Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1902-07-31
CUBAN BATTLESHIP.
FIRST AND ONLY ONE THE ISLAND
EVER HAD.
Bought by Colonel Prentiss Ingra-
ham for Five Dollars, 1t Was Never
in Any Armed Encounter Confis-
Gated at Wilmington, n. G.

! nam Tor Five Dollars, 1t Was Never
in Any Armed Encounter Confis-
Gated at Wilmington, n. c,
"While there is a good deal of talk
these days about Cuba" said the man
who likes to converse, lit should not
be forgotten that the man who was
first to float the Cuban flag over an
armed deck is in the United States
and is not bloyiating about It, either
| He Is Colonel prentiSs Ingraham, au-
thor, traveller, soldier, sailor, and lot
Of other things. In the summer of
1869 Colonel lngraham bought, in New
York City, for the large sum Of So the
steamer Hornet, which had once been
the Lady Sterling, blockade runner
captured by the United States govern
ment and made dispatch boat for the
service Of President Lincoln. A
wealthy Cuban living in New York
had bought her from tue government,
and he sold her to Colonel Ingraham
for 50 because he wanted to. You see
she had to belong to somebody and
Colonel Ingraham was the best man
because he knew his business. She
made two trips to Cuba as a tilbuster,
carrying arms which she took OH board
ut sea so as not to implicate the Unit
ed States in any act against friendly
government Spain being on terms with
us at the time. Colonel lngraham was
in command.
"ln October of 1869 she cleared from
Philadelphia for Liverpool and put in
at Halifax under stress of weather, or
so it was stated. Here she was met
by Admiral Edward Higgins, an eX
Confederate officer, and formerly Of
the United States navy. The Hornet
remained in Halifax until suspicion
pointed so strongly her way that the
English authorities were about to seize
her second time, though she had al
ready been searched and nothing had
been found on her which she had no
right to carry.
She left Halifax in such a hurry
that she was fired on from the forts,
but got away all right, making the
run to Cape Sable, sixty miles, in three
hours. At sea Admiral Higgins order
ed her course southwark, and the forty
| five sailors on board mutinied, and
there was Il fight for the ship, the Off
GERS winning OFF Martha's Vineyard,
the ship was met by several small yes
sells carrying arms and men, and these
were taken on board, and the Hornet
became fully equipped vessel of war,
having twenty-six officers, 800 men,
and nine guns, one 1O0-pound bow
chaser, two slXty-pounders, four thirty
Founders, and two twenty -four pound
ers. Once at sea with this equipment,
Colonel lngraham, who had been in
command of her since her purchase,
turned her over to Admiral Higgins,
the officers received their commissions.
Colonel Ingraham becoming command
ant Of marines, her name was changed
to the Cuba, and Colonel Ingraham,
with his own hands, raised the Cuban
flag over her, being the first Cuban
flag ever to go up over an armed deck
Of Cuban vessel. and. by the way,
there has not yet been another one.
Not long after this, month or so.
the Cuba was caught IN hurricane
and had to put in at Wilmington, y. c..
for coal She had hard coal. which
would not make steam, and soft was
necessary. The Spanish mail stea mer
with $3,000,O0O in treasure and POO
Spanish officer from Cuba. had got
away from her on this account, and
this was worse than Il hurricane She
was suspected by the authorities at
Wilmington. and, though every effort
was made TO get away before she could
be searched, it was impossible, as her
engines had been uncouplcd for re-
pairs, and she was captured. Admiral
Higgins surrendered her to Colonel
Frank Of the United States army but
refused to pull down his flag until he
had been tried and the ship was finally
contiscated. The trial lasted month
and resulted in the acquittal of Hig-
gins and Ingraham; the other officers
were sent to Washington under bond,
and released later, and the men were
; paid Off and discharged. The Cuba
= however, was held and sent to New
York, under command OF Captain Maj.
5 fit. formerly of the famous Confedcr.
$ ate privateer Florida, and she was
i later taken TO Baltimore, where she
, was left to rot. | understand she is
d lying in the mud down there now, and
d il she is, the Cubans ought to resur
~ taEa hap hama
q lngraham is now living in New York
Ie City.'-Chicago Inter Ocean
u AN INTERNATIONAL TOWN.