The Boys of '98 Part 20

The end to be attained was so great that Admiral Sampson decided that the lives of six or seven men could not be allowed to outweigh the advantage to be gained, and Lieutenant Hobson was notified that his services were accepted; the big steamer was at his disposal to do with as he saw fit.

_June 11._ The preliminary work of this desperate undertaking was a strain upon the officers and men. On Wednesday morning the preparations to scuttle the _Merrimac_ in the channel were commenced. All day long crews from the _New York_ and _Brooklyn_ were on board the collier, never resting in their efforts to prepare her. She lay alongside the _Ma.s.sachusetts_, discharging coal, when the work was first begun.

The news of the intended expedition travelled quickly through the fleet, and it soon became known that volunteers were needed for a desperate undertaking. From the _Iowa's_ signal-yard quickly fluttered the announcement that she had 140 volunteers, and the other s.h.i.+ps were not far behind. On the _New York_ the enthusiasm was intense. Over two hundred members of the crew volunteered to go into that narrow harbour and face death. The junior officers literally tumbled over each other in their eagerness to get their names on the volunteer list.

When it was learned that only six men and Lieutenant Hobson were to go, there was much disappointment on all sides. All Wednesday night the crews worked on board the _Merrimac_; and the other s.h.i.+ps, as they pa.s.sed the collier, before sundown, cheered her. Lieutenant Hobson paid a brief visit to the flag-s.h.i.+p shortly before midnight, and then returned to the _Merrimac_.

While on board the flag-s.h.i.+p Lieutenant Hobson thus detailed his plan of action:

"I shall go right into the harbour until about four hundred yards past the Estrella battery, which is behind Morro Castle. I do not think they can sink me before I reach somewhere near that point. The _Merrimac_ has seven thousand tons buoyancy, and I shall keep her full speed ahead. She can make about ten knots. When the narrowest part of the channel is reached I shall put her helm hard aport, stop the engines, drop the anchors, open the sea connections, touch off the torpedoes, and leave the _Merrimac_ a wreck, lying athwart the channel, which is not as broad as the _Merrimac_ is long. There are ten 8-inch improvised torpedoes below the water-line, on the _Merrimac's_ port-side. They are placed on her side against the bulk-heads and vital spots, connected with each other by a wire under the s.h.i.+p's keel. Each torpedo contains eighty-two pounds of gunpowder. Each torpedo is also connected with the bridge; they should do their work in a minute, and it will be quick work even if done in a minute and a quarter.

"On deck there will be four men and myself. In the engine-room there will be two other men. This is the total crew, and all of us will be in our underclothing, with revolvers and ammunition in water-tight packing strapped around our waists. Forward there will be a man on deck, and around his waist will be a line, the other end of the line being made fast to the bridge, where I will stand. By that man's side will be an axe. When I stop the engines I shall jerk this cord, and he will thus get the signal to cut the las.h.i.+ng which will be holding the forward anchor. He will then jump overboard and swim to the four-oared dingy, which we shall tow astern. The dingy is full of life-buoys, and is unsinkable. In it are rifles. It is to be held by two ropes, one made fast at her bow and one at her stern. The first man to reach her will haul in the tow-line and pull the dingy to starboard. The next to leave the s.h.i.+p are the rest of the crew. The quartermaster at the wheel will not leave until after having put it hard aport, and lashed it so; he will then jump overboard.

[Ill.u.s.tration: LIEUTENANT HOBSON.]

"Down below, the man at the reversing gear will stop the engines, scramble up on deck, and get over the side as quickly as he is able. The man in the engine-room will break open the sea connections with a sledge-hammer, and will follow his leader into the water. This last step ensures the sinking of the _Merrimac_ whether the torpedoes work or not. By this time I calculate the six men will be in the dingy and the _Merrimac_ will have swung athwart the channel, to the full length of her three hundred yards of cable, which will have been paid out before the anchors are cut loose.

Then, all that is left for me is to touch the b.u.t.ton. I shall stand on the starboard side of the bridge. The explosion will throw the _Merrimac_ on her starboard side. Nothing on this side of New York City will be able to raise her after that."

In reply to frequent questions, Hobson said:

"I suppose the Estrella battery will fire down on us a bit, but the s.h.i.+ps will throw their search-lights in the gunners' faces, and they won't see much of us. If we are torpedoed we should even then be able to make the desired position in the channel. It won't be easy to hit us, and I think the men should be able to swim to the dingy. I may jump before I am blown up. But I don't see that it makes much difference what I do. I have a fair chance of life either way. If our dingy gets shot to pieces we shall then try to swim for the beach right under Morro Castle. We shall keep together at all hazards. Then we may be able to make our way alongside, and perhaps get back to the s.h.i.+p. We shall fight the sentries or a squad until the last, and shall only surrender to overwhelming numbers, and our surrender will only take place as a last and almost uncontemplated emergency."

