Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-07-01
MEXICAN BATTLESH|P
CAPTURED BY LAUNCH
Story of Heroism at Vera Cruz
Almost Borders on
Farcical.

VI O4NW4s
To the officials fame of Bo's'n John
Davis. n Of the heroic band that cut
the cables at Cienfuegos in the Spanish
American val while Spanish forts and
American battleships bombarded each
other Will a bobbing "a Of Americans
riding the waves between, today was
added another chapter more sensation
al. more daring and telling OF perhaps
the most audacious capture of a battle
ship ever written in the worlds history.
With a One-pounder mounted in the
bow of Il 25-foot launch and with a
handful of seamen from the battleship
New Jersey handling her. Bo's'n John
Davis pursued the Triton. the pride of
the Mexican navy as h carried SOL
diers to her gun'ale, fired a shot across
her bows and captured her single
handed. The story became an official
document of the United States in a re-
port of activities at Vera Cruz.
Nays Pride Appears.
IT was at II a. M, April 20, when a
lance by ookouts of the fleet at Vera
Cruz. No colors were flying at bow or
stern, but it was steadily making for
the harbor. The fleet lay outside,
awaiting the next move in the wal
which seemingly had started. In Its
circle were refuge ships crowded with
those who a left the beleaguered
city.
On the utmost line vas Ell Gobernor.
q Mexican craft which had steamed
from the harbor that morning. Glasses
OF Its lookout scanned the approaching
craft In III 1t, CAV no answer to
signals asking it's business. Boldly 1t
came on until abreast of the anchored
Fl Gobernor. From the latter's deck 1t
was hailed in Spanish and the word
that the hated Americans were taking
Vera Cruz was old
Looks like a Mexican man of war;"
lid the officer of the day to Captain
Jayne of the American man of war
New Jersey.
Soldiers Crowd Vessel.
1T seems crowded with soldiers, sir"
reported the lookout, squirting n eye
and looking again through his spy
glass.
But the Triton waited no longer. The
pr0pellers churned the sea into foam as
the crew tried to stop the boats head
way. The signals from the American
men of war to lie to were not needed.
x2rthest u on the line was the New
Jersey.
ahip." ordered Captain Jayne.
The chief boatswain had been stand
Ing respectfully within speaking dis
2 of the captain on the after deck.
In the Spanish American war. Davis
vas one of Lieutenant Commander An
@etDOn's party that worked two and a
half hours under Spanish fire to cut the
cables at Cienfuegos. Anderson now is
captain Of the Nebraska.
Some of the strands led to Havana
and others to mines. While h bonn
bardment was on, the landing party
AR00UAN tho hntto~n fuyiro nndnd IN
b beach and finally pulled up the
heavy cables and chopped them apart.
Some were carried back dead and
Davis on returning found time to have
four pullets picked from various parts
for extraordinary heroism.
But the Triton had almost recovered
from its mistake In slipping into the
clutches Of the fleet. Slowly 1t was
coming around and the voluble Mex
leans on Ell Gobernor were frantically
shouting encouragement.
AYE, aye. sir" said Davis. saluting
tho captain and disappearing down the
G1ngway.
At the foot was the ships launch NO.
= That morning Chief Gunner Stein
bfenner had mounted h o-ne-pounder
On its bow.
Make for that TRANCE ship" Davis
aid to the coxswatn.
The ship snorted and was off. But
tho Triton a been busy. It's nose
Vas almost around and pointed out to
Lay to, there, lay to, and surrender"
shouted Boatswain Davis, perched like
an admiral on the bow OF his small
beat.
The Mexicans could not understand
1nglish at that time. Anyway they
I'D not propose surrendering the
Triton. the pride OF their navy. and
II had M anldiora tn1a ssur1nrOp IN a.