The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1909-06-03

. fine sailor and doubtless he re,
grets that he has come to the end
of his active duty cruise, and Is In
the port of retirement. Rear Admiral Bowman Hendry
McCala old American sailor who has been obliged
by the fixed law Of the service to seek land berth TOT
the rest Of his life He is active enough to go through
more storms and more battles for his countrys sake
but the youngsters must be given chance and so Nc
Gala has slowed away within earsho of the noise OF
the sounding sea which he loves. Heroism during the
Spanish war and herosm at Tientsin during the inya
sion OF China brought honors to McCaa to be added TO
the accumulation OF honors earlier and worthiy won.
Years ago Admiral McCalla, then commander. went
ashore Colon the Isthmus Of Panama and backed
by $50 blue Jackets and marines thrashed regiment OF
Panama insurgents who erecting barricades and
attempting TO interfere with the Central and South
American cable offices. II said that McCala
hrashed the insurgents He thrashed them without firing
shot He did not to involve his government In
possible farreachng trouble and so he took means OF
his to teach the troublesome lesson without
shedding their blood Veraclous history has 1t that the
American commander after showing Of force. captured
the insurgent leaders and spanked them.
The cabecutting operations which Admiral McCalla
conducted while In command OF the Marblehead during
the Spanish among the most notable achieve
merts of that conflict being carried under the heay
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 1898, the Marbleheads
commander made up his mind that there a chance
that the cables OF the submarine company In Cuba lead
ing from Cienfuegos harbor might be cut II daring
plan which he evolved could be carried out successfully
The plan was carried out successfully and IL brought
fame not only to the who conceived It, but to the
younger officers and to the seamen who dared death
in fact fairly courted deaththa they might obey orders
to the letter
The Marblehead and the Nashville brought within
range of the shore Notifications Their commanders
stood where for hours they fair marks for the
enemy's guns On that day McCala Of the Marblehead
and his colleagues of the Nashville gave their
example of herolsm that to-day shines the pages
of naval history II they heroic their juniors were
none less heroic. and two boats of seamen
that day the recognition OF their government as being
ready to dare anything for the flags sake.
Lieut.. Cameron McRae Winslow OF the Nashville took
command of the cabecuttng outfit consisting OF launches
from the Marblehead and its sister ship.
The orders of the launch commanders to run in
close to Coorados Point and there grappe for the
cables and To them Just back OF the launches COM
ing close they could and to avoid grounding
the Marbehead and the Nashville. with tho men at the
guns ready to the work of the heroes
Commander McCaa directed that because the men In
the launches probably going to their deaths no
should DO ordered to tho duty, but that volunteers
should be asked for. Every on both ships volun.
teered for the service. The sailors and marines
told by Lieut. Anderson under the orders OF Commander
McCaa, that 1t extremely likely that those who
went would never come back, and that It must be dis
tinctly understood that no man to 20 unless he
wanted to They all wanted to and 16 went In each
boat, but not all returned.
McCalla the Marbehead into favorable position
and opened fire the rifle pits OF the Spaniards which
ran at right angles to face OF the cable house The
Nashville sheled the chaparral beyond. The launches
started toward the beach and reached point only 100
feet distant from the breaking There cable was
grapped lifted and after extreme exertion was cut
There yet other cables and the launches started
for the point beneath which supposed to lie
They found IT, lifted II and cut IT, when suddenly the
who had been using rifles opened with machine
which had apparently been brought up In
to message from the cabe-house that the enemy was
attacking.
There was third cable and with the bullets cutting
the waves about them like hail the sea, the heroic
boat crews worked on Lieut. Wnsow was shot through
the head; he paid attention to the wound though q
was severe Robert Voz seaman, shot four times
Patrick Reagan, Herman W. Kuchmester and Harry Hem
erickson were MORALLY wounded six other men NJ
the command were struck Volz back to life offer
thI surgeons said he must die.
The work was done and 1t was costly but naval author
tiles declare that 1t worth the price All the time
that the operations In the launches were proceedi,v
Commander McCala. standing the bridge of his YES
sell was made the target of the heavy guns and the small
guns of the enemy He ran perhaps greater risk than
did the men at work In the small boats but death passea
him by. '
1t was Rear Admiral McCalla who nj that finn hoa
been promoted TO capaincy. who took personal com
mand OF hundred seamen and marines and started for
the walls OF Tien-tsin His little detachment of saior,
and sailor soldiers" was the first of the forces M tha
allies to arrive at the Chinese city. For his service.
Tiensin light Capt McCaa advanced three nuuhars
gallant and merorious" as the record nuts a. a, ~
In his naval rank. He Is living nj santa parha.s
probably regretfu that his days OF active du,v ~,
In the past 80 "A