The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-11
p. sHANAHAN's REWARD.
He Received at Least His Medal of
Honor From Congress.

Honor From Congress.
Washington, Feb. 9.-P. Shanahan is
chief boatswan's mate of the warship AL
lance. 1t was dark on the night of the
2Sth of last May, and the ship tugged
at her anchor chains in the current of
the Potomac off Annapolis. P. Shanahan
was in his hammock doing. Then came
William Stevens, quartermaster on the
| gun deck and walked out of the star
board bridal port and fell thirty feet into
the dark water. p. Shanahan heard
shout and a splash He leaDed from his
hammock. By the ships lights he saw the
! ripples where the quartermaster had gone
down and he dived straight after him.
The two men came up together. P. Shan
ahan seized Stevens and attempted to
drag him toward the ship, but Stevens
was uncomfortable with Swimmers PAN
&c" He seized p. Shanahan around the
breast grappled him with his legs with
clutch of steel and saver and saved,
went down together When they came up
again those aboard threw out bow lines,
but p. Shanahan was so tightly held in
! the grip of Stevens that he could not
reach the line So they fought there in
the water-the two drowning men, and
And when they came up P. Shanahan
reached again for the ropes end, and had
not the strength to get the loop over
Stevens head. When the dinghy came the
water was quiet over the heads of the
two men, but the coxswain reached down
in the water and pulled up P. Shanahan
by the hair and they rolled the water out
of both of them.
That was May 2S-the beginning of the
red tape Of reward; for the navy is delib-
crate with those whom it loves. On June
l. Naval Cadet ]. II. Tomb, "Officer of
the Deck" tells in six numbered para
graphs of the bravery of P. 'Shanahan be-
ginning:
Sir have the honor of calling the at
tention of the commanding officer to an
act of bravery performed on the night of
May rs at 10 o'clock"
This is addressed to the Commanding
Officer" Five months later the communi-
cation reaches his commanding officer,
who is on the same ship, now off San
Juan in Porto Rico. His report is headed:
First Endorsement. Subject: P. Shana-
han, chief boatswains mate, recommend
ed for medal of honor" This has two
paragraphs.
-. Referring to bureau of navigation
No 1880 Jea dated Oct. Z, 1899, under
the provision of Art. S97, United States
Navy Regulations, l respectfully recon-
mend that !. medal of honor be granted
TO L. Sn3HdnhH, CllttI DOdtSWdlll ma G,
at present serving on board this vessel.
80 From all that l can learn the man
(Stevens) would certainly have been
drowned if it had not been for Shana-
hans quickness, good work and courage,
displayed on this occasion"
The report was signed by "A. Ross
Commander y. S. NJ" and after being
properly sealed and beribboned, 1t was
sent to the bureau of navigation in Wash
lngton Here 1t received its second in
dorsement, dated Nov. % 1899. Subject:
Patrick Shanahan, chief boatswain's
This report follows:
First. Respectfully referred to the
Secretary of the Navy.
Second. / have the honor to recon-
mend that the within named Patrick
! Shanahan. chief boatswain's mate, be
awarded a medal of honor for heroism
in rescuing from drowning William Stew
ems, quartermaster, first class.
"A. S. Crowninsheld,
Chief of Bureau"
At each step the story becomes shorter
and dryer but there was enough left OF
it for all purposes when IT reached the
ton. p Shanahan's deed is now shone
forth from the desk of the Secretary OF
the Navy, having come up through every
step of official procedure. On Nov. 30
Secretary Long had this to say Of p
Shanahan:
THE department commends the cour-
age of Patrick Shanahan, chief boat
swain's mate, in rescung Quartermaster
William Stevens, and awards him a med
al of honor. John D. Long
Secretary"
And so p. Shanahan has received his
medal of honor 1t reached him six
months after he saved Stevens, quarter
master-and that was a record reward
There is Maj Gen. Wood-he waited ten
years for the medal which the govern
ment awarded him for his services in the
Apache chases Of 1Ss6-and there are men
who have waited still longer. But +.
Shanahan has his medal.