Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-22
CUBA'S FIRST WARSHIP
THE STORY OF COL. PRENTISS IN
GRAHAM's HORNET.
Ship Was the Lady Sterling, Whicl
Served as Dispatch Boat for
President Lincoln.


From the New York Sun.
while there is a good deal of talk these
DAYS about Cuba" said the man who likes
to converse "t should not be forgotten
that the man who was first to float the
Cuban flag over an armed deck Is in New
York city and is not bloviating about 1t,
either. He is Colonel Prentiss 1ngraham
author. traveller soldier, sailor and a lot OF
other things.
ON the summer of 1869 Col. Ingraham
bought in New York city, for the large
sum of s.. the steamer Hornet, which had
once been the Lady Sterling, a blockade
runner captured by the United states gov
eminent and made dispatch boat tor the
service of President Lincoln. A wealthy
Cuban living in New York had bought her
from the government, and he SOLD her 10
Colonel Ingraham for s. because he wanted
to. You see, she had to belong to some
body and Colonel Ingraham was the pest
man because he knew his business: she
made two trips to Cuba, as hl1buster
carving arms which she took on board at
sea so as not to implicate the United states
in any act against "a friendly government,
Spain being terms with us at the TIME.
Colonel Ingraham was in command
Cuba's Flag Raised.
I'm October of 1869 she cleared from
Philadelphia for Liverpool and put in at
Halifax under stress of weather, or so II
was stated Here she was met by Admiral
Edward Higgins, an ex-confederate ofncer
and formerly of the United States navy.
The Hornet remained at Halifax until sus-
nicion pointed so strongly her way that
the English authorities We're about to seize
her a second time. though she mad .alreadE
been searched and nothing had been touHo
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 sapie
sixty miles, in three hours.
at sea Admiral Higgins ordered her
course southwark and the forty-five sailors
on board mutinied, and there was q tight
for the ship the officers winning. ON
Martha's Vineyard the ship was met by
several small vessels carrying arms ana
men and these were taken on board and
the Hornet became a fully equipped YES
sci of war having 26 officers, BOD men and
guns one 1o0-pound bow chaser, two W
FOUNDERS four 30-pounders and two "a
nounders Once at sea with this equipment,
Colonel Ingraham, who had been in COM
mand Of her since her purchase, turned
her over to Admiral Higgins the ofllcers
received their commissions, colonel lngra-
ham becoming commandant OF marines. her
name was changed to the Cuba and Colo
mel Ingraham. with his own hands raised
the Cuban flag over her, being the hrst
Cuban flag ever to go up over an arHeu
deck of a Cuban vessel and. by the way,
there has not yet been another one
Captured at Wilmington.
mot long after this month or so, the
Cuba was caught in a hurricane and had
to nut In at Wilmington, N. c., for coal.
She had hard coal, which would not make
steam, and soft was necessary. The Span
ish mail steamer, with three millions in
treasure and 900 Spanish officers from
Cuba, had got away from her on this ac-
coun. and this was worse than 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 en-
zines had been uncoupled for repairs, ana
she was captured Admiral Higgins sur
rendered her to Colonel Frank of the
United States army. but refused to pull
down his flag until he had been tried ana
the ship was finally confscated The trial
lasted a month and resulted in the ac-
qu;ttal of Higgins and Ingraham; the other
officers were sent to Washington uhoef
| bond and released later, and the men we're
maid off and discharged. The CUBA, now
ever was held and sent to New York, UNI
der command of Captain Mafftt, formerly
of the famous confederate priVatlersman
Ftor;da. and she was later taken to Baitl-
more where she was left to rot. l under
stand she is lying in the mud down there
new and if she is, the Cubans ought to
resurrect her and take her home"