The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-07-09
.!H0BS0N'S
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ADVENTURE
As Told by the Leader of
Y the Merrimac Heroes.
CERVERA WAS HIS CAPTOR.
The Old Admiral Game to the Mer-
;listss.. rimac in a Launch, ,-s-r,:
AND OUR HEROES SURRENDERED.

J.
While They Lay on the Deck of the Sinking
Vessel the Shells and Bullets Flew Over
Their Heads, and They Feared to Move.
From His Cell in Moro Castle the Lieu
tenant Witnessed the Bursting Of Shells
About the Spanish stronghold-Grateful
That the People Appreciate His valor.
Kingston, Jamaica, July "a news
paper dispatch boat has just arrived
from the fleet off Santiago with the fol-
lowing story of the escape Of the val
liant crew of the Merrimac from the
guns of Spanish forts:
Lieutenant Hobson sat once more
among his messmates and told the
story 0 his experience. his marvellous
escape and his Imprisonment In MORO
Castle, watching the shells explode
outside his cell under murderous fire.
u did not miss the entrance to the
harbor," he said, "as Ensign Powell
in the launch supposed. l headed east
until got my bearings and then made
for 1t, straight in. Then came the. fir
ing. 1t was grand flashing out first
from one side of the harbor and then
from the other. 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 Merrimac's
coming was telegraphed, and soon lined
the foot of the cliffs. firing wildly
across and killing each other with the
cross fire. The Merrimacs steering
gear broke as she got to Estralla Point.
Only three of the torpedoes on her side
exploded when I touched the button.
a huge submarine mine ca,fght her full
amidshps, hurting the water high in
the air and tearing great rent in the
Aerrimac's side.
Her stern ran upon Estrella Point.
Chiefly owing to 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 drif;cd
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 and pass
ing clear through, while the plunging
shots from the fort broke through her
decks.
mot a man must move I said. and
II was only owing to the splendid dis
cipline of the men that we all were not
killed, as the shells rained over us and
minutes became hours of suspense. The
mems mouths grew parched, but we
must lie there till daylight, told them
Now and again one or the other of the
men, lying with his face glued to the
deck and wondering whether the next
shell would not come our way, would
say: Hadn't we better drop off now.
sir?' but said: Wait till daylight
1T would have been impossible to
get the catamaran anywhere but to
the shore, where the soldiers stood
shooting, and / hoped that by daylight
ke might be recognized and saved
The grand old Merrimac kept sinking
] wanted to go forward and see the
damage done there, where nearly all
the fire was directed, but one man said
that IL rose 1t would draw all the fire
On the rest. SO I lay motionless. 1t
was splendid the way these men be-
haved. The fire of the soldiers. the
batteries and the Vizcaya was awful.
When the water came up on the Merri-
macs decks, the catamaran 1oated
amid the wreckage but she was still
made fast to the boom and we caught
hold of the edge and clung on. our
heads only being above water.
zone man thought we were safe right
there; 1t was quite light; the firing had
ceased except that on the New York
launch. and l feared Ensign Powell
and his men had been killed.
| "A Spanish launch came toward the
Merrimac. We agreed to capture her
and run. Just as she came close the
bpaniards saw us and half a dozen ma
Zines jumped up and pointed their rifles
ut our heads. is there any officer in
that boat to receive a surrender of
prisoners of war;? l shouted. An old
man leaned out under the awning and
waved his hand. 1t was Admiral Ger
vera. The marines lowered their rifles
ind we were helped into the launch.
| "Then we were put in cells in Moro
Castle. 1t was a grand sight few
lays later to see the bombardment. the
phells striking and bursting around Ell
Moro. Then we were taken into San
Hago. had the court martial room in
khe barracks My men We're kept pris-
pners in the hospital. From my win
low I could see the army moving, and
Il was terrible to see those poor lads
moving across the open and being shot
down by the Spaniards in the rifle pits
In front Of me. Yesterday the Span
Yards became as polite as could be. I
knew something was coming, and then
was exchanged"
/ Hobson was overjoyed at getting
back He looked well, though some
what worn. On the whole the Span
lards treated him better than might
have been expected. Mr.. Ramsden. the
British consul at Santiago was tireless
In his efforts to secure comfort for
Hobson and his men.
The young hero could not understand
his promised exceptional promotion,
but was overjoyed to learn the news
that his bravery had been recognized
by the people. He Is the same simple,
unaffected, enthusiastic Hobson, more
anxious to talk about the effect of ex-
plodlng shells and army movements
ehan about his own brave deed.