The Washington times., 1905-07-22
Naval Heroes Among
Bennington S Officers

Commander Lucien Young. of the Ben
nington, won fame upon two important
occasions and is really one of the heroes
OF the American navy. In the terse an
nails of the Navy Department there is
little To indicate the intrepid vaIor and
self-sacrificing heroism OF this distin-
guished officer.
1t was upon the occasion OF the wreck
of the Huron, in 1887. al Nags Head. y
G, that Young, then only an ensign,
performed a conspicuous act OF self
sacrificing bravery that has made him
q distinguished figure among American
naval officers. The vessel lay pounding
upon sand bar 300 yards from shore
through six hours of fearful danger until
daybreak. Furious waves constantly
broke over her. but the perfect disctp-
line of a man-of-war was maintained,
although death constantly stared her
crew in the face
There We're 1872 men on board and
about fifty OF them worked their way
forward. with spars ana rigging crash
Ing all around them, and succeeding in
climbing 10 the topgaliant forecastle
Captain Ryan was drowned and many
men had been washed out of the rig
sing to death. Hours passed and no as
sistance came
To Garry a Line Ashore.
In the last extremity Young deter
mined TO make an attempt to carry a
line TO land. which he imagined he saw
in the far distance. AS it transpired
later the beach was much closer than he
ina sjned.
Antoine Williams. a seaman. voIun-
teered TO accompany him on his despci-
ate errand, and together they launched
the balsa, but no sooner had they left
the side OF the stranded vessel than
they were capsized- Then they struck
out swim ming, pushing the baIsa before
them While swimming toward what
they believed to be the masts of fishing
E4F Es=hf fHIt in rls8 rr1.s
graph poles on the shore, they sudden
ly struck bottom
After rescuipg two of their own men
from the surf, Young and his COM
panion ran to Il crowd OF fishermen who
We're gazing blanllly a the wreck These
men told Them that the Government
LlfeSdVing Station was locked. as il was
not the active season
4 VIII break 1t open, cried Young.
and, barefooJed and bruised. he ran to
the station, four miles away, broke in.
got cut the mortar aad apparatus a and
hired team TO take il 10 the bach.
When a quarter of a mile from the
beach the Huron broke up, and all that
could be done was 10 assist ashore thir-
~ seamen and four officers who f1Odted
n on WTeCkage.
Thanked and Promoted.
Young was thanked by the Secretary
OF the Navy. and the State Of Kentucky
made him an honorary member of its
Legislature. Upon the recommendation
of the President Congress advanced him
thirty numbers.
He was on sick leave when the Span
ish- American war broke out and imme-
diately took charge Of the Hist one of
the mosquito fleet With the Hornet
and Wsmpatuck, his vessel was ordered
into the harbor of ManZanillo TO destroy
four Spa nish eunbbOatS. reported there
instead of four gunboats nine vessels
were encountered. including a cruiser
do
American vessels. after \ Two hours
fight sank a gunboat and Il pOntoon
ana disabled the torpedo boat
The Hornet was disabled and the
vessels retired Three hours
later Young took the Hist into another ,
pay ana sank another gunbOat and prl !
20 flight a troop shin
his is the way his record reads il. 7
the Navy Department.
Commander Iucien Young COM
nanding the L. S. S. Bennington. was .
= 1rIi y III L-tAIIls on ~. MaTcn 81, 49,. /
ana YES appointed a midshIpman from
the Fourth DentUcky district ON JlIua
Il. 1889 BY j. Proctor Knott Ifc Vv.te
promofed 10 midshipman May 81. lssa:
ensign Ju!V IS. 1874.
Advanced for Heroism.
He was serving on board The L. s. s.
Huron when that vessel was wrecked
November "a, 1877 and was advanced
Ia numbers for extraordinary heroisn
JA that OCCASION. His advancement pro-
Troted him 70 the grade OF master from
November "a. 1877
He was promoted to lieutenant, Nav
:, 1864 When the Spanish war broke
out he was on sick leave, having been
taken sick when executive officer of the
United States steamship Alert He was
ordered TO command the Hist from June
!, 1898. before the expiration Of his sick
leave. and was advanced three mum
je rs in rank for eminent and conspicu-
Gus conduct IN battle during The S;Dap-
Eh war, lie was promoted 10 iieIteu-
ant commander, Marcel s, 1899 He
served as commandant OF the naval sta
Ion at Havana from April. 1900 10 De-
5smber, 1901. He was promoted to com
nander, March >. 1892 He assumed
command of the Bennington. November
q. 1904, and has remained in command
II that vessel from that date.
Lieutenant Victor Blue.
Among the younger officers Of the
American navy few have won moro
conspicuous honors than Lieut.. Victor
slue He was born in North Carolina.
December i. 1865. lie was appointed a
naval from South "a TI4fuo