Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1913-06-03
BLOWN UP
Forgotten" Incident in Life Of
Late Admiral Eaton.
Naval Officers story Of How the Sup
ply ship Resolute, Loaded With
Explosives, Almost Rammed
the Battleshlp Oregon.

Lieut.. n. b. McG.," who IL said TO
be a lieutenant OF the United States
navy, although the initials are hcti-
tious. is the author OF a remarkable
article In which he tells how the
naval supply ship Resolute, com
handed by the late Rear Admiral
Joseph G. Eaton, narrowly missed
ramming and blowing up the famous
battleship Oregon during the Spanish
war, says the New York Times. Mrs.
Jennie May Eaton. widow Of the adj
miral, is now at Plymouth, Mass
awaiting trial for the murder OF the
former naval officer.
/ In his story of the Resolute and
the Oregon, which appears in the
| April issue OF Master. Mate and Pilot,
Lieut.. B. B. MEG" gives as his rea-
son for the telling Of the incident the
recent death of Admiral Eaton, which
he adds "unseals the lips Of those OF
us who served under him when he
was commander of the U. s. 8. Reso-
Lutte"
The story IL creating a lot OF talk
i III NlO naNls nOt OhAy bCC60oO VI -
nature. but also because of the motto
riety that has attended the death of
Admiral Eaton and the subsequent
indictment of his widow for his muir
der.
Lieut. B. B. MEG. says:
1T was on June s. only a few days
after the Oregon anchored or San
tiago and her memorable voyage had
become history, that the Resolute,
carrying mail for the feet, hove In
sight. In our forepeak and against
the fore bulkhead we're piled forty
mines, each containing 500 pounds of
gun cotton. Twenty charges for the
dynamite cruiser Vesuvius. containing
10000 pounds of gun cotton. were on
, the deck below.
"Just aft of this was 300 pounds OF
gunpowder for the great guns of the
feet. Still farther aft were thou
sands of rounds OF rapid fire ammuni-
ton for six-pounders and four six-inch
guns, while on the upper deck, in one
of the cabins, was ESQ pounds of dry
gun cotton and decorators for the war
heads of torpedoes-the full compile
ment Of twenty-five battleships.
I'VE. steamed down the line of
blockading ships and delivered orders
and mail to the vessels of the squad
ron. Arriving at the western end of
the line, we came about and steamed
back to the eastward toward Guanta-
namo, which was our station. The
Oregon at this time was near the cen
ter of the line, about opposite the
harbor entrance, lying with her bow
toward the shore and rolling heavily
In the swell raised by a monsoon.
We steamed full speed toward her.
pointing for her about midships.
Il was of duty and CHANGED to be
standing aft, near the engine room
hatch. Near me Past Assistant En-
gineer Louis L. Bernier was leaning
against the rail. gazing ahead of the
Oregon. It looked as If we would
pass her very close If we sheered or
at once; but We held straight on our
course, heading right at her.
Lieut.. Bernier had been chief engi-
neer of the Resolute-she was for
merly the Yorktown-for many years,
so he knew to an inch what she could
and would do under any condition.
Il saw him look hard ahead, then
jump for the engine room hatch and
disappear. But a moment or two
elapsed; we were rapidly nearing the
Oregon, and still we held straight
toward her. Then suddenly the whole
ship trembled convulsively as the en-
gines reversed at full power.
AN instant later from the bridge
came the signal: Full speed astern.'
With the helm hard over we swung
past the stern Of the Oregon so close
that l could have tossed a biscuit
aboard the battleship, which looked
like a vast tide rock awash in the
waves.
THE men who lined the rail on the
Oregon apparently thought nothing of
the closeness OF our passage, as If
they deemed no unarmored craft
could do her any harm, but the white
faced officers on our bridge heaved
one great sigh of relief They had
faced humiliation. utter, absolute.
Until now this remarkable story
has never been made public. Com
mander Eaton may have reported tine
incident to the navy department, but
II he did so his officers were not so
informed. Naturally, we were careful
TO forget all about IT,"
The Naval Register does not show
the name OF any officer. active or re-
tired, whose initials are "B. b. MEG