"There is the collier Merrimac. Let a volunteer crew just large enough to navigate her be selected. Then, after stripping the old ship of everything valuable, let this crew run her, after dark, into the narrowest part of the channel leading to the harbor; and there let them sink her by exploding torpedoes under her. In this way we can block the harbor so that Admiral Cervera cannot in any way bring out his fleet."
LIEUTENANT HOBSON.
He explained that the crew of the Merrimac would jump overboard as she sank, and, if possible, be picked up by a torpedo-boat or a steam launch, which should be stationed near-by for that purpose. Lieutenant Hobson himself, bravely offered to lead this expedition.
Admiral Sampson determined to carry out this plan, and called for a single volunteer from each ship. In spite of the danger of the undertaking, almost the entire crew of each vessel, not only offered to go, but begged to be accepted. Finally, eight men were chosen, with Lieutenant Hobson as their leader. At half-past two o'clock in the morning of June 3d, the Merrimac was headed straight for the channel. Lieutenant Hobson stood on the bridge dressed in full uniform. The other men were at their posts dressed in tights, ready to swim a long distance, if necessary.
The crew of the steam launch, which was following closely behind, saw the Merrimac swing across the channel and then heard the explosions. At the same time, the air was filled with the flash and roar of the guns of the Spanish forts and ships.
In the face of all this fire, and without even a cry of distress to guide them, the crew of the launch began their search for the heroes of the Merrimac, never giving it up until daylight. Then, seeing nothing but the tops of the masts of the collier, they returned to the admiral's flagship.
Of what had happened to his men in the meantime, Lieutenant Hobson himself told afterward:
"When the boat began to sink, and the Spanish shot to fall about us, I told the men to lie flat on the deck. It was due to their splendid discipline, that we were not killed. The minutes seemed hours, but I said that we must lie there until daylight. Now and then one of the men would say, 'Hadn't we better drop off now, sir?' But I said, 'Wait until daylight.' I hoped that by that time we might be recognized and saved.
"The old Merrimac kept sinking. It was splendid the way the men behaved. The fire from the batteries and ships was dreadful. As the water came up on the decks, we caught hold of the edges of the raft which was tied to the boom, and hung on, our heads only being above water.