Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1912-05-16
REROISh Of SEANEN
Records of the Navy Reveal NJ.
merous Instances.
BRAVERY IN FACE OF DEATH
How the Trenton's Band Played in
Samoan TemPest-story of Sink
ing of the War SIoop Oneida
in Sea of Yeddo.
BY GEORGE CLINTON

Dg AESR1E NEtN On
Observation-Disclosures have been told
OF the heroism of American and Brit
ish passengers and seamen at the
time Of the wreck of the great steam
ship Titanic. The navy departments
OF two countries have records to show
that American and British discipline
almost always has been maintained in
times of trouble at sea.
1t is held sometimes that in the face
OF death supposedly brave men turn
towards and that occasionally the
supposed towards turn brave men.
Army officers and naval officers in
Washington say the records show that
when the supreme moment comes al
most all men Of proper birth, upbring
ing, and some of them add nation
atty" prove themselves to be made
of the right stuff In the archives
OF the navy there are stories OF hero
ism which infrequentIy see the light
The Dandsmen of the Titanic went
down to death playing When the
tempest OF 1888 struck the Samoan
coast and the wreck of the American
man-Of-war Trenton, Captain Farquhar
commanding, was imminent, the mem
bers Of the ships band took to the
rigging of the old wooden ship and
were dashed there by the sailors. The
bandsmen played the Star SpangIed
Banner" and the music was heard
above the storm, heartening the sail
ors who were battling with death.
Heroism of Oneida's Crew.
The story Of the sinking of the Brit
ish troOpship with the soldiers drawn
up in lines upon the deck and going
to death unf1inchingly and in parade
formation, is known to every school
boy of whatever land. How many are
there who know that this act of hero
ism has a parallel in the deeds Of the
officers and crew of an American man
of-war? In January of the year 1870
the United States steam sloop-of-war
Oneida went to the bottom of the Sea
Of Yeddo carrying with her twenty
four officers and 152 men. It was a
dark, foggy night. Suddenly out of
the gloom doomed the PROV of a great
steamer. Before even the discipline
of the man-of-war could do anything
to avert a disaster the stem of the ap-
preaching steamer crushed into the
stern of the Oneida and carried away
its whole quarter. For a reason unex-
planned to this day the vessel which
struck the Oneida, and which after
ward was found to be the British
steamship Bombay, did not stand by
to learn the results of the collision or
to offer needful aid.
A large number of the Oneidas
boats were smashed in the collision
and made useless. In the boats that
were left there was room for only
thirty men. These boats were low
cred, and then Capt. E. P. Williams
ordered the sick brought up from be-
low. These men were placed in the
uninjured boats, completely filling
them. Captain Williams then ordered
the surgeon to go with the tnYalids.
He demurred, saying that he preferred
to stay by the ships.
Your place is there, DOCTOR" said
Captain Williams; mine is here.
order you to 60"
The surgeon took his place in one
of the boats and cast off, the con-
valescents acting as oarsmen. Captain
Williams and his officers went to the
bridge Below them stood the men in
groups, calm and motionIess. The
sick stood by in their boats and saw
the last scene of that tragedy at sea.
The ships lamps threw faint light
upon the bridge and over the for
ward deck. The Oneida slowly set
tied. Soon its docks were awash
There was one last throb of the en-
gines, trembling of the whole ships
structure, and the sea claimed 176
gallant American souls.
NO Successor to Butt
President Taft does not intend
a present to appoint a personal
military aid to succeed Maj. Archi-
bald w Butt, who went down to
his death in the sea at the time Of
the Titanic disaster. It is Mr.. Taft's
intention to call on one of several
young army officers or naval officers
from time to time for service. It may
be that later he will choose one per-
sOnal aide who will accompany him
constantly as did Major Butt, but for
some time yet the duties Of military
aide to the president of the United
States will be divided
As as been told before in these dis
patches from Washington, President
Taft has said his word of apprecia-
ton Of the services and manhood of
Major Butt. 1t also has been told how
keenly the loss of the army officer has
been felt among all ranks, military
and civil, In the capital The proba-
bilities are that monument will be
erected to the majors memory, but he
will be only one Of those whose brav-
cry in the last hours will be so COM
memorated. If congress appropriates
money for the memorial, it will be to
raise a shaft in honor of all brave
men who, with Major Butt, stayed on
the deck of the Titanic loyal to duty
and to American tradition and gave
up their lives that others might live.
Odd Psychological Condition.
For days in Washington there was
a curious condition; some persons
probably would call it a psychological
condition No ore believed that Ma
ioy P,7tf yray1y6 no found auooug fbnSo