The volunteers accepted for this most hazardous enterprise were, after Lieutenant Hobson: George F. Phillips, machinist on the _Merrimac_; Francis Kelly, water tender on the _Merrimac_; Randolph Clausen, c.o.xswain on the _New York_; George Charette, first-cla.s.s gunner's mate on the _New York_; Daniel Montague, first-cla.s.s machinist on the _New York_; Osburn Deignan, c.o.xswain on the _Merrimac_; J. C. Murphy, c.o.xswain on the _Iowa_.

_June 21._ At three o'clock in the morning the admiral and Flag Lieutenant Staunton got into the launch to make an inspection of the _Merrimac_. The working gangs were still on board of her, and the officers of the flag-s.h.i.+p stood with their gla.s.ses focused on the big black hull that was to form an impa.s.sable obstacle for Spain's best s.h.i.+ps.

The minutes slipped by, the crews had not completed their work on the _Merrimac_, but at last a boatload of men, black and tired out, came over to the flag-s.h.i.+p. Last of all, at 4.30, came the admiral. He had been delayed by a breakdown of the steam launch.

Dawn was breaking over Santiago de Cuba, and nearly everybody thought it was too late for the attempt to be made that morning. Then somebody cried:

"She is going in."

Surely enough, the seemingly deserted collier was seen heading straight for Morro Castle. A few moments later, however, she was recalled by Admiral Sampson, who thought it sure death for Hobson to venture in at that hour. The _Merrimac_ did not return at once. Word came back:

"Lieutenant Hobson asks permission to continue on his course. He thinks he can make it."

The admiral sent Hobson a message to the effect that the _Merrimac_ must return at once, and in due course of time the doomed collier slowly steamed back, her commander evidently disappointed with the order. All day Thursday the collier lay near the flag-s.h.i.+p, and more elaborate preparations were made to carry out the mission of the _Merrimac_ successfully. During these preparations Hobson was cool and confident, supervising personally every little detail.

When, finally, he went on board the _Merrimac_ Thursday night, he had been without sleep since Wednesday morning. His uniform was begrimed, his hands were black, and he looked like a man who had been hard at work in and about an engine-room for a long time. As he said good-bye, the lieutenant remarked that his only regret was that all of the _New York's_ volunteers could not go with him.

_June 3._ The hazardous voyage was begun at three o'clock Friday morning.

The _Merrimac_ was lying to the westward. Under cover of the clouds over the moon, she stole in toward the coast and made her way to the eastward, followed by a steam launch from the _New York_, with the following crew on board: Naval Cadet J. W. Powell, of Oswego, N. Y.; P. K. Peterson, c.o.xswain; H. Handford, apprentice of the first cla.s.s; J. Mullings, coal pa.s.ser; G. L. Russell, machinist of the second cla.s.s. In the launch were bandages and appliances for the wounded.

From the crowded decks of the _New York_ nothing could be seen of the _Merrimac_ after she got under the shadow of the hills. For half an hour officers and men strained their eyes peering into the gloom, when, suddenly, the flash of a gun streamed out from Morro Castle, and then all on board the _New York_ knew the _Merrimac_ was nearing her end.

The guns from the Spanish battery opposite Morro Castle answered quickly with more flashes, and for about twenty minutes tongues of fire seemed to leap across the harbour entrance. The flag-s.h.i.+p was too far away to hear the reports, and when the firing ceased it was judged that Hobson had blown up the _Merrimac_.

[Ill.u.s.tration: U. S. S. NEW YORK.]

During an hour the anxious watchers waited for daylight. Rear-Admiral Sampson and Captain Chadwick were on the bridge of the _New York_ during the entire time. At five o'clock thin streams of smoke were seen against the western sh.o.r.e, quite close to the Spanish batteries, and strong gla.s.ses made out the launch of the _New York_ returning to the flag-s.h.i.+p.

Scarcely had the small craft been sighted before a puff of smoke issued from a battery on the western arm of the harbour, and a shot plunged far over the launch. Then for fifteen minutes the big guns ash.o.r.e kept up an irregular fire on the little craft. As the sh.e.l.ls fell without hitting the object for which they were intended, the men on board the _New York_ jeered at the Spanish marksmans.h.i.+p, and cheered their s.h.i.+pmates.

At 6.15 the launch came alongside the flag-s.h.i.+p, but she did not have on board any of the _Merrimac's_ crew. Cadet Powell reported that he had been unable to see any of the men. It was learned that the cadet had gone directly under the batteries, and only returned when he found his efforts were useless.

