THE MERRIMAC.
EVERY day now was full of excitement for the Diaz family. Letters were
often brought to the house by some secret messenger. Each time they
told of some new and surprising event.
The insurgents were braver than ever before. They dared more because
they knew of the good friends coming to help them. Yes, the United
States was getting troops ready to meet the Spaniards on Cuban soil.
And our great war-ships were gathering also. They, too, were coming to
help Cuba.
The great battle-ship _Oregon_ was speeding through two oceans that
she, also, might take part. The eyes of the whole world were watching
her voyage, and millions of people were praying for her safety. How we
love the _Oregon_ to-day and the brave captain and sailors who brought
her safely through her long journey!
One little American boy, only nine years old, felt so sorry for the
suffering children of Cuba that he wrote these words:
"War, war, war on Spain,
Who blew up our beautiful, beautiful _Maine_.
Think of the poor little Cuban dears,
Think of their hardships, their sorrows, their tears,
Who die every day for the want of some food;
Wouldn't you be in a fighting mood?
Then hurrah! for the soldiers who nobly do fight
In the cause of the weak and for Nature's great right."
This is not very good poetry, but it shows the deep feeling of our
children for their little Cuban cousins.
Maria, in her pretty little home under the palm-trees, was spared, yet,
as she and we knew, there were thousands of children no older than
herself who suffered and died before Cuba was free. Our little cousin
was delighted when she knew that the American fleet was actually close
to the shores of her land.
But the Spanish war-vessels were here too. They were lying in the
harbour of Santiago. It was at the other end of the island, but news
passed from one to another very quickly among the insurgents. Ramon
drew pictures of the two fleets as he imagined they looked. He made
new pictures every day. How he longed to see them with his own eyes! I
really fear that he would have run away from home and joined the army
at this exciting time, if he had not loved his parents so dearly.
Why did the Spanish fleet stay in the harbour of Santiago? Why did
they not go out and meet the American war-ships? Were they afraid? It
certainly seemed so. They believed they were in a very safe place.
There was only a narrow entrance to the harbour. It was defended at
each side of this opening, for on the left were new batteries which had
lately been set up, and on the right was the grand old Morro Castle
which had stood there for hundreds of years. In the olden times it had
defended Cuba against her enemies more than once.
"Morro" means hill, and the fortress at Santiago was well named, for
it is built on a rocky promontory several hundred feet high, at the
junction of the open sea and the San Juan River.
Mines were sunk in the narrow entrance to the harbour so that, if the
American ships should dare to enter, they would explode these mines and
be destroyed like the _Maine_. It was no wonder the Spanish admiral
thought they were safe in staying where they were.
Then it happened that a young American thought of a plan by which the
Spaniards might be caught in a trap. His name was Lieutenant Hobson.
It was a very daring plan, but he was a wonderfully brave man.
He said to Admiral Sampson, who commanded the American fleet:
"Let me take the _Merrimac_. It is a coaling vessel and very heavy.
It has six hundred tons of coal on board. We can place torpedoes in
different parts of the ship. A few men can help me sail her into the
channel. When the narrowest part is reached we will fire off the
torpedoes and escape from her before she sinks. That is, we will do so
if we can. But the _Merrimac_ will be across the narrow channel and the
Spanish ships cannot get out. Our own ships will then be free to attack
another part of the island. The Spanish seamen will have to remain
where they are till they are glad to surrender."
Admiral Sampson had thought of many plans, but he liked this one of
Lieutenant Hobson's best of all.
But who should be chosen to go with the brave man on this dangerous
errand? Chosen! Why, there were hundreds who asked to share his danger,
and only six could go with him. You would have thought it was some
great festival they longed to take part in, if you could have seen how
disappointed the men were, who had begged to go and were refused.
But no, it was a fight with death. To begin with, the _Merrimac_ must
pass the batteries and Morro Castle. She and those on board might
easily be destroyed before she reached the place where the work was
to be done. And then, when her own torpedoes should be fired off, how
could Hobson and his men expect to escape from the sinking ship?
But they were risking their lives in the cause of those who needed
their help. You and I know now that they were brought safely through
all the dangers which surrounded them.
The _Merrimac_ passed the guns of the Morro unharmed, for the Spaniards
were poor marksmen. She reached the narrow channel where Hobson meant
to do his great work. But a shot from the batteries knocked away her
rudder, so they could not steer her across the narrow channel. Then
a great mine exploded under her and tore a big hole in her side. She
began to sink.
Hobson and his men lay flat upon the deck. Shells and bullets came
whizzing about them. They dared not rise, even though the ship was
breaking apart as the shells crashed through her sides.
At length the _Merrimac_ had sunk so low that the water was up to her
deck. A raft floated close to the men. It was one they had brought with
them to help in escaping. They caught hold of the edges and kept their
heads above water.
Just then a Spanish launch drew near. The men on board were about to
fire when Hobson cried out and asked if an officer were in the boat, as
he wished to surrender. Admiral Cervera, the commander of the Spanish
fleet, had himself sent the boat. He ordered the firing to cease and
accepted Hobson and his men as prisoners of war.
When the news of Hobson's brave deed reached Maria, she could think of
nothing else for days afterward. She would picture him in his cell at
Morro Castle, looking out to sea where the American fleet were still
cruising.
"How proud of him they must all be!" she cried to Ramon.
"They can't be any prouder of him than we are to have such friends as
he," the boy replied. "Why, he will be looked upon now as one of the
greatest heroes the world ever knew. I shall always be proud of Morro
Castle because of his having been confined there.
"You know, we went all over the place when we were little, Maria. I
believe he is kept prisoner in that part of the castle which is built
over the water cave. You know we heard that he can look far out on the
sea from his windows.
"Think of the dungeons underneath, where people were locked up years
ago. We peeked into one of them that day we visited the fortress and I
remember how dark and damp they were. I do hope Hobson is treated well
and won't have to stay at Morro very long."