Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-06-26

President Wilson Qef) and his mi
Saxons may usually be depended upon
to acquit themselves creditably in
time of disaster, and certainly the
soldiers and the sailors of the Birken-
head fulfilled that tradition nobly. At
first the troopers, who formed IN
ranks on deck to receive orders at
once after the crash, were assigned to
throw overheard the cavalry horses
that were being taken out to Africa
1t was hoped that by Tightening the
ship it might be saved
But in a very little while it became
clear that that was a useless waste Of
energy; the Birkenhead was mortally
wounded and wallowing to it's grave.
Boats were lowered and the women
and children placed in them. They
stood a good chance Of reaching the
shore, for the sea was not running
high. Then when the boats were
launched, the soldiers formed once
more in ranks on deck and stood at at
tention while the ship filled and lurch-
ed. There was tearing, crashing
sound; the ship was breaking in two
in the middle The captain of the YES
sci shouted that it was every man for
himself now. But the commander OF
the soldiery had a different idea. He
stepped forward with upraised hand.
Men Agreed to Stay.
IF you men try to reach the boats,
he said, you will only swamp them
and take away the women's chance G.
life. What will you do?'
We'll stay" came the answering
shout from the ranks on the deck of
the Birkenhead
And so the ship went down, with
asa men standing at attention on its
careening decks, and as the vessel
trembled for the final plunge great
shout as of victory went out through
the night.
One or two men, unusually strong
swimmers, kept alive, through the
night and were rescued at dawn, but
of the 63S men and women who had
been aboard the vessel only 1874 lived
And most of these were women and
children.
Twenty years ago poem commem- :
Grating the wreck of the Birkenhead
was written by Hattie Tying Griswold'
This is it. Miss Griswold, you will OBJ
serve. made use of her poetic license
to the extent of shifting the time OF
the accident from February to May
for metrical purposes, swelled the pas
senger list to one thousand, and
changed nigh into day, but otherwise
the description is fairly accurate:
It was forty years ago. in the merry
month of May.
That the good ship Birkenhead off the
coast of Afric lay,
Filled with soldiers just embarked for
a distant port. they say.
And with her canvas spread swept
she from the Sheltering bay.
Close to shore she softly sailed. in the
soft and spicy breeze.
And a thousand soldiers paced her
broad decks in idle ease.
Sport of Fortune. every one, common
soldiers rough and rude,
| Their religion to obey, their one for
tune fortitude.
| Lounging, aimless. stood they there on
the day of which we tell.
When the ship by hidden rock was
| nd
Ran the sailors here and there, struP-
Cling with the deadly leak:
Swift the captains orders came, bu;
the strength of man was weak.
And the ocean with a food hurried in
on every side.
And the weight of mighty waves press
ing down all skill defed.
When they saw that hope was gone
and the ship was but a wreck
Then the colonel formed his men in a
| line upon the deck.
And he spoke as soldier should in a
crisis sharp as death,
With deep silence in the ranks, fol
each soldier held his breath
| Men, the ship is breaking up-boats
can reach the nearest banks.
Sailors put the women in; let no SOL
der leave the ranks.
And the soldiers with one voice sent a
shout into the sky;
Never yet commander heard such a
cheerful. proud reply.
And through all the heavy strain of
the hours 50 fierce. so fine,
| When they waited there for death, not
a soldier left the line.
Calmly in the ranks they stood. with
the colonel at their head:
| And when all the ship was cleared
this is what the colonel said:
| 'In a minute We go down-do not
break the ranks he said.
They went down a thousand strong
with the colonel at their head.
Not with panic and with rout went
they to their bitter doom.
| But they gave one mighty cheer as
they sank into their tomb.
And the story still is told, and it shall
he told for aye.
How soldier can obey, how man
can rule and die.