St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1909-06-19

the port of retirement. Admiral Bowman Hendry
McCala is old American sailor who has been obliged
by the fixed law of the service to land berth for
the rest of his life. He is active enough go through
storms and battles for his countrys sake,
but the youngsters must be given chance and Nc
Gala has slowed away within earshot of the noise of
the sounding which he loves Heroism during the
Spanish and heroism at Tientsin during the nva-
sion of China brought honors to McCalla be added
the accumulation of honors earlier and worthily
Years ago Admiral McCala, then commander, went
ashore at Colon the sthmus of Panama, backed
by $50 blue jackets and marines thrashed regiment
Panama Insurgents who erecting barrcades and
were attempting to interfere with the Central and South
American cable offices. 1t said that McCalla
thrashed the insurgents He thrashed them without firing
a shot. He did not to involve his government in
possible farreaching trouble, and he
his to teach the troublesome lesson without
shedding their blood Veracous history has it that the
American commander after showing force captured
the insurgent leaders and spanked them
The cabe-cutting operations which Admiral McCalla
conducted while in command of the Marblehead during
the Spanish among the most notable achieve
ments of that conflict being carried heavi-
est kind of fire not only from the great guns of the forts
but from the small and deadly firearms in the hands
of hidden Spanish sharpshooters who lined the shore
During the second in May 1893 the Marbleheads
commander made up his mind that there was chance
that the cables of the submarine company In lead
ing from Cienfuegos harbor might be cut if daring
plan which he evolved could be carried successfully
The plan carried out successfully and it brought
fame not only to the who conceived but to the
younger officers and to the seamen who dared death
in fact fairly courted deaththat they might obey orders
to the letter
The Marbehead the Nashville were brought within
of the shore Notifications Their two commanders
stood where for hours they fair marks for the
enemys guns. On that day McCalla of the Marbehead
and his colleagues of the Nashville gave their men an
example of heroism that to-day shines the pages
OF naval history If they heroic their Juniors were
none less heroic and two boats crews of seamen won
that day the recognition of their being
men ready to dare anything for the flags sake
Lieut. Cameron McRae Winslow of the Nashville took
command of the cabecutng outfit consisting of launches
from the Marblehead and its sister ship.
The orders of the launch commanders were to run in
close to Coorados Point and there graphic for the
cables and to them back of the launches
ing as close they could and avoid grounding were
the Marblehead and the Nashville with men at the
guns ready to the work of the heroes
Commander McCala directed that because the men in
the launches probably going to their Deaths no
man should be ordered to the duty but that volunteers
should be asked for Every man on both ships yoIun.
teered for the service. The sailors marines were
told by Lieut. Anderson under the orders of Commander
McCala, that it extremely likely that those who
went would back, and that it must be dis
tncty understood that was to go unless he
wanted to They all wanted CO. and 16 went in each
boat, but not all returned.
McCala ran the Marblehead into favorable position
and opened fire the rife pits of the Spaniards which
ran at right angles to face of the cabehouse The
Nashville shelled the chaparral beyond. The launches
started toward the beach and reached point only 100
feet distant from the breaking surf There cable was
grappled lifted and after extreme exertion was cut
There were yet other cables and the launches started
lot the point beneath which supposed to a
They found it, lifted it and cut it, suddenly the
enemy who had been using rifles opened with machine
guns which had apparently been brought up in
to message from the cableho 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 Lieut.. Wnsow was shot through
the head; he paid attention to the wound though n
was severe Robert Voz, seaman, shot four times
Patrick Reagan Herman w. Kuchmester and Harry Hem
Erickson were MORALLY wounded six other men of
the command struck Volz back to life after
the surgeons said he must die.
The work done and it costly but naval author
tiles declare that it worth the price, All the time
that the operations in the launches were proceeding
Commander McCaa, standing the bridge of his ves
sell was made the target of the heavy guns and the small
guns OF the enemy He ram perhaps greater risk than
did the at work in the small boats but death nassod
him by.
1t was Rear Admiral McCalla who, at that time had
been promoted to captaincy who took personal COM
mand Of hundred and marines and started for
the walls of Tentsin His little detachment of sai1oru
and sailor soldiers" the first of the forces OF tho
allies to arrive at the Chinese CITY, For his services
Tensin fight Capt McCalla advanced three numbar
gallant and meEitorious the record puts IT at tho
in his naval rank. He is living at Santa Rarh.ra
probably regretfu that his days active duty aro ali
in the past