Petaluma High School - Trojans Yearbook (Petaluma, CA)

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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

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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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24 had received many holes near the water-line and after one final shot from the thirteen-inch, the Uhristobal Colon, fastest ship owned by Spain, headed for the shore, having been chased, fought, and destroyed by the mighty “bull-dog of the navy,” the United States battleship Oregon, the vessel Which had sailed from San Francisco to Cuba a distance of four thousand miles, at full speed, a feat never before accomplished by any vessel of any nation in naval history. When the Colon was finally beached, and her colors struck, the w r ork of rescue began. McManus was appointed coxswain for one of the life boats used for rescue and Robert was told off as his assistant. After hours of rescue work we again see Robert on the Oregon which is now on her return to the rendez¬ vous at the mouth of the harbor from which she was drawn in the chase of the Colon. As the ships drew near the harbor, they saw the miagnificient as w r ell as powerful Spanish squadron represented by the old hulks in a mass of flames and peppered as it w’ere, with the balls and shells of the American battleships. On the next day Robert was sum¬ moned to the surgeon’s room, where be found ' Captain Clark and the sur¬ geon awaiting him. John Ericson, of whom mention has before been made, was talking in his delirium, and tell¬ ing in the broken way of one in a deli¬ rium of the stealing of the revolvers which happened on. the Pacific coast. Of course, as he knew nothing of what he was saying it was of no use to convict him of the theft but careful note was taken, however, of all that was said, and this evidence was used at a. later time. ' But to explain the reason of Ericson being in this delirium, we must go back to the day before, when the boats were rescuing the perishing sol¬ diers. Ericson had also been as¬ signed to one of the boats and the excitement of the chase, the heat, and the joy over the victory had made him ill, and it was in the delirium, which accompanied the fever caused by the events before mentioned he talked about the stealing of the re • volver, for which Robert had receiv- ! ed all the blame. Ericson’s , belong- I ings were then searched and the missing articles found. When Ericson could speak rational¬ ly he was confronted by the the evi¬ dence of his guilt, and in the face of such overwhelming proof he acknowl- | edged his guilt, and was sentenced to ; twenty years imprisonment on the government prison at Alcatraz, the extreme penalty for stealing which can be inflicted upon a member of the United States navy. Robert was several davs later sum¬ moned to the cabin of the command¬ er, to receive his promotion for gal¬ lant conduct in rescue work and his expert marksmanship during battle, and last but not least bearing the blame of a dishonest and criminal act of which he was wholly innocent. “My boy,” said Captain Clark, “I want you to forgive me for doubting your honor for an instant. Your con¬ duct during the past few davs, had there been a suspicion, would haive enliieiy removed all doubt as to your manhood and honor. And now in obedience to mv orders I promote you to captain of gun No. 10. I trust that you will ask about McManus, but he also has been promoted, and further¬ more I wish to state that two more