The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1899-03-10
LIEUTENANT BLUE HERE.
Daring Young Naval Officer Inter viewed I
BY "Chronicle" Reporter.

Daring AOuDB NAVAL OmCeE interviewed
By 'sChrOnicle" Reporter.
Morristown was on Saturday last
honored by visit from second hero
of the war with Spain. His arrival was,
however, not attended by the demonstra-
ton that characterized Hobson's visit
here. Although Lieutenant Victor Blue
remained here from Saturday until
Monday, not half dozen persons, with
the exception of his entertainers, knew
that the courageous naval officer was in
towns He was the guest of Mrs. Cooper,
whose husband is now in command of
vision of the navy yard at one time,
when he became acquainted with the
young lieutenant, whose achievement in
locating Cervera's fleet has been herald
ed from one end of the land to the other.
Learning that Lieutenant Blue was in
town CHRONICLE representative sought
an interview, which was graciously
granted. Lieutenant Blue is about six
feet in height, we'll built and, by COM
mon verdict, handsome. He is possessed
of that modesty that marks the true
hero. He refrained from speaking vol
UNFAIRLY of any part that he had taken
in the war, bdt talked interestingly of
the naval and army campaigns. In
answer to query as to how it had hap
pened that he had been assigned the task
of assuming the dangerous work OF a
scout, the lieutenant said that there were
many officers who desired to undertake
the mission. He had been selected,
being second officer in command of the
Suwanee, by Captain Delahanty of that
vessel.
1t will be remembered that the delay
of Shafters army at Port Tampa was
chiefly owing to a report that part of
Cervera's fleet had escaped from San
tiago harbor. Information was there
fore necessary to disprove this report.
And Lieutenant Blue did this from per-
sonal observation. Wearing his uniform
and side arms, the brave young officer
landed at Aseraderos on June II and
went inland to the camp of the insurgent
general, Rabi, who furnished guide
and mule At an insurgent post nearer
Santiago he found three other guides,
with whom he made his way through
the Spanish lines to hillside overlooking
Santiago bay. He returned to Rabi's
camp on the evening of tie 18th, and re-
ported on the Suwanee the next morning
The daring journey had.taken him sew
enty miles through the enemy's country.
On June 20 Lieutenant Blue went
ashore again in order that Admiral
Sampson might once more verify the
position of the enemy's squadron. This
mission, too, although more dangerous
than the first, was accomplished success
fully. He had gone over the hills where
the Spaniards had thrown up entrench-
ments in anticipation of an attack from
the American forces.
Lieutenant Victor Blue is 80 years old
and has been IN the navy sixteen years,
which includes the time spent at the
naval academy. He is personal friend
of Lieutenant Hobson, having been grad
uated from Annapolis two years before
the latter officer, and was an officer at
the naval academy when Lieutenant
Bagsley was a student there.
Like many prominent heroes of the re-
cent war, Lieutenant Blue is Southern
err He was born IN North Carolina, but
his family now live at Marion. South
Carolina, where he has mother and
five sisters. He has two brothers also, and
one of these, DIR. Rupert Blue, is sur
geon in the Marine Hospital service at
Portland, Oregon.
Lieutenant Blue was in command of
the captured gunboat Alvarado until two
weeks ago, when he was transferred to
the Brooklyn, which vessel is now in
dry dock at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.