The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-08-25
Ships Of Commander pi||sbury Sailed
Right Under The Guns Of Defending
Fleet and He Surrendered uncondi-
tionaIIy 10 Admiral Rigginson--b|ua
Victorious Over White Squadron.

was the sequence OF many complicating
developments.
DEFEAT OF PILLSBUR4
The defeat OF Pillsbury came at the end
OF night filled with rumors as TO
the location OF the attacking squadron
At $3.50 O'Clock the three battieships OF
Higginson got under way in hurry and
sailed TO the eastward. The Intention
waseto move on TO Portland and IL this
had been carried out Admiral Higginson.
as IL later developed, would have uncon-
sciously swung the balance OF hts fight
ing force to that end of the coast line,
as Pillsbury had intended he should. but
which was not done on account or the
heavy seas running outside Cape Diiza-
beth. Higginson. however, DETECTED his
course back 10 Gloucester after swing
seaward In response 10 a report that the
enemy had not been sighted when IL wss
believed she had been. but In the last
hours of the night Pillsbury sailed toward
Cape Ann from the outside and as II
proved ran under the guns of the defend
ing squadron.
Commander Pillsbury had stood well out
to sea. disappointed much at the failure
of the long planned ruse to draw the
blockading ships away from the des-
tined seat of engagement and then after
manoeuvring headed straight for Salem
harbor.
SIGHTED BY SIGNAL SERVICE.
When Pilisbury's boats had arrived of
Magnolia they were sighted by the signal
station on Bakers Island. A message
was sent 10 the station at Rockport, and
the torpedo boat Barney was sent out 10
notify the Blue Squadron. Tho station
here had before this been Informed that
Higginson's battleships had been sighted
OF Gloucester and that later they had
returned to their berths under the lee OF
Thstchsr's Island.
The Barney's commander was mystihed,
therefore. when. after rounding Stroiths-
mouth he saw no evidence of the pres
| ence OF the Kearsarge and others, ami on
hazard the Barney was steared soGthcr-
| ly. After Higginsons ships had cruiSed
| up and down the coast. they went TO
| their anchorage of Thatcher's. Az this
| time the officer Of the deck on the Kear-
sarge was Lieutenant Stone, with Mid
| shipman William d. Puieston az the
| junior officer In command On the hridge
a dozen jackies stood upon the lookout.
| One OF these was Daniel Staehle. an ap-
prentice OF the first class. lie stood well
| forward, peering out 10 leeward The
| flagship was Just falling down into q
| trough when he notified the ensign at his
side that he could see the enemy"
| The officer OF the deck called Flag Lieu
tenant Evans and Flag Secretary Bristol.
and II was but the work OF moment 10
| inform Admiral Higginson OF the probe
| bility that the time for decisive action
was at hand.
WAS REAL WAR THEN.
! II was real war then. General quarters
were sounded. There was a quick rush
J OF many feet. the manning OF a hundred
/ posts the clank OF the anchor chain. the
| ringing OF bells. the giving OF orders and
a general clearing for action. Not many
moments passed before the flagship was
/ under way steaming az II knots with the
1 Alabama and Massachusetts many boat
! lengths I'm the rear. Some distance back
was the Barney, rapidly overhauling the
| ships ahead.
/ Something OF the realiznt ton OF his pc
| rilous problem anne 70 Commander pills.
bury so he himself confesses. as he sail.
et at an ii-knot speed into the final place
% engagement The truth came home "a
/ him that the odds were vastly agairs,
the tacking squadron. when ore consld.
cred tnat the coaet held 20 be I'm peri
from the enemy extended only from Port.
land to the tip OF Cape Cod and that foi
purposes OF defence score OF war YES.
sells were employed by the defending al.
! miral
| AZ o.N CLOCK inc fnree DatDcsnips
aided by the converted yacht Scorpion
which had chased IN from the south ~
time % be IN al the finish, and the Bar.
ney, which had overtaken the feet. form.
ed a horseshoe about the White Squad
| ron.
There was something pathetic In th'
picture when Comma ander Pilgbury
after ne had sigrnlled his surrender
passed In his barge from the Prairie
walked up the starboard gangway OF th'