Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1906-07-21

New YOrk.-EnSign Bag1ey, one OF
the heroes of the sea fight of Car
denas harbor, is dead, the Spanish
war is history, but the other hero
of that conflict of shells with shells
and Americans with Spaniards and
smoke powder with smokeless powder
is still living, Capt. Frank H. New
comb, a native of Boston, the COM
mander of the Hudson, the only hero
of the Spanish war who received a
gold medal from congress. He was
Lieut.. Newcomb six years ago, and
now he is Capt. Newcomb, the super
visor of anchorages ans the purchas-
ing officer at the port OF New York.
Some day the histories will refer
to the sea fight of Cardenas harbor
on the afternoon of May IL, 1898, as
typical brave, rash exploit of the
American seaman. They will men
ton Bagley's name in sonorous para
graphs, Lieut.. Bernadou's name in
other sonorous paragraphs, and they
also will tell of how Lieut. Newcomb,
commanding officer of the ex-revenue
cutter Hudson, a wooden boat, ran in
under destructive masked batteries,
threw line to the disabled Winslow,
remained there in the zone of fire for
80 minutes, and finally brought away
the Spaniards prize in triumph.
Then they will comment profusely
on this peculiarly American contempt
for shot and she'll and they will hold
up to the constant attention of flu
ture generations the example of the
deeds of that afternoon. And in their
summary of the heroes of the war
they will mention the names of
Dewey, Schley, Sampson, Hobson,
ton-all these names and others they
will mention to the everlasting glory
of America in wartime.
Everybody remembers Newcomb
when you revive his name in the pub
lie print. Before the war he was an
obscure revenue officer, so far as the
q eat mass of citizens went. But. ON
the morning of May IL, 1898, the ex-
cited readers of the exploits in Car
denas harbor, the mourners, with the
mother of Ensign Bagley, Democrats
and Republicans, imperialists and
anti-imperialists- country knew
the name of Lieut.. Frank H. New
coub.
Dared Spaniards to Combat
The affair in Cardenas harbor fol-
lowed a series of astonishing captures
of Spanish ships-of armed and I'M
armed merchant ships, and 1t also fol-
lowed series of daring attempts to
engage the naval vessels of the Span
ish government in do-and-die fights.
For whenever a Spanish gunboat or
cruiser showed herself in public, that
is to say, whenever she showed her
smokestacks and hull to an American
fighting ship. small or big. effectively
or crudely armed, she was promptly
invited to test her powers. Some
times these challenges were ludicrous
for a converted small yacht would
openly advance on a large gunboat
possessed of ten times greater equip
ment, run up her flag proudly, fire
her barking six-pounders and rush
ahead and give every sign of Wishing
to enyNge in mortal conflict for the
eternal glory of one side or the other
The situation was frequently like the
street situation wherein small boy
protrudes his head argumentatively
and defies a man to knock a chip of
his shoulder. For instance. three days
before the conflict in Cardenas har-
Dor the gunboat Winslow, with Lieut.
Bernadou in command and Ensign
Worth Bagley in the position of execu-
tive officer rushed toward three we'll
equipped Spanish gunboats just out
side of Cardenas. intent on sinking
every one of them The Winslow the
oretically was no match for three
larger craft, but the spirit of daring
and of contempt for the enemy was in
the air.
The battle of Cardenas took place
because three Spanish gunboats used