Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-07-31

them on shore and In less than six
hours he was able to report that Ger
vera was not in Cienfuegos and that
Schley could go on his way. McCalla,
YOU see, had a way Of doing things.
When Cervera's fleet came out of
Santiago for its run for life, McCalla
was down at Guantanamo. The news
was flashed down by signal that the
Spaniards had escaped. McCalla got
busy. He had his own ship and one
or two lighthouse tenders, but he said:
1.-THE enemy has escaped. Let's go
out and capture them"
1t was a keen disappointment to
him that he was unable to find those
Spaniards and bring in the entire feet
of Cervera.
So gallant had been McCalla's SER
vices in the war that President Nc
Kinley promoted him and recon-
mended an advance Of six numbers in
rank. The unfortunate Sampson
Schley controversy held up his ad-
vancement with that Of others. In or
der to give McCalla at least his deserts
President Mckinley in March, 1900,
pardoned McCalla for his mistake Of
ten years before and restored him to
his proper number, the one he would
have kept had he not been disciplined.
McCalla's good name was restored; he
had earned it by brilliant service.
McCalla, as a captain, went to the
Philippines on the cruiser Newark in
1899, and did conspicuous work on the
north and west coasts Of Luzon. His
most striking service was to help In
the rescue of Lieut. Gilmore and a
small force of volunteer infantry, be-
leaguered in the city Of Vigan. He
took a force of $50 men and march,
ed on the place from the coast. He
said he simply held the passes for Col.
Hare and Lieut-Col. Howe to do
the work, but General Young said
they couldn't have done much without
him.
Then came the Boxer troubles In
China and there McCalla added to his
reputation. At the first sign Of trou-
BILE he was sent to Taku. He got up
to Tientsin and Admiral Kempff sent
him to Pekin with a force of fifty ma
rines. McCalla got there all right and
came back. These marines helped to
save the day later. Trouble increased
and McCalla was put on shore with
112 bluejackets and marines from the
Newark. The naval forces of the 9TH
er nations soon began to arrive, and
Admiral Seymour Of the British navy
took command of the allied forces.
Pekin was cut off and appeals for help
were smuggled through. The allied
forces of 1000 marines and bluejack-
cts started out for Pekin. 1t wasn't
long before they were checked. 1t
was proposed to quit. McCalla said:
"I do not know what you intend to
do, gentlemen, but I intend to try to
save my legation"
That settled it and the march went
on. Fight after fight followed until,
beaten back, the force had to retire.
McCalla was wounded three. times In
the fighting, in the arm, the thigh and
scalp. He would not give up until
forced to do so. The Americans lost
nine killed and twenty-nine wounded
on that expedition. McCalla paid
this tribute to his men:
ut was a pleasure to command such
men, and their bravery during that
march added a new lustre to our
navy"
McCalla said nothing about himself,
but that part is supplied by this ex-
tract from letter from Admiral Sey-
mour of the British navy to Admiral
Kempff of our navy:
II cannot conclude my letter without
expressing to you. sir, the high ad-
miration l have for Capt. B. H. Nc
Gala, who accompanied us in COM
mand of your officers and men. Their
post was usually in the advance, where
their zeal and go were praised by all.
l regret to state that Captain MCalla
was wounded i'm three places; but con-
sidering the gallant way in which he
exposed himself, 1 am only equally
surprised and thankful that he is
alive"
McCalla was invalided home, but IL
wasn't long before he was in COM
mand of the battleship Kearsarge. In
1902 he was sent to San Francisco in
oh nf hn frof
A short time later he became a rear
admiral and was in command Of the
Mare Island Navy Yard, where he fin
ished his services to his country by
another timely act. When the great
fire followed the earthquake he at
once sent all the force he could gath
er to the water front and guarded the
docks and helped Funston to restore
order.
Admiral McCalla endeared himself
to all jack tars of the navy by giving
his prize money in the Cuban cam
paign to establish a clubhouse for the
tackles and marines at Vallejo oppo-
site Mare Island.
McCalla was the real author or
famous naval phrase. Schley used 1t
in his despatch from Santiago. Nc
Gala used it to Schley n converse
ton. 1t was:
There is glory enough for all"
McCalla retires without enemies and
with only friends in navy and else
where. A naval friend put ii this way
the other day:
His record typifies the best in the
traditions of the navy. There never
was a better fighter, greater hustler,
a more loyal patriot, a better eXecu-
tive man and a finer specimen of real
manhood than Bow McCalla. New
York Sun.
CARRIES LETTERS FREE.