Petaluma High School - Trojans Yearbook (Petaluma, CA)

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22 ailment which often possesses me; a dull throbbing headache, caused by a severe blow from a vaulting pole, which I received while .attending i High School. I arose and, going to my box., I took a dose of medicine which I always kept for such a purpose. I ! promise you, sir, that I knew nothing j whatever of this affair until you spoke • of it at the roll-call the following morning.” While Robert was undergoing this interview in the captain’s cabin, his chest had been searched and the miss¬ ing articles not having been found he was released. ‘I released you, my boy,” said Captain ' Clark, “with the hope that nothing may over again occur to fast¬ en suspicion upon you.” “‘Thank you, sir,” replied Robert, “I hope that time will fully erase any doubt in your mind as to my honor.” Nothing of interest happened on the way down the western coast of South America until they came to Concep¬ cion where a stop was made in order to procure more provisions and fuel As you know, the coal mines of Ar- anco Bay are under the ocean and bay, and Robert was deeply impressed with the thought that beneath them was one of the largest coal mines in the world, and coal which he saw be¬ ing transferred to the battleship came from beneath the sea. After a stop long enough to replenish the larder and refill the bunkers, the Oregon was again sailing to the southward. Most vessels encounter rough ; weather while rounding the Horn, but the Oregon’s luck in sailing thus far with no serious mishaps did not desert her now, for on the whole there could be no better weather than that experienced by the Oregon, on her trip from San Francisco to Santiago. With the constant throbbing of mighty engines the Oregon headed for the north; and the battle which was soon to take place, and in which she was to play so important a part. ‘Still, never halting, the Oregon con¬ tinued her famous race for the scene cf action, carrying with her a young friend, McCraig. At last, on July 2d, 1898, the Oregon arrived within sight of the blockading fleet of Santiago; and as you know resulted in the- the greatest and most powerful ves¬ sels in the American navy. The Ore¬ gon, immediately after reporting to the vice-admiral, Sampson being away, took up her position on the blockade line, after her famous race of 4,000 miles at full speed, without a serious mishap of any sort, and the officers and men, least of all Robert, never knew that on the next day,, what all the world looked forward to as an exhibition of modern naval war¬ fare, between one of the most power¬ ful nations on the face of the earth and one whmh in times past had been the most powerful, was to take place, and as you know resulted in the enemys making a bold break from coyer, and attempting to escape through the blockading line of the American squadron. All through the excitement of this voyage, Robert never forgot the shadow cf dishonesty which was thrown upon him, and the distrust in which he was held by the quarter¬ master and the men, who looked upon Robert, although he stoutly denied

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21 get practice, and by the practice ob¬ tained cn board the training ship. Robert became a fairly good shot with the 4-inch rapid firing gun. Thus it was that when orders came from Cap¬ tain Clark of the U. S. S. Oregon to dispatch immediately the best marks¬ man of a 4-inch rapid firing gun, Rob¬ ert was chosen, and obeyed with dis trust, slightly mingled with joy, not as yet having been informed of the nature of the orders. When Robert appeared before the commander he was told that he was to go, at once, to the Oregon as assistant gunner to gun No. 10. Soon having packed his few be¬ longings, which composed a sailor’s wardrobe, into his little sea chest, he was on his way to the Oregon, then lying off the Union Iron Works. As Robert viewed the mighty engine of warfare, he thought, “What a pity to send such a beautiful vessel into the spot where she was liable to be shattered and sunk by hostile shells.” Upon arriving he was presented to the chief gunner, Alfred McManus, as loyal an American as ever fired a gun from an American battleship, who in turn, introduced him to the other men stationed .at. that gun. It did not take long for Robert to become thoroughly acquainted with his duties under Mc¬ Manus, and then, again, commenced the monotonous routine. At length came the orders from the navy department at Washington, to sail immediately for Santiago Be Cuba with all speed. Soon all prepar¬ ations were made, and amid the toot¬ ing of hundreds of whistles and sound¬ ing of many gongs, the Oregon steam¬ ed up the bay, ana escorted by tugs and smaller vessels which accompan¬ ied her to the heads, she bade good¬ bye to the Golden Gate and left the sunny shores of California for the tropical regions; and from thence around the Horn, up to her destin¬ ation, “with her sister ships in the east.” All went on smoothly for a. time, rill, one day, an incident happened which disturbed the serenity of Rob¬ ert’s mess. One morning the quarter¬ master discovered that a brace of pearl-handled revolvers were missing from the chest which he kept in the wardroom, adjoining his own states- room. The evening before, Robert was suddenly taken ill, and in the night he arose to procure medicine from his chest. At roll call that morn¬ ing the captain informed the men of the discovery of the loss, and closely questioned every man as to what he knew of the affair. As Captain Clark passed down the line he came to o ne, John Ericson, who hesitated, imper¬ ceptibly to other than an acute ob¬ server, in his answers. (But as he stoutly denied having any knowledge of the matter, and as there was no proof that he was the man, the mat¬ ter was apparently dropped. The captain, however, was informed by whom it was newer ascertained, that Robert McCraig had been heard and seen moving about his hammock on the night in which the revoli ers w r ere stolen. On being summoned to the commander’s cabin, and questioned concerning the stolen articles, he told the following story as to the cause of his being seen moving about in the night. “About two o’clock I awoke, ex¬ periencing a queer sensation in my head and attributed the cause to an

