visit
j to the flagship shortly before midnight
and then returned to the Merimac, on
board OF which craft ne had been all
day. As he started down the sea ladder
there were many hands stretched out to
grasp him and many quite-spokcn,
earnest wishes for his success. us 1t was
| thought then that Hobson would take
the Merimac in early yesterday morn
| ing.
At 3 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
i New York the officers OF the flagship
stood on the quarterback, their glasses
focused on the big black hull that was
to form an impossible obstacle for
Spair's best ships.
The minutes slipped by and the crews
had not completed their work on the
Merrimac. but. at last, a boatload OF
men, black and tired out, came over to
the flagship. Last Of all. at 4:30 came
the admiral. He had been delayed by a
break down OF the steam launch.
DawE 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. ~ III
The torpedo boat Porter was lying
near the flagship and. at the admiraps
order, Lieut.. Staunton snatched up the
megaphone and haiieI the Porter, say
ing: Porter there! Tell Merrimac to
return Immediately" 45 .f
Smoke quickly poured from the Por-
ter's smokestacks and the dark little
craft darted toward the shore.
Some time after 5 o'clock the Porter
came tearing back and the Merrimac,
to every ones surprise, kept her POSI-
tion.
boat, shouted: Lieut.. Hobson asks per-
mission to continue on his course. He
thinks he can make It." F
But In stern tones the admiral sent
Hobson message to the effect that the
| Merrimlc must return at once, and in
due course Of time the doomed collier
slowly steamed back, her commander
evidently disappointed with the order.
Refased 10 Leave tho Si p.
When the Merrimac started yesterday
morning on the trip for which she was
recalled she had on board OF her two
men who had no, right to be there.
They were Assistant Engineer Crank,
OF the Merrimac, and Boatswain Null
lin, OF New York, who had been work.
ing on the, collier all day.
i These two men refused to leave the
ship, and as their disobedience was of
the nature which produced the Cush-
ings and Farraguts for the American
navy. 1t was not officially recognized.
The spirit shown by the men and ofil-
GERS of the fleet in.corlectlon with the
Merrlrac expedition is really grand and
beyond belrg merely expressed in
| words.
Under these circumstances one can
imagine the immense feeling Of sausfac-
ton experienced when 1t became known
that Hobson and the crew OF the Mer-
rimac were safe. Later In the day
boat with white flag put out from tho
harbor and Captain Oviedo, the chief
Of stafr Of Admiral cervera, boarded the
New York and informed the admiral
that the whole Of the party had been
captured and that only two of the he
roca had been injured. Lieut.. Ho obson
4 had not been inquired. 1t appears that
the Spanish admiral was so struck with
the courage OF the Merrlmac's crew
that he decided to Inform Admiral
Sampson that they had not lost their
lives but were prisoners OF war and
could be exchanged.
The fleet tonight Is In q state Of de-
lighted enthusiasm and the admiral is
Just as happy Us the youngest sailor.
Tho general opinion Is that no man ever
deserved recognition for personal brav-
cry moro than Lieut. Hobson.
Cushing's memorable feat in blowing
Zip the Confederate ram Adbenarle Is
ovcrmatched by Hobson's act. for Cush-
ing's men crept up AIbemarle sound ct
midnight and fell upon an unsuspccting
foe. Hobson took his ship over three
hundred feet long into the very focus