Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-03


- Island. a powerful
sidewheel steamer, was to be our convoy
and to hasten our speed she took us IN
tow with two long twelve-inch hawsers.
TIE weather was heavy with DARK,
stormy-looking clouds and a westerly
wind We passed out of the roads and
rounded Cape Henry. proceeding on our
course with but little change in the
wea1her up TO the next day at noon.
when the wind shifted to the south-south-
west and increased to gale.
At II o'clock it was my trick at the
lee wheel. and being a good hand was
kept there. At dark we were about
seventy miles at sea, and directly on
Cape Hatteras. The sea rolled high and
pitched together in the peculiar manner
only seen at Hatteras.
The Rhode Island steamed slowly and
steadily ahead. The sea rolled over us as
il our vessel We're rock IN the ocean
only few inches above the water ana
men who stood abaft on the deck of the
Rhode Island have told me that several
times we were thought TO have gone
down. 1t seemed that for four minutes
we were out of sight, as the heavy seas
entirely submerged the vessel.
:. ::
Inc Wneel Hdu DccA tCAhpOA Oh AiS AASS>N
on top of the turret, where all the OFF,
GERS. except those on duty in the engine
room. now were. I heard their remarks
and watched closely the movements OF
the vessel. so that Il exactly understood
our condition. The vessel was making
very heavy weather, riding one huge
wave, plunging through the next as II
shooting straight for the bottom of the
ocean, and splashing down upon another
with such force that her hull would
tremb'e, anu with a shock that would
sometimes take us off our feet. while q
fourth would leap upon us and break lar
above the turret, so that if We had not
been protected by rifle armor that was
securely fastened and rose to the heishI
of a mans chest we should have Deen
washed away.
/ had volunteered for service on the
Monitor while she lay at the washington
navy yard. in November. This going to
sea in an ironcad l began to think was
the dearest part of my bargain. thought
of what / had been taught in the serv-
ice-that a man always gets into trouble
il he volunteers.
At about S o'clock, while ] was TAX
ing a message from the captain to the
engineer 1 saw the water pouring in
through the coal bunkers il sudden vol
u!nes as il swept over the deck. About
that time the engineer reported tnat the
coal was too wet to Keep up steam,
which mad run down from its usual pres
sure of eighty pounds to twenty. The
water in the vessel was gaining rapidly
over the small pumps, and | heard the
captain order the chief engineer TO start
the main pump, very powerful one Oh
new invention. This was done. and l
saw q stream of water eight inches IN
diameter spouting up from beneath the
waves.
About $50 the first signals of distress
to the Rhode Island were burned. She
lay to- ard we rode the sea more COM
fortabiy than when we We're being lowed.
The Rhode Island was obliged to turn
slowly ahead to keep from drifting upon
us and to prevent the tow-hnes from
being caught in her wheels. At one
time, when she drifted close alongside.
our captain SHOUTED through his trumpet
that We We're sinking, and asking the
steamer to send Us her boats.
The Monitor steamed ahead again with
renewed difficulties, and / was ordered
to leave the wheel and was kept employ
ed as messenger by the captain The
chief engineer reported that the coal was
so wet that he could not keep up steam
and ! heard the captain order him to
slow down and put all steam that could
be spared upon the pumps.
AS there was danger OF being towed
under by our consort the tow lines were
ordered to be cut, and / saw James Fen
wick, quafter gunner, swept from the
- 90. 80 s;ata. :, ...r,n,,ira - nhay
81 ~ - ~, -So-;,g h.,a,.wain'S ,,a,a
S.a.,;,, 49,. ., oo~aSea =; -
ing the bows Of the vessel. and j saw
nlf s"spt ~ HEAVY sea iai away hi'o
the OIL Aness,
ABOUT W;W o CLOCK our anchor vas let
80 WITH al the caoie, ana struck bottom
IN ABOUT Sixty lannon's OF water; ms
brought US out OF the trough OF the sea
and We rode II more comfortapiy Inc
fires could no longer be Kept up with the
wet coal. The small pumps We're choked
up with water. or. as the engineer re-
ported. were drowned, and the main