rip into the launch and started for the
Texas, which was the nearest ship, but had to go back for one of the
assistant engineers, whom Hobson finally compelled to leave. I shook
hands with Hobson the last of all. He said: 'Powell, watch the boat's
crew when we pull out of the harbor. We will be cracks, rowing thirty
strokes to the minute.'

[Illustration: Naval Cadet Jos. W. Powell.]

"After leaving the Texas, I saw the Merrimac steaming slowly in. It
was only fairly dark then, and the shore was quite visible. We
followed about three-quarters of a mile astern. The Merrimac stood
about a mile to the westward of the harbor, and seemed a bit mixed,
turning completely around; finally, heading to the east, she ran down,
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 harbor the first gun was fired from the eastern bluffs.

"We were then half a mile off shore, close under the batteries. The
firing increased rapidly. We steamed in slowly and lost sight of the
Merrimac in the smoke, which the wind carried off shore. It hung
heavily. Before Hobson could have blown up the Merrimac the western
battery picked up and commenced firing. They shot wild, and we only
heard the shots. We ran in still closer to the shore, and 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 bright 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 harbor to the eastward.
About five o'clock we crossed the harbor again, within a quarter of a
mile, and stood to the westward.

"In passing we saw one spar of the Merrimac sticking out of the water.
We hugged the shore just outside of the breakers for a mile, and then
turned towards the Texas, when the batteries saw us and opened fire.
It was then broad daylight. The first shot fired dropped thirty yards
astern, but the other shots went wild. I drove the launch for all she
was worth, finally making the New York. The men behaved splendidly."

How did our brave men fare as prisoners? They were taken to one of the
Spanish warships, were fed and clothed, and treated as friends.
Admiral Cervera sent a message to Admiral Sampson, sayin