Evening star., 1914-04-26

| How Washington boy, Ensign Law
| renee Townsend Of the battleship Utah
son of Lawrence Townsend, former
| United States minister to Portugal, and
now treasurer of the Washington Gas
Light Company, living at 1416 10Th
street, in a spectacular manner. led the
attack on a church tower, stopping the
sniping that was killing the American
marines and bluejackets during the TAX
ing of Vera Cruz is vividly told in this
dispatch from Vera Cruz:
BY WINGRovE BATHoN.
Stan Correspondent of The Star with the Ameri-
can forces at Vera Cruz.
VERA CRUZ. April 26-Spasmodic
>eputters Of flame and smoke from roof
tops sped death and burning wounds
among our boy marines and bluejackets
in a sacrificial offering Of their patriotic
lives to preserve the policy of the United
States government to continue de-
fensive attitude during the taking of
Vera Cruz.
Shipping nipped off the brave youths one
by one who were denied the chance to
fight for their lives face to face with an
enemy. And the deadliest fire came from
the tower of the old parochial church,
more deadly than the fighting in the
street adjoining the market house and
naval academy.
Townsend Volunteers.
Shipping must cease" That command
was snapped forth by Admiral Badger.
A youth stepped forward and volunteer
ed to dislodge the sharpshooters. Assent
was nodded Hastily selecting less than
twenty who pressed to follow him En-
sign Lawrence Townsend of the Utah,
with an automatic revolver blazing in
either hand. led the attack on the old
church with a rush that his eager sup
porters could not outstrip.
This mere handful of boys seized the
church, only to find that they could
reach their prey only by climbing, single
file. up a narrow winding staircase: En-.
sign Townsend unceremoniously thrust
aside some of his companions who Of
fered to assume the dangerous work of
going first up the narrow ascent, not
knowing what moment bullet from
above might end their climb and their
lives.
His automatic pistols, fired alternately
with right and left hand, lighting his
way, Townsend sped up the stairs about
ten steps ahead of any Of his fellows.
small stone aperture through which the
sharpshooters had poured their deadly
fire. He had hard footing over the empty
shells that had been discarded.
Many Prisoners Taken.
When his companions Joined him, a
thorough search revealed large store
of ammunition and firearms which were
seized. Eight or ten suspected Of hav-
ing assisted in the sniping were taken
prisoner and the belfry guarded to pre-
vent further shooting from this vantage
point
Thus did a Washington boy save the
lives of his comrades in arms. Thus did
he prove heroism and dauntless zeal in
the first opportunity that offered.
This was the story that greeted me
when I landed in Vera Cruz. I know
it is the sort of story that Star readers
want to read.
Ensign Townsend was born in Pennsyl-
vania February 3. 1888. June II. 1905.
he entered the Naval Academy. from
which he was graduated as midship-
man July 10, 1909. Two years later. after
cruise, he was commissioned an en-
sign.
Practically his whole service since he
was commissioned has been at sea, on
the Utah. the vessel from which he land
ed to head a detachment against the
Mexican forces at Vera Cruz.