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23 hat her igo. of dec! ich Lich art. jon- ene ung 2d, ght go; the 1 res- )re- to ing the ace it a the ert, lay,. [ to yar- ver- irtls een ace, the xrai ape the this the was t in ter- pon lied taking any part in the affair, as a thief and liar. The following morning, July 3d, Robert and the ether men lined up for Sunday inspection. Before the sailers were di missed the signal, “Ships prepare for action,” was seeu floating from the Brooklyn, flag-ship of Admiral Schley. The men were immediately dismissed their inspec- ion and dress-uniferm of white duck changed to the blue of the every-day uniform. Scon the order, “All hands to their stations,” passed through the ship, and Robert repaired to No. 10, and stood beside McManus awaiting further orders. ■From his position on the deck of the Oregon beside his gun, Robert had a fairly good view of all that went on. He saw the other ships of the fleet were manned, and ready for action, and that the New York with Admiral Sampson had not arrived. While looking toward the mouth of the har¬ bor, he saw smoke arising from be¬ hind the bluff wTiere rested the fam¬ ous Morro Castle about which many horrible incidents have been written concerning the prisoners confined there. Soon .a gun on the Texas boomed out, “I spy,” and he saw a large and magnificent black warship come sneaking out cf the harbor, followed closely by other vessels of ' Cev era ' s fleet. Then the whole ‘Spanish fleet; led by the Infanta Maria Teresa., headed for the east, running near the shore. As the Oregon, from her posi¬ tion beside the Brooklyn, saw the Colon, supposed to be the swiftest Spanish ship, come out of the harbor the last one in the line, she and the Brooklyn, after firing on the other ships, gave chase. Soon Robert noted the immense quantity of smoke pour¬ ing from the funnels of the Oregon and he knew that she was going at full speed and that this was the start of the wonderful race between the two mightiest vessels of the conflict¬ ing powers. It was soon to be seen that the Ore¬ gon was steadily gaining on her en¬ emy, when one of the great thirteen- inch guns in the forward turret broke out with a terrible roar and the shell went singing over the Colon explod¬ ing in the water beyond. The Colon un¬ heeding this signal “heave to,” the running fight began in earnest. As- the Oregon drew within range of the four-inch rapid firing guns, orders were given to fire and make every shot tell. As McManus wished to do everything in his power to help Rob¬ ert win a name for himself, and to lift the crushing weight of a supposed dishonest act from Robert’s shoulders, or through his strong affection for the boy, he stoutly defended him from all accusation sincerely believing in his innocence, Robert did by far the greater part of the sighting and fir¬ ing. A number of times ejaculations es¬ caped from McManus which gave Robert to understand that his shots were reaching the mark. During this fusilade on the part of the Oregon the Colon had net been idle, for the shells w r ere pouring around the Ore¬ gon in such a manner as to make Ft extremely perilous to those who were forced to stand on the decks, but, thanks to the reputed poor marks¬ manship of the Spaniards, the Oregon escaped all serious damage. It was plainly seen that “less expert and weaker far,” the Spaniards “main¬ tained unequal war,” for the Colon v