The U. S. S. Maine, Captain Charles D. Sigsbee commanding, entered the
port of Havana, Island of Cuba, on the morning of January 25, 1898, and
was assigned an anchorage by the harbor authorities.
The occasion for the presence of an American ship in those waters was
the desire on the part of the United States to impress upon the Spanish
Government her friendly attitude towards Spain. The usual visits of
ceremony between the officers of the visiting ship and the Spanish
officials followed.
At 9.40 on Tuesday evening, February 15th, an explosion occurred in
the forward part of the Maine, so terrific in its character that it
was heard for miles. Subsequently, Captain Sigsbee, in writing of the
explosion, said: “I find it impossible to describe the sound or shock,
but the impression remains of something awe-inspiring, terrifying--of
noise, rending, vibrating, all-pervading. There is nothing in the
former experience of anyone aboard to measure the explosion by.”
The whole city was shaken by the force of the explosion, lights were
put out in the streets, and the bay was illuminated by the flames of
the burning ship.
The quarters of the crew were forward, and the destruction of life
among them was appalling; of the 354 men and officers on board the
Maine, only 101 escaped death, and many of those were severely wounded.
Lieutenant Jenkins and Engineer Merritt were among the lost.
[Illustration:
Copyright L. M. PALMER.