The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-07-18
STORY OF THE GEORGIA.
Incidents of Pluck and Heroism
Related by Captain McCrea.

Boston, July 1s.-On board the
Georgia in Boston harbor, Captain
Henry McCrea told to the Associated
Press the story of the disaster on
board the battleship on Monday. which
has cost the lives of nine men of the
United States navy and caused injury
In some cases probably fatal TO the
thirteen others. Captain McCrea said:
81 was on the bridge making the
run of the practice. I was taking
observations of each shot AS shot
after shot was hit from the S-inch
guns 1 saw we were beating the rec
ords of the other ships of the fleet. On
the bridge 1 could hear the command
from the after turret. So 1 knew
when the next shot was coming.
II heard the shout. Fire but there
was no shot. and then saw men run
ming aft, and quickly the fire hose
that is always laid out in readiness
when there is firing going on was
manned.
81 rushed to the after bridge. near
the turret, to see what was the mat
ter. The water was already being
poured into the turret. The bOatswain
and Midshipman Gravescoat led the
way for their men with the hose. I
tell you, there was courage. No man
knew what had happened and no man
knew into what danger he might be
rushing. But these men never thought
of self or danger. That brave act will
look well on their records.
Then they began to bring out the
men. OnG VI TIE 1lISl was TIE Ollc III
whose hands the powder was when it
flashed. He was laid down on top of
the lower turret with a blanket under
his head. 1 went to him 1 could not
recognize him. His hands were burn
ed to the bones. The flesh was gone.
With those hands raised above his
chest and the tips of the fingers bent
toward each other. 1 could hear him
could not move his lips enough to
utter other words.
81 bent closer and said to him:
My dear fellow. God has heard your
prayer He was breathing, but in
short gasps, and soon died.
1.-The men were brought out as fast
as they could be taken from the tur-
ret. Most of them fell as soon as they
smokeless powder are terrible. That's
what kills. The external burns were
hideous enough, but to breathe that
stuff is fatal.
zone man in that turret was not
hurt-Midshipman Kimball-and I do
not understand how he could have
escaped. He helped take out the men.
He, too, showed grit after the shock
he had had. Lieutenant Goodrich set
an example to his men that none but
a courageous officer could set, when he
plunged right into the flame and gases
to lead the way to safety. 1 told his
father, Rear Admiral Goodrich, that it
was such officers that made a great
navy. His example will not be forgot
ten. After he got to the deck he
threw himself overheard. If our
launch had not been nearby on its
return from it's examination of the
target he would have drowned.
Probably one little act or rather
one great act of one of the men pre-
vented a far greater disaster. I don't
know his name He's dead. He and
one other stood by the second gun
that had just been loaded. The last
powder bag that had been put in was
protruding a little from the gun.
When he saw the flash. instead of
dashing for the ladder to save him
self, he crowded home the charge in
the gun and with the help of the
other men got the gun closed before
the flame reached the bag. If the
flame had touched that bag there
would have been an awful explosion
for the powder was confined in the
gun and would not have flashed as the