Evening star., 1948-02-15


officers still vng eiues his recoIections of the
night the battleship beo up)
By Reor AdmiroI w. T. cIuverus, u S. NJ. Retired
When the u S S. Maine arrived at Havana Nanuary 2 1898
against the Spanish its
height Troops were being poured into Spain
effort put down hosit which were steadily coming
closer to the capital
An auonomistc of an type called the
Espanola had been it had effect
Feeling high United
believed ohhciay sympathy the Actually
the Maine had been based West
break the running the strait into the island
without warning, ordered Havana protect
interests
Grew Tried to Avoid Trouble
day arrival every step was taken to
avoid onse to the authorities the popuace and
incident The allowed for exercise during the after
their conduct Officers off duty
med remain ashore until in the evening Extra precautions
safeguard ship patrols
constantly maintained.
large Spanish widely they
ships warmly received Ashore
awhrl with milling citizens Soldiers
everywhere The Maine in the midst OF this disturbed picture
when February Is came.
officer the deck and was relieved by senior The watch
unevntu The weather clear and The ship
riding light breeze anchored the middle of the harbor
apart Charles sgsbee of the Maine
objected to the BERTH but to avail
AS started below groups oungng about the deck some
dancing music accordion and others talking about
would do when they back home At the mast reports
of security the various parts of the ship were being made to It,
Wainwright executive officer who later to
command the gallant little Gloucester at Santiago
Explosion Breaks Calm of Tropical Night
In the junior gathered for
below decks unbeaabe that soon went to
aeroom just off the mesoom and stripped to lighter attire
leaving in the morning for the States so began letter
home
Shortly after three bells pm)
my sound of the light
guns forward had been discharged
Immediately the ship
plunged darkness underfoo and jumped for
poroe nruhng of the habor caused me to real
ize that escape through that small opening.
the mesoon. which tange OF hangngs
furniture In the confusion heard voice calling
way" 1t Bronson another mdsh1pman
Together reached the rapidly
turned forward but that led wateheshp
ing aft reached hatch but it blocked with wreckage We
heard water pouring down the hatch beside All
around the darkness
mostly sted
a surrounded the engneroom
bukhead out of the We made
another hatch the ladder pulled
coamng the deck above then outboa
climbed the deck of the after upersrucure
gathered all who had escaped.
Many Injured Trapped Below Decks
The wrecked ship hercey its middle turned
back ITSELF exposing in their hammocks to the
flames The cries of the injured caught the steel caused
crawl forward toward them the wreckage but
stopped coming from all the
They picked the water and rescued many pinned
down beneath the twisted
after-porton sinking of the harbor
upon sgsbee ordered
the boats
BY the forenoon
compliment 32e 266 Only officers missing
jenkins calm of authority had been
those struggling themselves in that dark pas
sageway below.
The cruiser Montgomery supply ship arrived Feb
took all but handful of Key West Divers arrived
salvage bodies Most of our men were
buried Havana later to be removed to Arlington.
arrived began its sessions OF the
remained assist In the diving operations
concluded that mine had caused the disaster but
place responsibility for its presence.
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