The Havre herald. [volume] (Havre, Mont.) 1904-1908, 1908-07-29
A STORY OF HER0|SM
Showing How Brave Men Can
Calmly Meet Death.
WRECK OF THE BlRKENHEAD.


The Way This British Vessel Went
Down OF the Cape Of Good Hope.
Most Of the Crew Were Lost and Ali
the Women and Children Saved.
Visitors to the hospital of the old
pensioners ut Chelsea will perhaps have
noticed In the colonnade simple ma
mortal tablet, placed there by order Of
the late Queen Victoria to record the
heroic constancy and discipline of the
officers and soldiers who lost their
lives In the wreck Of the transport BIZ
kenhead off the Cape of Good Hope On
Feb 26. 1852. On Jan. In that year. aft
er embarking re-enforcements amount
ing to fifteen officers and 476 men for
the troops engaged In the Kafar war,
the Birkenhead left Ireland for the
cape. On board were also 1865 women
and children, the wives and families
of soldiers. All went we'll till the
transport reached Simon's Town, whese
ten officers and eighteen men we've
landed. The ship continued her course
on the evening Of Feb. rs. But the
captain in his anxiety for quick pas
sage unfortunately kept SO close to the
shore that during the night the shA
got among the rocks which line TIM
coast About three miles off Danger
point at 2 o'clock In the morning OF the
26th. while all except those on watck
were sleeping peacefully in their ham
mocks. the ship struck with violent
shock. The bulk or the men on boas&
were young soldiers.
The rush Of water on the Birkenhea&
striking was SO great that most Of tina
soldiers on the lower troop deck wesa
drowned in their hammocks. The re-
mainder. with all the officers. appeared
on deck. many only partly dressed. ana
fell ia as orderly and as quietly as on
the barrack square. Calling the Officers
round him. Lieutenant Colonel Seton
OF the Seventy-fourth highlanders. the
senior officer on board, impressed On
them the necessity for preserving o.
der and silence among the men. The
services of the next senior CaptaA
Wright. Ninety-f1rst highlanders. WEN
placed at the disposal OF the command
or Of the ship to carry out whatever
orders he might consider essentia.
Sixty men were put on the chasa
pumps on the lower after deck ana
told Off in three reliefs. Sixty mona
were put on to the tackles Of the PAD
die box boats, and the remainder we've
brought on to the poop to ease the
fore part Of the ship. as she was roa-
ing heavily. The commander next es-
dered the officers chargers to be pitch
ed out Of the gangway. The plungfHg
and terrified horses were got up and
east over, five of them managing %
swim ashore. The cutter was then gae
d ready for the women and children.
It who had been collected under the poop
awning. and they were passed In emo
t. by one. There being room in the boat
II for one or two more. the order was
given for any trumpeter or bugser
," boys to be taken. A young drummer
standing near was told by an Officer
l. to get into the boat, but. dra wing him
self up, exclaimed that he drew mans
n pay and would stick by his comrades
g. The cutter then showed off In charge
of one OF the ships officers. and tie
women and children were safe.
"a No sooner was she clear than tbs
- entire bow OF the vessel broke off cit
the foremost. the bowsprit going up On
# the air toward the foretopmast. TIE
funnel also went over the side. carry
ii ing away the starboard paddle box ami
IN boat and crushing the men on the
III tackles. The paddle box boat capsfzas
RI on being lowered. and the large boat
ID In the center of the ship could not ha
got up.
~ The men were then ordered Ga b
the poop where they stood calmly
" awaiting their fate. Within a few
~ minutes the vessel broke in two. cross
1e wise. just abaft the engine roo"
arn . rvsnn RAPIDLY to al. In thu
!. .x+4an,;+v -h~ commander called out
'"Those who can swim jump w.
and flake for the boatsv' but the Of
fcers begged the soldiers not to. as tn.
= boat with the women and childre,
would be swamped. They were yours
Al men in the prime of life. with all be
~ fore them. yet no one moved. nor oh
% any sign of terror or fear escape them
~ Lower and lower sank the vessel int
20 the deadly sea. The old transpoB
ghivered. gave final plunge and dis
O appeared. carrying with her the bans
of heroes on deck and those worklas
=, below at the pumps.
- Men Of ali ages and ranks they wess
the colonel and the drummer boy. Oh
dcers Of gentle birth and men from tn
- workshop. the plow and the mine. bB
all animated with the same heres6
- resolution. fortitude and chivalry-aa
=. cool as though they had been on theh
40 parade ground. with as much courag,
as In action in the field. A few man
- aged to cling to the rigging of ths
mainmast, part Of which remained eu