Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-03-10
Higgins, not 10 bh deferred by the pre-

Higgins, not TO ba deterred hy the pre-
diction Of landing IN the Confederate
prison or even worse place, ignored tbs
warning and commanded:
"Get steam up, am going 20 pick
them un' adding, as nobody but an old
time salt would have doee, I've as
many friends in hell rs anybody"
There was no more conversation. Rig
gins was captain Of the Nhilldin, and of
every circumstance that might arise
Everybody aboard learned that fact at
their first interview.
Immediately there was a ehug Of the
engines and the Whildin was on her way
to the rescue. Engineer Ford and the
crew perhaps realizing their peril and
the probable loss ~ the boat,
steered indirectly for their destination.
picking the way around the Marrimae.
In a moment there came the shout.
Keep her hoad-on damn YOU; keep her
head-on T.
Captain higgins had need 60 give no
further instructions Every man aboard
knew that he would 60 on. even though
death waited ahead I'm three or four
minutes the Whilldin ives in the midst of
the men from the Cumberland. struggling
60 save themselves from drowning. The
captain. the crew and engineers and every
body aboard began picking the sailors
from the water Engineer Ford himself
rescued more than 200. dragging them
aboard through the after gangway In all
more than 400 men were thus saved. No
soon as the last one had hren picked out
Of the water the Whlldn turned her back
on the Merrimac, still captive 10 her
victim and rushed Co port with her human
cargo.
Fortunately, almost providential, the
Mcrrimac was stlll unable 30 exiricate
herself. until the " hiIldin had made fast
ut her dock and tho last survivor ianded
Then the lronclad sent two ehots at the
steamboat ono Of which ploughod a way
through the iron hull of the boat and
through the engine room, fracturing
section of the fittings and lodging there.
"A part of tins she'll Is one Of the treasures
of Captain Rcybolds collection OF relicS)
The rescue Of the crcw of the Cumber-
land was surely an act of the utmost
bravery. despite the fact that tho NhilldIn
and her men ultimately escaped, OF
course. Captain Biggins had not known
that the Meuimac had been silenced by
the clutch OF the sinking sloop, or that
she might not be freed at any moment and
with one shot could have sent the big river
steamboat 10 the bottom killing all on
board.
So there can he no gainsaying the fact
the Captain Biggins' rescue OF the 400
drowning sailors was one of the outstand-
ing acts of bravery, If not the very bravcst, :
OF the four years war.
There Is no chapter OF the war OF sec
tions" SO thrilling as the battle between
the ironclads. the Merrimac, trying TO
break the northern blockade of the waters
Of the South, and the Erisson batteries
The latter arrived at Newport News from
New York Just in the nick OF time to save
the Federal fleet from destruction. She
reached the scene of action in the even
ing OF March s, after the Merrimac had
retired for the day, and proceeded direct
to the Congress, where, after identifying
herself as a friend, she received a warm
welcome, as may be imagined, and an
chored for the night
Early the next morning the two IRON
clads met On the approach the Monitor
swept past her antagonist as If to gauge
her fitness for the fight. After a careful
look over" she turned and came back
20 the waiting victor of the day before