Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1909-06-04

of his active duty cruise and is in
the port of retirement Rear Admiral Bowman Hendry
McCalla is old American sailor who has been Obliged
by fixed law of the service to seek land berth for
his life He is active enough to go through
storms and more battles for his countrys sake
but the youngsters must be given chance, and SO Mo
Gala has slowed away within earshot of the noise OF
the sounding which he loves. Heroism during the
Spanish and heroism at Tientsn during the inva-
sion of China brought McCala to be added t
the accumulation of honors earlier and worhily won
Years ago Admiral McCalla then commander, went
ashore at Colon tie Isthmus of Panama and backed
by 100 blue jackets and marines thrashed regiment OF
Panama insurgents who erecting barricades and
attempting interfere with the Central and South
American cable offices. 1t said that McCala
hrashed the insurgents He hrashed them without firing
a shot. He did not to involve his government in
possible farreachng trouble, and he took means of
his own to teach troublesome lesson without
shedding their blood Veacous history has it that the
American commander after showing of force captured
the insurgent leaders and spanked them.
The cable-cutting operations which Admiral McCalla
conducted while in command of the Marbehead during
the Spanish among the most notable achieve
of that conflict being carried under the hea7
est kind of fire not only from the great of the forts
but from the small and deadly firearms in the hands
of hidden Spanish sharpshooters who lined the shore
During the second week in May, $685. the Mableheads
commander made up his mind that there a chance
that the cables of submarine company Cuba
ing from Cienfuegos harbor might be cut if daring
plan which he evolved could be carried out successfully
The plan was carried out successfully, and 1t brought
fame not only to the who conceived it, but to .he
younger officers and to the who dared death
in fact fairly coured deahhat they might obey orders
to the letter
The Marblehead and the Nashville were brought within
range of the shore Notifications Their two commanders
stood where for hours they fair marks for the
enemy's guns On that day McCalla the Marblehead
and his colleagues of the Nashville gave their
example of heroism that to-day shines the pages
of naval history If they heroic their juniors
less heroic, and two boats crews of seamen
that day the recognition of their government being
men ready to dare anything for the fags sake.
Lieut. Cameron McRae Winslow of the Nashville, took
commando the cabecuttng outfit consisting of launches
from the Marblehead and its sister ship.
The orders of the launch commanders to run In
close Colorados Point and there to grappe for the
cables and to cut them Just back of the launches
ing close they could and avoid grounding
the Marblehead and the Nashville with the at the
guns ready to the work of the heroes
Commander McCalla directed that because the men
the launches probably going to their Deaths
should be ordered to the duty, that
should be asked for Every man on both ships voun-
teered for the service The sailors and marines
told by Lieut. Anderson under the orders of Commander
McCalla that it was extremely likely that those who
went would come back and that it must be dis
tinctly understood that to go unless he
wanted to They all wanted to and 16 in each
boat, but not all returned.
McCalla the Marblehead into favorable position
and opened fire the rifle pits of the Spanards which
ran at right angles to one face of the cabehouse. The
Nashville sheled the chaparral beyond The launches
started toward the beach and reached point only 100
feet distant from the breaking surf There was
grappled, lifted and after extreme exertion was cut.
There yet other cables, and the
for the point beneath which supposed to lie
They found it, lifted it and It, when suddenly the
guns which had apparently been brought up response
to from the cabe-house that the enemy was
attacking.
There third cable and with the bullets cutting
the about them like hail the sea, the heroic
boat crews worked Lieut.. Winsow through
the head he paid attention the wound though II
Robert Volz, seaman, shot four times
Patrick Reagan, Herman w. Kuchmester Harry Hen
Erickson mortaly wounded and six other men OF
the command were struck Voz back life after
the surgeons said he must die
The work done and 1t costly, but naval author
tiles declare that it worth the price. All the time
that the operations in the launches proceeding
Commander McCalla, standing the bridge of his
sell made the target of the heavy guns and the small
guns of the He ran, perhaps greater than
did the Aen at work III the small boats but passed
him by
1t Rear Admiral McCalla who at that time had
been promoted to captaincy who took personal com
mand of hundred seamen and marines and started fol
the walls of Tien-tsin, His little detachment sailors
and sailor soldiers" the first of the forces of the
allies to arrive at the Chinese city For his services
Tientsin fight Capt McCala advanced three numbers
gallant and merltorous" the record 1t.
In his naval rank He is living at Santa Barbara
probably regretful that his days of active duty
In the past.