The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1898-07-16
Gives an Interesting Account ofthe
Sinking ofthe Merri-
mac.
WERE Under A FEARFUL FIRE
Says Conditions Were Such That 1t
Was a Marvel All Were
Not Killed.
They WERE BLOWN UP BY A MINE
a Great Hole Was Torn In tho
Mcrriimac Gausin. Her TO
sink---I;escued by
Spanish Launch.

OFF Santiago de Cuba, July Z, by the
Associated Press Dispatch Boat Daunt-
less, vim Port Antonio and Kingston,
Jamaica, July 11.-(Copyright, 1898. by
the Associated Prcss.)-The return of
Assistant Naval Constructor Rich
mond p. Hobson, of Merrimac fame. to
his ship, the flagship New York, last
night was marked by wild enthusiasm.
1t was dark when word was passed
along the ship that Hobson was com
ing. On the superstructure clambered
the crew, ten deep, and on the quarter
deck the officers clustered around the
sea ladder and a hundred hands were
stretched out to grasp Hobson's. 1t
was not until he was safe once more
on deck that the crew of the New York
broke out into n wild yell which went
up over and over again until the men
We're hoarse. Numbers of the crew
rushed forward on the quarterback
and 4 great group of men struggled
around the tall figure of their hero.
Behind ITobson came Colonel John
jacob Aston and the first thing Hob
son tried to do was to introduce him.
to the officers, but Colonel Aston got
lost in the crowd which surged around
insisting upon shaking hands with
T1obson. The transports blew their
whistles.
HObson's Story.
I1obson sat nee mere among his
messmates and told the story of his
experience, his marvellous escape and
his Imprisonment in MORO castle
watching the shells explode outside
his cell under u murderous fire.
81 did not miss the entrance to the
harbor,' he said, .as Ensign Powell in
the launch supposed. ! headed east
until ! got my bearings. and then
made for it straight in. Then came
the firing. 1t was grand, flashing out
first from one side of the harbor and
thcn5the othen from those big guns on
the hills. The Vizcaya, lying inside
the harbor, joining in.
Troops from Santiago had rushed
down when the news of the Mcrri-
macs coming was telcgraphed and
soldiers lined the foot of the cliffs, fir
ing wildly across and killing each 9th
or with the cross fire, The Merrimac's
steering gear broke as she got to Els
trclla point. Only three of the torpe-
does on her side exploded when |
touched the button. y huge subma-
rine mine caught her full amidship,
hurting the water high i'll the air and
tearing a great rent in the Merrimac's
side.
"Her stern ran upon l1strella5 point.
Chiefly owingsto the work done by the
mine she began to sink slowly. At
| that time she was across the channel,
but before she settled the tide drifted
her around. We were all aft, lying on
the deck. Shells and bullets whistled
around. Six-inch shells from the Viz
caya came tearing into the Merrimac,
crashing into wood and iron, passing
| clear through, while the plnngins
shots from the forts broke through
her decks. +
Hours Seemed Ages
"sNot a man must move ] said and
it. was only owing to the splendid dis
cipline of the men that all Of us were
not killed, us the shells rained over us
and minutes became hours of sus-
pense. The mems mouths grew
parched, but we must lie there till day
light, I told them. Now and again one
of the other men lying with his face
| glued to the deck and wondering
Whether the next shell would not ON
our way, would say Hadn't we bet
ter DROP off, SIR? But l said: Wait
till daylight
at would have been impossible to
get the Catamaran anywhere but 10
the shore, where the soldiers stood
shooting, aud ! hoped that by day
light we might be recognized and
saved. The grand old Merrimac kept
sinking. l wanted to go forward and
sec the damage done there, where
nearly all the fire was directed, bu,
one man snid that if | rose it would
draw all the fire on the rest. So | lay
motionlcss. 1t was splendid the way
these men behaved. The fire Of the
soldiers, the batteries and the Eizcaya
was awful. When the water came NJ
on the Afelrimnc's decks the Catama,
ran floated amid the wreckage, but
was still made fast to the boom, and
we caught hold OF the edge and held
on, our heads being above the water
One man thought. we were safer right
there. it was quite light, the firing had
| ceased, except that on the New York
launch, and I feared Ensign Powell
and his men would be killed.
II suucL l,y Cervrra.
"sA Spanish launch came toward the
Mcrrirnnc. We agreed to capture her
aud run. Just as she came off the
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