The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-01-23
two tore thru the flinsy shell. A Jet
of water struck him in the face.

TWO LOI0 Il4Iu ZIG 41A1ASy "A JSS
of water struck him in the face.
The next second there was a. ter
rifle conclusion. The torpedo struck
the ship just forward the mainmast
and exploded, tearing a great hole IN
the side extending far below the water
line. In the blaze Of light that fol-
lowed the men in the David cheered
wildly and the next moment black
ness overwhelmed them.
l. On the frigate there was the wild
est confusion as the sleeping men be-
low came swarming up on deck. Some
Of them never succeeded in reaching
the hatchways and were drowned
where they slept. Some were kllled
by the explosion. The officers, how
ever, quickly restored order, and as a
last resort ordered the surviving men
into the rigging, for the water where
| she lay was shallow, and there they
could find safety. The ship was hope
Iessly lost. Indeed, she began to SINK
so soon as the torpedo exploded. Inc
the crash Of exploding boilers and the
hiss Of escaping steam added their
1 quota to the confusion.
| Some of the cooler among the Of
ficers and men fingered on the DECKS
| small arms in hand, searching the sea
on every hand, until the decks were
awash, They were looking and hop
i ing for a chance at the boat which
\ had caused them such terrible dis
/. aster, but they never saw her. She
/ had disappeared.
| Signals had been burned instantly
on the shattered ship. Far up ana
| down the line the lights of moving
vessels burning answering slshais
showed that they were alert to render
i assistance. Boats, ships cutters dash
4 ed alongside to render help, and they'
too. sought the torpedo boat, but IN
i vain. She was not to be FOUND.
At the same time the ships OF the
fleet did not move from their appoint
ed stations, and when the blockade
runners came dashing down tnru the
SWash channel in the hope that tne
Il vessels usually stationed there woulo
he withdrawn in the excitement, they
, were met by deadly fire from the
rifled guns, which rendered It I'M
! POSSIBLE for them to proceed. The!
turned tail and fled. Two Of them sue
/ lceeded in returning to the harbor. ON
= of them never came back. She was sc
E on fire and burned by the shells OF tn
!. Joined in the battle, the forts returne'
e the fire, and the quiet night wa
e filled with the noise Of roaring can
g non and exploding shell.
e Lacy's had been a gallant an
e heroic attempt. It had succeeded
: to the blowing UP of federal war
e ship, but it had failed otherwise. =
: a singular freak of fortune the ploN
= had not fallen upon the vessel 70
: which it had been intended. Afte
J. dark the fine new sloop-of-war Housa
e tonic had replaced the Wabash O.
4 the main ship channel, and she ha
d suffered, instead Of the flagship.
e Altho when day broke she we
o sought for again, nothing more wa
:. seen Of the David. At least not thel
- With the explosion of the torped
ID she had vanished from the race
a the waters For a long time Gener'
Beauregard and the people IN Cna al.
ton waited for tidings of her, but
r. was not until the war was over an
I'd the Housatonic was raised that II
he mystery was solved. They found II
a tornedo boat with her nose jamme
I'd inextricably into the hole she he
&c torn in the side of the ship. Perha]
ne the thrush Of the waves had sucke
ri her into the opening, and the re
n of the ship had fastened her mo
p securely. At any rate. she was ther
re She was, of course, filled with waite
K and in her, at their stations, tn
to found the bodies Of her devoted ere
a T,acv with his hand on the wheel.
rp Nothing in life had so become La
MT as the ending Of it. It is a prove
ne that the good men do lies buried wi
ne them. the evil Is long remembers
e It was not SO in his case. at any RAJ
ny for men forgot everything but t
ne dauntless heroism with which he n
~ laid down his life for his country, a.
% that assured his fame.
&c, And, after all, he was not to
ne pitied, for he died the death or
ST. |ra n rontinuad Monday1