He also reported that he had clearly seen the _Merrimac's_ masts sticking up just where Hobson hoped to sink her, north of the Estrella battery, and well past the guns of Morro Castle.

Cadet Powell thus related the last interview he had with the officer whom it seemed certain had voluntarily gone to his death:

"Lieutenant Hobson took a short sleep for a few hours, which was often interrupted. At a quarter before two he came on deck and made a final inspection, giving his last instructions. Then we had a little lunch.

Hobson was as cool as a cuc.u.mber. At about half past two I took the men who were not going on the trip into the launch, and started for the _Texas_, the nearest s.h.i.+p, but had to go back for one of the a.s.sistant engineers, whom Hobson finally compelled to leave. I shook hands with Hobson last of all. He said:

"'Powell, watch the boat's crew when we pull out of the harbour. We will be cracks, pulling thirty strokes to the minute.'

"After leaving the _Texas_ I saw the _Merrimac_ steaming slowly in.

"It was only fairly dark then, and the sh.o.r.e was quite visible. We followed about three-quarters of a mile astern. The _Merrimac_ stood about a mile to the westward of the harbour, and seemed a bit mixed, turning completely around, and finally heading to the east, she ran down and then turned in. We were then chasing him because I thought Hobson had lost his bearings.

"When Hobson was about two hundred yards from the harbour the first gun was fired, from the eastern bluff. We were then about half a mile offsh.o.r.e, and nearing the batteries. The firing increased rapidly. We steamed in slowly, and lost sight of the _Merrimac_ in the smoke which the wind carried offsh.o.r.e. It hung heavily. Before Hobson could have blown up the _Merrimac_ the western battery picked us up and commenced firing. They shot wild, however, and we ran in still farther to the sh.o.r.e until the gunners lost sight of us. Then we heard the explosion of the torpedoes on the _Merrimac_.

"Until daylight we waited just outside the breakers, half a mile to the westward of Morro, keeping a sharp lookout for the boat or for swimmers, but saw nothing. Hobson had arranged to meet us at that point, but thinking that some one might have drifted out, we crossed in front of Morro and the mouth of the harbour, to the eastward.

"At about five o'clock we crossed the harbour again, and stood to the westward. In pa.s.sing we saw one spar of the _Merrimac_ sticking out of the water. We hugged the sh.o.r.e just outside of the breakers for a mile, and then turned toward the _Texas_, when the batteries saw us and opened fire.

It was then broad daylight. The first shot dropped thirty yards astern, but the others went wild. I drove the launch for all she was worth, finally making the _New York_. The men behaved splendidly."

_June 3._ Later in the day a boat with a white flag put out from the harbour, and Captain Oviedo, chief of staff of Admiral Cervera, boarded the _New York_, and informed Admiral Sampson that the whole party had been captured; that only two were injured. Lieutenant Hobson was not hurt. The Spanish admiral was so impressed with the courage of the _Merrimac's_ crew that he decided to inform Admiral Sampson of the fact that they had not lost their lives, but were prisoners of war and could be exchanged.

To a newspaper correspondent Commodore Schley said, as he stood on his flag-s.h.i.+p pointing towards Morro Castle:

"History does not record an act of finer heroism than that of the gallant men who are prisoners over there. I watched the _Merrimac_ as she made her way to the entrance of the harbour, and my heart sank as I saw the perfect h.e.l.l of fire that fell upon those devoted men. I did not think it possible one of them could have gone through it alive.

"They went into the jaws of death. It was Balaklava over again without the means of defence which the Light Brigade had. Hobson led a forlorn hope without the power to cut his way out; but fortune once more favoured the brave, and I hope he will have the recognition and promotion he deserves.

His name will live as long as the heroes of the world are remembered."

Admiral Sampson made the following report to the Navy Department:

"Permit me to call your especial attention to a.s.sistant Naval Constructor Hobson.

"As stated in a special telegram, before coming here I decided to make the harbour entrance secure against the possibility of egress by Spanish s.h.i.+ps, by obstructing the narrow part of the entrance by sinking a collier at that point.

"Upon calling upon Mr. Hobson for his professional opinion as to a sure method of sinking the s.h.i.+p, he manifested the most lively interest in the problem. After several days' consideration, he presented a solution which he considered would ensure the immediate sinking of the s.h.i.+p when she reached the desired point in the channel. This plan we prepared for execution when we reached Santiago.

"The plan contemplated a crew of only seven men and Mr. Hobson, who begged that it might be entrusted to him. The anchor chains were arranged on deck for both the anchors, forward and aft, the plan including the anchoring of the s.h.i.+p automatically. As soon as I reached Santiago, and I had the collier to work upon, the details were completed and diligently prosecuted, hoping to complete them in one day, as the moon and tide served best the first night after our arrival.