The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-09
MAYNARD'S SALUTE
By M. S. Rockwell


terrace saw Maynard-thc No. Of the
big eleven inch Columbiad-do an ca
ceedingly strange. and TO them, u most
unaccountable thing. al this looming
dimiy through the dense smoke that
surrounded them.
Instead OF remaining at the hreech,
his proper place, the Goat sprang
after Hamline and Norton-rght in
front OF the yawning clevcn-inch mul-
zle. Down! for your lives" he yelled.
Selling NOS ] and . and literally hurl-
ing them down the outside slorc of the
Iarapct' In the same movement May
hard cast himself Hat under the mot tn
OF the gun. Then all heard a most
terrific report, and the fallen spongers
ieil the ground heave under them.
- ON Hamlinc the last to revive. saw
Norton sitting up in the ditch at the
IN daze. 'Did-did something cx-
plode?' he asked. What's wrong. any.
how
The big eleven inch hung fire" cx-
pIaihed Dunn. chief Of the section.
Maynard saved your lives-do YOU
understand? He was the only one who
saw It, when the order was given 10
sponge out. second later and you and
Norton would have had your heads
blown off"
Nos. and were not hurt much. but
tney realized what had happened and
what the Goats" rromp;ncss had saved
them from. The old -stl lc gun had really !
hung fire, and on account of tho smoke
and the noise, no one but Maynard had
noticed II. In quick obedience TO tho
order Of the cadet officer on the ter
race Nos. l and mad already sprung
TO the breastworks. The only thing the
Goat could do was to hurl them down |
the embankment and throw himself flat
on the ground, and this he did.
Isis Maynard hurt" asked Tom
Hamlinc. as he crawed MY the parapet,
sui giddy from the shock he had re-
ccivcd.
Hes blackoned up some. and a little
burned. But he lodged that blank dis
charge with only the fraction of a
second to spare"
When the two rescued cadets reached
the inside OF the battery. Goat" May
nard was lying on the grassy slope Of
the terrace. His shell jacket was off.
his face and arms rittcd black with
gunpowder, and his hair slightly singed
The cadet officer who had connived at
The whole patriotic irrcgularity was
bending over the PROSTATE hero with a
can Of water.
Norton" said Hamline. deeply moved,
Maynard saved our lives, let's shake
hands with the "Goat"
And SO they did. They also under
took to bear Maynard's share of the
blame attaching to this unauthorized
and most unfortunate Fourth OF July
salute. by explaining to the authori-
ties that the only thing designed-even
il ii was irrcgular-was designed in
honor OF the country and the nag But
discipline al the Point is rigid
among various reports OF misconduct
Of the entire class. on that extremely
Jubilant morning. the -Adjutants skin
book" bore only the following brief note
concerning the Goat. Maynard, gun
nor at extra sea-coast battery salute
July 9TH leaving post without orders
at i:l0-l.l5 y. NJ
The old Commandant paused over this.
midway OF column Of dement's he was
marking up week later against the
class. and referred TO several supple
mentary documents bearing on the mat
ter Discipline or no discipline" he
concluded. 81 think l shall cross this
on" He did so and afterwards made
some more notes in a small book kept
for certain purpose.
Maynard himself never referred to the
episode, which so nearly resulted in his
own death, and the death OF two others.
on that long 10 be remembered Fourth
Others understood his silence and did