The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1917-09-20
STEAMER FOUGHT SUB. i HOURS.
Thrilling Story Told by Members of
the Ships Crew.

6, surrendered to the U-boat, but
only because she had not another
shot to fire.
The Campana' ammunition, after
firing $50 shots, became exhausted.
This was the story told by ]. H.
Bruce, third mate of the Campana,
who, with 40 other members of the
Campana's crew and eight gunners,
arrived on a Frensh Steamship. The
battle began at a. m. and was waged
for four hours at a range of between
1900 and $500 yards.
The U-boat fired 400 shots, only
two of which hit the mark. The Cam
pana nevertheless was outranged by
the two guns and one 4-inch, the
other pinch, with which the sub
marine was armed. The U-boat also
was fully as speedy as the American
vessel.
After the Campana hoisted the in
ternational signal of surrender her
last shell gone the submarine never
theless continued to fire, Bruce said,
and all hands took to the boats.
Took Captain and Gunners.
The U-boat commander first ap-
preached the boat commanded by
Bruce, which had aboard the Cam
pana's 13 naval gunners, and ordered
it alongside. He Went to the life boat
occupied by Captain Albert Oliver, of
the Campana and took him prisoner.
Having room enough only for six
additional men aboard his craft, the
German skipper made only five of the
gunners prisoners, Bruce said. These
included the chief gunner and two
petty officers. One of the gunners,
whose name was Miller, was included
because he could speak German.
The submarine was the U-2. Bruce
did not learn the commanders name.
The German told him, he said, that
he had first fired a torpedo at the
Campana, but had missed, the pro-
jectile apparently passing under the
steamship. The Campana was sent
to the bottom by bombs after her
crew had been allowed to return and
get their personal effects. Directions
were given to Bruce by the submarine
commander how to reach the nearest
port. He told him at the same time
that he had heard wireless messages
exchanged by two French war vessels
in the vicinity and warned him not
to allow himself to be picked up by
them.
81 am going to sink them,' he said.
U.Boat May Have Been Sunk.
Bruce and his men, nevertheless,
took the chances, encountering a
French warship after floating about
in small boats until 6 o'clock that
night. The warship took them aboard
and landed them in France. Bruce
said he was told by all officer of the
war vessel that he had heard a wire
less message from another French
cruiser, saying that it had sunk a
German submarine in the vicinity OF
the place where the Campana had
been sunk. Bruce said it was only
a matter of conjecture as to wheth-
er this was the submarine that
attacked his vessel, but, if true he
feared it meant that Captain Oliver
and his gunners had perished.
"When Captain Oliver and the
other prisoners went below on the
submarine" said Bruce, "they bid
goodbye and the U-boat captain
assured me they would be treated as
prisoners of war and landed in few
days at a German base, where the
captain said they would be given
every opportunity to send word home
to their families. l was allowed to
take a personal message from Cap
tain Oliver to be delivered to mis-
wife.
''The bluejackets with us were a
game lot. When the last shell had
gone they would have >tackled the
Germans with their revolvers had the
word passed to them. 1t would have
been useless sacrifice of life, how
ever, as the Germans had us at their
mercy.
To Take All Gunners.
''The captain said his instructions
we're totake all American gunners and
captains of armed ships prisoners.
He said, however, he was sorry the
United States was in the war, because
he hated to fight Americans, as he
had always found them friendly and
good sports. Americans, he said Will
always fight to finish. He had no