Gilpin observer. (Central City, Colo.) 1897-1921, 1902-08-28
COMMANDER pILI.sEURY. :

Kearsarge, Alabama and Massachu.
sets, the Scorpion and a torpedo
boat. had overwhelmed the forty-five
points represented by the auxiliary
cruisers Prairie, Panther and Supply
To speak from theoretic stand.
point, the white squadron was entire
ly destroyed by the guns of the de-
Tending battleships. Thus on the
fourth night the game of naval STRAIT.
egg was brought to an end, 1t having
covered a period of unceasing toll
sleepless nights. of anxious and wear
ing vigil and grave uncertainty to its
participants.
Throughout the mimic war there
was placed in operation a system oil
coast defense which was admittedly
Of credit to those who engaged in It
Night Filled With Rumors.
The capture came at the end of q
night filled with rumors as to the loca
ton Of the attacking squadron. Al
$3.50 o'clock Saturday night the three
battleships of the blue squadron got
under way in q hurry and sailed to
the eastward. The intention was to
move on to Portland, and II that had
been carried out Admiral Higgin-
son. as 1t later developed. would have
swung the balance of his fighting
force to that end Of the coast line. as
Pillsbury had intended he should, but
which was not done on account of
heavy seas running outside Of Cape
Elizabeth. Higginson, however, de-
nected his course back to Gloucester
after a swing seaward, In response to
. report that the enemy had been
sighted, when 1t was believed he had
been. but in the last hours of the
night Pilisbury sailed toward Cape
Ann from the outside. and. as II
proved, right under the very guns Of
the defending squadron. Commander
Pillsbury. when still out to sea. after
maneuvering, headed straight for
Salem harbor. But the desired van.
tage point was never reached.
When his boats had arrived OF
Magnolia they were sighted by the
signal station on Bakers island. A
message was sent to the station at
Rockport here and the torpedo boat
Barney was sent out to notify the blue
squadron. The station here had been
informed before that Higginson's bat
tleships had been sighted off Glouces-
ter and that later they had returned
to their berths under the lee of Har-
per's island. The Barney's com
mander was mystified. therefore. when
after rounding Straits Mouth he saw
no evidence of the presence of the
kearsarge. On hazard the Barney
was steered southerly. After Higgin.
sons ships had cruised up and down
the coast they went to their anchorage
Off Thatcher's island. At this time
the officer on the deck of the Kear-
sarge was Lieutenant Ray Stone,
with Midshipman William Dilworth
Puleston as The junior officer in com
mand. In contrast to others. the
morning was clear and star bright
On the bridge dozen jacliles stood
upon the lookout. One of these was
Daniel Staehle, an apprentice of the
first class. The flagship was just
falling down into trough when he
notified the ensign at his side that he
could see the enemy. 1t was but the
work of q moment to inform Admiral
Higginson of the probability that the
time for decisive action was at hand
Just Like Genuine Article.
II was real war then. General quar-
ters were sounded, there was quick
rush OF many feet, the clank OF the
anchor chains. the giving of orders
and general clearing for action,
Not many moments passed before the
flagship was under way. steamlng nj
fourteen knots. with the Alabama
and Massachusetts many lengths in
the rear. Some distance back was the
Barney. rapidly overhauling tho 9th
ers. At $40 the ships. aided by the
Scorpion. which was in time to be In
at the finish. and the Barney. which
had overtaken the feet. formed q
horseshoe about the white squadron